Parjanya

Parjanya (Sanskrit: parjánya) is according to Vedic Hindu mythology, a deity of rain, the one who fertilizes the earth. The Atharvanic poet claims Parjanya and Prithvi father and mother of all beings. His other wives are Bhūmi and the sacred cow Vasa. It is assumed Parjanya is the udder and lightning is the teats of the rain-cow, accordingly rain represents her milk. Also he is sometimes considered as a rain-bull controlled by the superior Indra. The thunder is his roar. He is the father of arrow or reed which grows rapidly in rainy season. He is also considered as a protector of poets and an enemy of flesh-eating fire.

According to his 1965 Sanskrit–English Dictionary [Vaman Shivram Apte]] gives the following meanings:

Two hymns of the Rigveda, 5.83 and 7.101, are dedicated to Parjanya. In Vedic Sanskrit Parjanya means "rain" or "raincloud". Prayers dedicated to Parjanya, to invoke the blessings of rains are mentioned in the Atharvaveda. Parjanya was also one of the Saptarishi (Seven Great Sages Rishi) in the fifth Manvantara. He is one of the 12 Adityas and according to the Vishnu Purana, the guardian of the month of Kartik, a Gandharva and a Rishi in the Harivamsa.

The name may be cognate with Slavic Perun, Lithuanian Perkūnas and Finnish Perkele "god of thunder", Gothic fairguni "mountain", Mordvin language Pur’ginepaz, see Perkwunos.

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