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Prithvi
see also Bhoor Lok
The Earth.
This world in which we live. It is called Bhoomi also. She is one of the
14 Lok. In Ved, she is considered a Devee and is a part of Vyaahriti -
Bhoor, Bhuvah, Swaha, in which Bhoor refers to Prithvi. Also spelled as
"Prithivee". Once in the times of the King Prithu, Prithvi refused to
give anything to its people, so he ran to kill her. Then she surrendered
to him and the King regarded her as his daughter. From that day she was
called Prithvi. Its synonyms are Vasudhaa, Vasumatee, Vasundharaa.
The Prithvi Deity
A. Origin
and meaning - ‘Prath (प्रथ्), meaning pervasive, is the root from
which the word Prithvi (पृथ्वी) has been derived. “प्रथते विस्तारं याति
इति” meaning “that which is pervasive is the Prithvi” is how the
absolute Earth has been defined.’ Prith (पृथ्) means particles. Thus the
Earth, Prithvi (पृथ्वी) is the one which is composed of several
particles. Absolute Earth is one of the five cosmic elements and is considered a Deity.
B. Some other names - Bhoo, Bhoom, Bhoomi, Vishwambharaa,
Dharitri, Kshiti, Vasudhaa, Mahi, etc are some of its names. Bhoom is
the one who expands and nurtures. Since this phenomenon occurs on the Earth she is called Bhoom.
C. Special features - Qualities - Tolerance and forgiveness. The
earth endures the cruel acts of evildoers, pardons them and even
nurtures them. In the context of evildoers it is said, ‘ते मृत्युलोके
भूमिभारभूता मनुष्यरुपेण मृगाश्चरन्ति ।’ meaning animals in human form
(unrighteous people) on the Earth (Mrityu Lok) become a burden to it.
And Fragrance - This is a feature of the earth.
D. Ability and manifest energy - Ability : Creation 10%, sustenance 20% and dissolution 70%.
Manifest energy : 10%
E. Idols - One does not come across idols of this Deity.
F. Spiritual practices - The Earth is worshipped in the form of
snake holes. This form of the Earth is referred to as Santeri. The form
of the Earth as Bhoomak is ritualistically worshipped by performing
ritualistic worship of the kitchen platform. Although we consider the
Earth as a Deity we touch her with our feet, walk over her, make
her dirty, etc. Hence every morning after waking up, before placing the
feet on the ground the following prayer is recited.
‘समुद्रवसने देवी पर्वतस्तनमण्डले । विष्णुपत्नि नमस्तुभ्यं
पादस्पर्शं क्षमस्व मे ।'
Meaning : I offer obeisance to you O Deity of the Earth, the consort of
Lord Vishnu who is donned with clothes in the form of the sea and has
breasts in the form of mountains. Forgive me for touching you with my
feet.’
Lord Vishnu is the sustainer. The Earth too performs the same function.
Hence she is considered as Vishnu’s consort. At times Shree Devee (Lakshmee)
and Bhoo Devee (Deity of the Earth) are depicted on either side of the
idol of Lord Vishnu.
G. Forms - The earth becomes a mother only after becoming
‘moist’. Hence in the verse (Stotra) Shree Sookt with reference to mud
and moisture it is said “because of you she bore progeny and became a
mother”. The lotus is associated with both muck and moisture.
The menstruating woman (Ambuvachi) : Rajah (रज:) means minute particles
and Rajaswalaa (रजस्वला) means the woman undergoing her menses
(periods). According to the Krishiparaashar (6th century AD) a farmer
who wishes to grow a crop is prohibited from sowing seeds for three and
a half days between the end of the Hindoo Lunar months of Jyeshth and
the beginning of Aashaadh because at that time the earth is
menstruating. If this rule is violated then it amounts to a sin and that
individual gets destroyed. Based on the date (Tithi) during the period
between the end of the Mrigshiraa and the beginning of the Aardraa lunar
asterisms (Nakshatra) for three days, the earth is in her menstrual
cycle. This state is referred to as ‘Ambuvachi’. According to the
regional variation these days may vary.
1. In the Indian state of Aassaam, the temple of the female deity
Kaamaakshee is kept closed for three days from the sixth (Shashthee) /
seventh (Saptamee) day till the tenth (Dashamee) / eleventh (Ekaadashee)
day of the bright fortnight of the Hindoo Lunar month of Aashaadh. On
the fourth day after ritualistic worship the temple doors are opened. To
signify menstruation of the Deity, on that day, devotees are given a
piece of red cloth as offering (Prasaad). On the seventh day (Saptamee)
‘Saat’ festival is celebrated here.
2. In Kaashmeer, the festival of Radnyisnaapan, bathing of the Earth,
the consort of the Sun Deity after her menstruation, is celebrated from
the fifth (Panchamee) to the eighth (Ashtamee) day of the dark fortnight
of the Hindoo Lunar month of Chaitra.
3. In Keral, in India, the rituals of Tripukharattu and Ucharal are
performed in the month of January or February in which for three days
the house, courtyard and garden are neither swept nor watered or smeared
with cow dung.
4. In Udeesaa, in India, in the last few days of the Hindoo Lunar month
of Jyeshth or the first one or two days of Aashaadh, the festival of
Rajotsav (menstruation) is celebrated.
As the mother and nurturer - Obeying the directives of Sage
Jamadagni, Parashuraam beheaded his mother, Renuka. The head is
worshipped as the female Deity Yallama and the body as Bhoo Devee,
Lajjaagauree, Lanjikaa, Yogambika, Nitambinee, Kotavi (kot means nude),
Chinnamasta, etc. Lanjikaa refers to the great birth passage (Mahaa-Yoni)
of the entire universe. Only the body represents creation and the organs
of sustenance. The female Deity is primarily the Deity of nature and its
nurturer too. That is why she is worshipped in the form of the birth
passage which represents creation and the breasts which represent
nurture.
Nirriti - ‘निर्गत: ऋत: यस्मात्’ means Nirriti is the one in
whom the path to know the ultimate truth is deficient. She is the Deity
of death. She exists in the form of a pot (Kumbh). Formerly a dead child
used to be buried in a pot. A pot resembles an uterus. It suggests that
birth occurs through the womb and that after death once again one has to
return to the womb.
H. Spiritual experience -
Baabaa (HH Bhaktaraaj Mahaaraaj) - "Spiritually the Moon too is considered a
great Deity. The Moon is the deity of the mind and imparts tremendous
amount of Serenity (Shaanti). Your trip to the Moon must have had a great
impact on your mind."
Edgar Mitchell - "Of course the Moon makes the mind tranquil. But in this
journey to the Moon the most fascinating experience that I had was the
vision of the Earth from the Moon."
Baba - "What effect did that have on you?"
Edgar Mitchell - "I think I can describe that vision as “a glimpse of an
experience of the soul, an experience of non-duality between the soul
and the universe”. I experienced that for approximately three hours."
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