Essay name: Goddesses from the Samhitas to the Sutras
Author:
Rajeshri Goswami
Affiliation: Jadavpur University / Department of Sanskrit
This essay studies the Goddesses from the Samhitas to the Sutras. In short, this thesis examines Vedic goddesses by analyzing their images, functions, and social positions. It further details how natural and abstract elements were personified as goddesses, whose characteristics evolved with societal changes.
Chapter 3
10 (of 17)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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Hi *** 283 Varun膩n墨 is supplicated to listen to the song of praise
44 of her worshippers"
45 These goddesses are auspicious, and lustrous. They are
ubiquitous i.e. they exist on the earth, in the atmosphere and
47.
in the waters.
The Vedic Aryans deified the god's wives, and regarded
them as personalities having the attributes of goddesses in
general. They protected the people, and were also invoked by
them for happiness, wealth and offspring. They were beseeched
to defend Indra, and to protect the whole earth or atmosphere too.
They also played some role in the sacrifice performed by the
people. They are considered as minor goddesses, and hold quite
a subordinate position in the Vedic pantheon.
It is interesting to remember the Greek word MOTVia (potnia)
which means a goddess, or queen or an honoured woman, a mistress.
The word appears to be a cognate of Sanskrit patni and both seem
to to back to Indo-European times when the concept of 'a voman
A
"
honoured above others' was elevated to comprehend a goddess. Or
a synonym for the goddess was demoted to include specially
honoured mortal women.
44 RV VII : 34:22.
45 RV III : 5316.
46掳 RV V 1 4618.
47 AV VII # 49.1.
