Prajapati

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Prajāpati is the “lord of creatures,” the primal being associated with creation in the Indian (see Hinduism entries) Brāhmaṇas (see Brāhmaṇas). But by the time of the epic the Mahābhārata (see Mahābhārata), he has lost his position as the primal soul or first god and has become simply a god whose job is to create. From the time of the Upaniśads (see Upaniṣads) on, he is frequently the same being as Brahmā (see Brahmā) the creator god in the Hindu trimūrti that is Brahmā, Viṣṇu (see Viṣṇu), and Śiva (see Śiva). There are several myths about the process by which Prajāpati created the world. The Aitareya Brāhmaṇa contains a story of incest that echoes the ṛg Veda creation myth (see ṛg Veda, Vedic Cosmogony). Prajāpati came to his daughter, the sky or dawn, as a stag, she becoming a doe, and had intercourse with her. But the gods disapproved, and Rudra (see Rudra), who later is Śiva, pierced him with an arrow. Prajāpati's seed flowed forth and became a lake protected by Agni (see Agni), or Fire, out of which came many things, including Brhaspati (see Bṛhaspati), the lord of sacred speech—sometimes Indra (see Indra)—necessary for proper sacrifices and mantras (see Mantra). In the Kauṣitāki Brāhmaṇa, it is Prajāpati's sons who are seduced by his daughter. From their spilled seed, captured by Prajāpati in a golden bowl, emerges the thousand-eyed Bhava or “Existence,” a version of the old Vedic (see Vedic entries) primal man or Puruṣa (see Puruṣa). In still another myth—in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa—Prajāpati masturbates and spills his seed into Agni. The seed becomes the sacred milk of clarified butter used in sacrifices. By producing progeny and making proper sacrifice, Prajāpati, setting a standard for humans, saved himself and existence from the death that is Agni.

In Hinduism, Prajapati (Sanskrit prajā-pati प्रजापति "lord of creatures") is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme god viswakarma above the other Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature. Vedic commentators also identify him with the creator referred to in the Nasadiya Sukta.

In later times, he is identified with Vishnu, Shiva, with the personifications of Time, Fire, the Sun, etc. He is also identified with various mythical progenitors, especially (Manu Smrti 1.34) the ten lords of created beings first created by Brahmā, the Prajapatis Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha, Prachetas or Daksha, Bhrigu, Nārada.

The Mahabharata mentions, in the words of celestial sage Narada, 14 Prajapatis (lit:caretakers of the Praja), namely: Daksha, Prachetas, Pulaha, Marichi, Kasyapa, Bhrigu, Atri, Vasistha, Gautama, Angiras, Pulastya, Kratu, Prahlada and Kardama who are the caretakers of the fourteen worlds - seven lokas and seven talas.^[1]

Possible equivalent

The name of /PRA-JĀ[N]-pati/ ('progeny-potentate') is etymologically equivalent to that of the oracular god at Kolophōn (according to Makrobios^[2]), namely /PRŌto-GONos/. According to Damaskios, Prōtogonos (also known as Phanēs) had four heads, those of "a Serpent (Drakōn)... and a bull; a man, and a god",^[3] while Prajā-pati is likewise reckoned as 4-headed [one each head having produced deva-s (gods), ṛṣi-s (sages), pitṛ-s (ancestors), and nara-s (humans), according to the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa^[4]].

See also

• Nasadiya sukta
• Hiranyagarbha sukta
• Hinduism and monotheism
• List of Hindu deities
• Creation myth
• Vāc

References

1. ^ Narada said.. The Mahabharata translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883 -1896), Book 2: Sabha Parva: Lokapala Sabhakhayana Parva, section:XI. p. 25 And Daksha, Prachetas, Pulaha, Marichi, the master Kasyapa, Bhrigu, Atri, and Vasistha and Gautama, and also Angiras, and Pulastya, Kraut, Prahlada, and Kardama, these Prajapatis, and Angirasa of the Atharvan Veda, the Valikhilyas, the Marichipas; Intelligence, Space, Knowledge, Air, Heat, Water, Earth, Sound, Touch, Form, Taste, Scent; Nature, and the Modes (of Nature), and the elemental and prime causes of the world,--all stay in that mansion beside the lord Brahma. And Agastya of great energy, and Markandeya, of great ascetic power, and Jamadagni and Bharadwaja, and Samvarta, and Chyavana, and exalted Durvasa, and the virtuous Rishyasringa, the illustrious 'Sanatkumara' of great ascetic merit and the preceptor in all matters affecting Yoga..."
2. ^ Robert Graves : The Greek Myths. 1955. vol. 1, p. 31, sec. 2.2
3. ^ [ttp://www.theoi.com/Protogenos/Phanes.html
4. ^ Julius Lipner : The Hindus. Routledge, 1994. p. 45

• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola

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