Parjanya


Parjanya according to the Vedas is a deity of rain, thunder, lightning, and the one who fertilizes the earth. It is another epithet of Indra, the Vedic deity of the sky and heaven.

Description

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 enlightenment seekers and an enemy of flesh-eating fire.

Meanings

According to his 1965 Sanskrit–English Dictionary, Vaman Shivram Apte gives the following meanings:
Three hymns of the Rigveda, 5.83, 7.101 and 7.102, 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 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.

Similar deities

The deity can be identified with various other Indo-European Gods such as Slavic Perun, Lithuanian Perkūnas, Latvian Pērkons and Finnish Perkele "god of thunder", Gothic fairguni "mountain", and Mordvin language Pur'ginepaz.

Rig Veda hymns to Parjanya

RV 5.83 in the translation of Jamison and Brereton:

Buddhism

Parjanya also features is Buddhist literature. In the Pali Canon of the Theravāda, he is known as Pajjuna.
He is king of the vassavalāhaka devas who have limited control over the clouds and weather. He has a daughter named ''Kokanadā.''