Template:Infobox deityTemplate:Hinduism small
Dyaus (Vedic Sanskrit: द्यौस्, Template:IAST3) or Dyauspitr (Vedic Sanskrit: द्यौष्पितृ, Template:IAST3) is the Rigvedic sky deity. His consort is Prithvi, the earth goddess, and together they are the archetypal parents in the Rigveda.[1]
Etymology
Template:IAST stems from Proto-Indo-Iranian *dyā́wš, from the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) daylight-sky god Template:Lang, and is cognate with the Greek Template:Lang – Zeus Patēr, or Dei-pátrous, and Latin Jupiter (from Old Latin Dies piter Template:Lang), stemming from the PIE Template:Lang ("Daylight-sky Father").Template:Sfn
The noun Template:IAST (when used without the Template:IAST 'father') refers to the daylight sky, and occurs frequently in the Rigveda, as an entity. The sky in Vedic writing was described as rising in three tiers: Template:IAST, Template:IAST, and Template:IAST or Template:IAST.[2]
Literature
Dyáuṣ Pitṛ́ appears in hymns with Prithvi Mata, 'Mother Earth' in the ancient Vedic scriptures of Hinduism.[3]
In the Ṛg·veda, Dyáuṣ Pitṛ́ appears in verses 1.89.4, 1.90.7, 1.164.33, 1.191.6, 4.1.10. and 4.17.4[4] He is also referred to under different theonyms: Dyavaprithvi, for example, is a dvandva compound combining 'heaven' and 'earth' as Dyauṣ and Prithvi.
Dyauṣ's most defining trait is his paternal role.[5] His daughter, Uṣas, personifies dawn.[6] The gods, especially Sūrya, are stated to be the children of Dyauṣ and Prithvi.[7] Dyauṣ's other sons include Agni, Parjanya, the Ādityas, the Maruts, and the Angirases.[5][7] The Ashvins are called "divó nápāt", meaning offspring/progeny/grandsons of Dyauṣ.[5][8] Dyauṣ is often visualized as a roaring animal, often a bull, who fertilizes the earth.[5] Dyauṣ is also known for the rape of his own daughter,[9] which Jamison and Brereton (2014) state is "obliquely but vividly" mentioned in the Rigveda.[7]
Dyauṣ is also stated to be like a black stallion studded with pearls in a simile with the night sky.[5]Template:Sfn
Indra's separation of Dyauṣ and Prithvi is celebrated in the Rigveda as an important creation myth.[7]
In the Mahabharata Bhishma is the human incarnation of Dyaus after the Vasus got cursed to living a human life on earth for stealing from Vasishtha out of pride and desire. 7 of the Vasus got forgiven quickly but Dyaus the one who lead the act by physically stealing from Vasistha was singled out to remain on earth for a long duration, while the others were liberated shortly after birth. Dyaus incarnated as Devavrata, who later became known as Bhishma.[10][11].
See also
References
- ↑ Demystifying Brahminism and Re-Inventing Hinduism: Volume 1 - Demystifying Brahminism{{#if:Shri|, Shri}. Notion Press(23 January 2017). ISBN 978-1-946515-54-4
- ↑ Ṛg·veda, 5.60.6.
- ↑ The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Reaktion Books(2016). ISBN 978-1-78023-538-7
- ↑ Sanskrit: Ṛg·veda, Wikisource; translation: Ralph T. H. Griffith Rigveda, Wikisource
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Vedic Mythology{{#if:Macdonell|, Macdonell}. Oxford University Press(1897)
- ↑ Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide{{#if:Dalal|, Dalal}. Penguin Books(2014). ISBN 9788184752779 Entry: "Dyaus"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 The Rigveda –– The Earliest Religious Poetry of India{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Oxford University Press(2014)
- ↑ Indo-European Poetry and Myth{{#if:West|, West}. Oxford University Press(2007). ISBN 978-0-19-928-075-9
- ↑ Pagan Ethics: Paganism as a World Religion{{#if:York|, York}. Springer International Publishing : Imprint: Springer(2016). ISBN 978-3-319-18923-9
- ↑ The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa{{#if:Ganguli|, Ganguli}. Bharata Press(1883–1896)
- ↑ On Bhishma as Sky Father Incarnate: A Guest Post With Annotations. Arya Akasha(May 14, 2023). Retrieved 2026-01-20.
- Die Religion des Rgveda{{#if:Oberlies|, Oberlies}. Institut für Indologie der Universität Wien(1998)