Prajapati

Prajapati
For the community known as Prajapati, see Kumhar.
In Hinduism, Prajapati (Sanskrit:
(IAST: praj-pati)) "lord of creatures" is a
group Hindu deity presiding over
procreation, and protection of life. Vedic
commentators also identify him with the
creator referred to in the Nasadiya Sukta.

Prajapati in Vedas
According to later beliefs in the post-Vedic
Era, the Prajapaties were elected
An attempt to depict the creative activities of Prajapati, a steel engraving from the
democratically. Lord Vishnu was first
1850s
elected democratically/unanimously as
Prajapati (in the North of Aryavarta or
Bharta) by all the Rishis and subjects of that era and sat on the throne of Prajapati. Thereafter, Lord Brhma was
elected as Prajapati (in the west of Aryavrat or Bharta), after which Lord Shankar (in the South of Aryavrat or
Bharta) or Rudras were elected as Prajapaties. The throne of Prajapati succeeded further and there were about 26
Prajapaties, as mentioned in the Vedas.
Prajapati is a Vedic deity presiding over procreation, and the protection of life. He appears as a creator deity or
supreme god vishvakarman 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 Brahm, the Prajapatis Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha, Prachetas or Daksha,
Bhrigu, Nrada.
The Mahabharata mentions, in the words of celestial sage Narada, 14 Prajapatis (lit:caretakers of the Praja)
Hiranyagarbha is the source of the creation of the Universe or the manifested cosmos in Indian philosophy, it finds
mention in one hymn of the Rigveda (RV 10.121), known as the 'Hiranyagarbha sukta' and presents an important
glimpse of the emerging monism, or even monotheism, in the later Vedic period, along with the Nasadiya sukta
suggesting a single creator deity predating all other gods (verse 8: y devv dhi dev ka st, Griffith: "He is the
God of gods, and none beside him."), in the hymn identified as Prajapati.
The Upanishads calls it the Soul of the Universe or Brahman, and elaborates that Hiranyagarbha floated around in
emptiness and the darkness of the non-existence for about a year, and then broke into two halves which formed the
Swarga and the Prithvi. In classical Puranic Hinduism, Hiranyagarbha is a name of Brahma, so called because he
was born from a golden egg (Manusmrti 1.9), while the Mahabharata calls it the Manifest.
rmad Bhgavatam 8.8.16 cites Vishvakarman as the leader of the prajpatis, the sons of Lord Brahm who
generate progeny.[1] The eleven lords of created beings first created by Brahm, which are the Prajapatis:
1. Vishvakarman[2]
2. Marichi
3. Atri
4. Angiras
5. Pulastya,

Prajapati

6. Pulaha,
7. Kratu,
8. Vasishtha
9. Prachetas or Daksha
10. Bhrigu
The Mahabharata mentions, in the words of celestial sage Narada, 14 Prajapatis (lit:caretakers of the Praja)
excluding Vishvakarman namely:
1. Daksha,
2. Prachetas,
3. Pulaha,
4. Marichi,
5. Kasyapa,
6. Bhrigu,
7. Atri,
8. Vasistha,
9. Gautama,
10. Angiras,
11.
12.
13.
14.

Pulastya,
Kratu,
Prahlada and
Kardama

They are the caretakers of the fourteen worlds - seven lokas and seven talas.[3]

Origin of Prajapatis
The Prajapati community come brahmana warriors are seen as the descendants of Prajapati Wikipedia:Citation
needed; Lord Brahm, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Maharaj Manu are considered Prajapaties. Prajapati also means
protector & preserver (King).
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...

Prajapati

Possible equivalent
A possible connection between Prajapati (and related figures in Indian tradition) and the Prtogonos (Greek:
) of the Greek Orphic tradition has been made by several scholars.[4][5]
It has been argued that the name of /PRA-J[N]-pati/ ('progeny-potentate') is etymologically equivalent to that of the
oracular god at Kolophn (according to Makrobios[6]), namely /prtogonos/.
According to Damascius, Prtogonos (also known as Phans) had four heads, those of "a Serpent (Drakn)... and a
bull; a man, and a god," while in the Brahma Pura Brahm - identified with Prajapati in several texts - is
likewise reckoned as 4-headed [one head each having produced deva-s (gods), i-s (sages), pit-s (ancestors), and
nara-s (humans)].[7]

References
[1] http:/ / vedabase. net/ v/ visvakarma "vivakarm prajpati Vivakarm, one of the prajpatis, the sons of Lord Brahm who generate
progeny.; SB 8.8.16" http:/ / vedabase. net/ sb/ 8/ 8/ 16/ , httpvedabase.net/v/visvakarma, Extracted on 09:49, 22 December 2010 (UTC)
[2] Yajur veda 18-43 Prajapathirviswakarma mano gandharvasthasya ....
[3] Narada said.. (http:/ / www. sacred-texts. com/ hin/ m02/ m02011. htm)
[4] Martin West, Early Greek Philosophy and the Orient. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1971: 28-34
[5] Kate Alsobrook, "The Beginning of Time: Vedic and Orphic Theogonies and Poetics". M.A. thesis, Florida State University, 2007.
[6] Robert Graves : The Greek Myths. 1955. vol. 1, p. 31, sec. 2.2
[7] Julius Lipner : The Hindus. Routledge, 1994. p. 45

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

Article Sources and Contributors

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