Prajapati

history

In Hinduism, Prajapati (Sanskrit '''' "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 BrahmÄ, the Prajapatis Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha, Prachetas or Daksha, Bhrigu, NÄrada.

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.»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..."

Possible equivalent

The name of PRA-JÄ€[N]-pati ('progeny-potentate') is etymologically equivalent to that of the oracular god at KolophÅn (according to MakrobiosRobert Graves : The Greek Myths. 1955. vol. 1, p. 31, sec. 2.2), namely PRÅŒto-GONos. According to Damaskios, PrÅtogonos (also known as PhanÄ“s) had four heads, those of "a Serpent (DrakÅn)... and a bull; a man, and a god",[ttp://www.theoi.com/Protogenos/Phanes.html while PrajÄ-pati is likewise reckoned as 4-headed »each head having produced deva-s (gods), ṛṣi-s (sages), pitá¹›-s (ancestors), and nara-s (humans), according to the BrahmÄṇá¸a PurÄṇaJulius Lipner : The Hindus. Routledge, 1994. p. 45. parjapi cast of {kumhar}. There are so many gautrais going on in parjapati . There is a gautra names of "Singhaniya" of parjapati of {kumhar}.This gaurta presents sir name in parjapati in {Hapur Ghaziabad in Uttar Pardesh India}

See also

References

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

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