Essay name: Devi Tantra, Mantra, Yantra (study)
Author:
Srider Basudevan Iyer
Affiliation: University of Mumbai / Sanskrit, University Department
This essay studies the history of Devi (the Goddess) in relation with worship using Tantra, Yantra and Mantra. The study explores the concept of the 'Female Principle' or Goddess, examining her role and significance in ancient Indian society.
Chapter 2 - The Maior Goddesses
14 (of 125)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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chapter II Major goddesses 71 over her originally and essentially male counter part - the sky, to the
extent that even the sex of the latter got confused with the former who
was, it appears, now in the ascendancy in the Rg-vedic Pantheon.
U峁s, Agni, Surya, the Maruts, Parjanya and the great Indra are the
children of this pair斜鹿.
Two aspects of the earth.
Two aspects of the earth as terrible and as gentle are
observed. The earliest reference to this is seen in the RV62. This dual
nature is distinguished in the work by the use of two terms which are
synonyms - Prithivi and Bh奴mi.
Here, the goddess earth is named Prthivi and is as such
different from the physical earth or Bh奴mi. Sayanac膩rya comments on
this two fold nature of earth as 'dvirup膩 prthivi. The verse states that
the earth or Prthivi as; the bearer of the mountain piercing tool or the
thunder bolt, is rich in torrents, is a mighty one and quickness the
Bhumi for germination. This indicates the dual nature of the earth.
One as a life giver and other as a powerful entity - who wields the
thunder both, She is responsible for the fertility of the soil. Not only is
she the mother of the plant kingdom, but, also of human kind. This
aspect though mentioned in several passages co-jointly to
Dyavaprthivi is addressed to Prthivi alone in the AV.
61AA. MacDonnell, Vedic Mythology. Strasburg 1897 P. 21)
2 RV.84.1-3
