Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

244 ParsvaParsvaJain. The 23rd tirthankava and therefore thepenultimate in the line of mythical salvationteachers. Possibly a historic person who lived inthe 8th century BC, he was succeeded by Mahavivaor Vardhamana, who was definitely a personin history. Parsva has been credited as the mythicalfounder of Jainism.PartulaMinor goddess of birth. Roman. Concerned withparturition.PARVATI (daughter of the mountain)ORIGIN Hindu (Epic and Puranic) [India].Mother goddess.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP circa AD 400 untilpresent times.SYNONYMS Sakti; Ahladini-Sadini; SATI; UMA.Many epithets including Amba (mother); Aja(she goat); GAURI (corn goddess aspect);BHUTAMATA (mother of goblins).CENTER(S) OF CULT none specific.ART REFERENCES sculptures, chiefly in bronzebut also in stone; reliefs.LITERARY SOURCES Ramayana epic and variousPuranic texts.Parvati may have originated from the mountaintribes in the Himalaya. As a goddess of fertility sheis the youngest of the benign aspects of the goddessSakti. She also appears as a reincarnation of Sati.She is the daughter of HIMAVAN (the Himalaya)and MENA, a sister of VIŠNU and the younger sisterof GANGA. She becomes the consort of the godŠIVA and, as such, personifies the extreme exampleof the devoted and steadfast Hindu wife. Her sonsinclude GANESA and SKANDA.She is presented to Šiva, the ascetic, as a beautifuldancing girl. On becoming aware of his lackof interest, she pursues a life of self-denial until hefinally appears to her as an old Brahman and takesher as his consort.Parvati is depicted with two arms when accompanyingŠiva, but four when standing alone; shemay be elephantheaded or carrying Ganesa as ababy, and appears in many varieties. Attributes:conch, crown, mirror, ornamented head-band,rosary and occasionally a lotus.Pasupati (lord of animals)God of animals. Hindu [India]. His consort isSvaha and his son is SANMUKHA. He is thought tohave been derived from an earlier pre-Indo Aryandeity worshiped by the Indus Valley civilization asa horned god with three faces, sitting surroundedby animals. In Hindu culture regarded as anaspect of ŠIVA and depicted standing upon acorpse.Patadharini (bearing a cloth)Goddess of passage. Buddhist. She watches overcurtains and doorways. Color: blue. Attribute: acurtain.Pattinidevi (queen of goddesses)Mother goddess. Hindu (Singhalese) [Sri Lanka].A deification of Kannaki, the consort of Kovolanwho, according to ancient Tamil tradition, journeyedto the town of Madurai to sell a gold anklet.Through trickery she was convicted of theft andexecuted, but was canonized. According toanother tradition, she was born from a mangopierced by a sacred arrow. In southern India andSri Lanka a goddess of chastity and fidelity inmarriage. Also a guardian against diseases, includingmeasles and smallpox. She is associated withfire-walking rituals. Attributes: cobra-hoodbehind the head, and a lotus.