Aditi
by Joyce d’Souza
Aditi is a very common name for a girl in India. It’s a Sanskrit word, originating from Hindu Mythology and has great power-packed meaning. It means a boundless and eternal, secure, free, boundless, unbroken, entire, unimpaired, happy, freedom, security, safety ; boundlessness, immensity, inexhaustible abundance, unimpaired condition , perfection, creative power and infinite energy of Mother Nature. To get its true meaning “ A + diti “ where A means ‘non’ and diti means ‘binding’. So, literally, Aditi means non-binding.
Aditi is actually the name of a Hindu Goddess - the Goddess of the sky and fertility, and the original mother of Gods. Vedic Brahmins who have written the ancient books of wisdom say that the Aditi also means all-encompassing, the past and the future and free from all bonds. She represents the seven dimensions of the cosmos, the celestial light which permeates all things, the consciousness of all living things and the goddess of the past and the future. Rigved. I, 98, 10 says that “Aditi is the sky; Aditi is the air; Aditi is all the gods and the five tribes; Aditi is whatever has been born; Aditi is whatever shall be born.”
Though Goddess Aditi has been mentioned nearly eighty times in the Rig Vedas, a clear identity or a picture of her is still difficult to formulate. Nobody has ever been able to draw a human or rather the physical features of this Goddess; and she is depicted as a cow, the sacred animal of the Hindus and a symbol of motherhood.
She is said to be the wife of Kasyapa or Brahma and the mother of 34 sons who are called Adityas. These include Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Varuna, Daksha, Hari and Amsal and also the mother of two of the more famous Gods - Lord Indra and Lord Vishnu.
The eldest of their sons - Lord Indra is supposed to be the most handsome and most powerful of all Kings; and therefore, he is known as the King of Kings. He is shown either with his loyal elephant or riding on a brilliantly decorated horse, with a vajra or thunderbolt for a weapon. He was an excellent warrior, the ruler of the Heavens and is said to have had the power to grant any boon or favors to whoever prays to him. He is also the God of all seasons and the dispenser of rains. Could he rightly be called the patron God of the farmers? Farmers pray or offer prayers and pujas to Lord Indra, in order to send rain for a good crop.
The other famous one is Lord Vishnu who is said to be the Preserver or Sustainer of Life, ruling strictly with the principles of order, righteousness and truth. When these values are under threat, he is said to emerge from his throne to restore peace and order on earth.
Aditi, in some scriptures is also called Goddess Lakshmi - the Goddess of light and prosperity and who has the power to free her devotees of all problems and obstacles. Therefore, you will find the Hindus carrying their petitions to the Goddess, who in her motherly presence and as a supporter of all creatures is said to provide them with wealth, safety and abundant blessings.
Aditi - an Indian Goddess - immense in power, inexhaustible in abundance; the Goddess of heaven and earth.
Joyce d’Souza is a regular contributor of Yogic Arcles to Six Senses Yoga Society. She is a trained instructor of Yoga, and practices as a Yoga Therapist having studied Yoga at the Gurukul and at University level. Joyce lives in India.
© 2007 Six Senses Yoga Society