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Ramakrishna
21 December 2011, 08:23 PM
Namaste all,

Over the past several months I have been feeling a much stronger love and devotion to our sacred Mother Earth. I've been trying to see how exactly Mother Earth is represented in Sanatana Dharma. The most common information I've found is about Bhumi Devi and Prithvi Devi. From my understanding, Bhumi Devi is a form of Prithvi Devi; and Prithvi Devi is connected to Lakshmi Mata? I have found the Prithvi Sukta text, but I can't find any recitations of it. If anybody can provide any general information, prayers, mantras, stotras, etc. about this form of Devi, I would appreciate it.

Jai Sri Ram

Arjuni
21 December 2011, 09:01 PM
Namasté,

A śloka to be spoken after awakening, but before stepping out of bed onto the floor:

o ocean-draped, o adorned with mountain breasts |
o consort of viShNu, forgive me for stepping on you ||

समुद्र-वसने देवि, पर्वत-स्तन-मंडिते ।
विष्णु-पत्नि नमस्तुभ्यं, पाद-स्पर्शं क्षमस्व मे ॥

samudra-vasane devi, parvata-stana-maNDite |
viShNu-patni namastubhyaM, pAda-sparshaM kShamasva me ||

More information here (http://blog.practicalsanskrit.com/2009/08/green-bountiful-mother-earth.html)...this page also discusses the connection to Lakṣmī and hopefully will help a little with your original question.

Before every Bharatnatyam dance class, performance, etc. the dancers perform a salutation that may be seen here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1P32pHt7Ds). The part where she touches the floor and then her closed eyes is a request for permission to dance upon Mother Earth. (The way I learned the hand position for this part, the hands should be flat as this dancer has them, but each thumb should be touching the base of each ring finger. That is an invoking mudra.) I thought it might interest you to see it. And if you look up "Bhumi Pranam" on YouTube, you will find other examples of such salutations.

Finally, the kolam or rangoli drawn at the entrance of the home, in flour and other powders, is very much a homage to Earth. To quote:

"Bhūmi Devī is our mother. She is everyone's source of existence. Nothing would exist without her. The entire world depends upon her for sustenance and life. So, we draw the kolam first to remind ourselves of her."

A wonderful e-book on rangoli traditions is available online (http://www.hennapage.com/henna/encyclopedia/rangoli/rangoliHPfree.pdf), if you'd like to read more about that.

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

Friend from the West
21 December 2011, 09:42 PM
Hari Om,

Namaste Ramakrishna and all within HDF,

One that I very much like that I do every morning, even when I can not do proper sadhana is, I bow to Mother Earth, who has mountains and jungles on her body and whose clothing is made by the ocean. The wife of Lord Vishnu, please pardon me for touching you with my feet.

Thanks to your inquiry and Indraneela's response, learned that I may be doing this incorrectly, as I do it as I am doing morning walk with pup, prior to bathing and to sadhana. I think should instead be saying this before getting out of bed and touching ground.

So, thank you both.

Jai Jai Hanuman!

FFTW

shian
22 December 2011, 12:36 AM
I also love Mother Prthivi

The most close Murti to all living being in earth is Mother Eart ;)

Eastern Mind
22 December 2011, 08:04 AM
Vannakkam: It is our dharma to be Her custodians. Especially as Hindus recognising the concept of dharma. None of us would be here without her, so we need to bide by ecologically sound principles always.

Aum Namasivaya

Ramakrishna
22 December 2011, 05:17 PM
Namaste,

I thank you all for your replies. I've seen prayers before that are similar to what Indraneela and FFTW posted to begin your day with. Usually I say a simple "Jai Sri Ram" after awakening, but now I will begin saying a prayer to Mother Earth as well.

Rangoli is such a beautiful and meaningful tradition. Mother Earth truly is the mother of us all.

Jai Sri Ram

Arjuni
06 January 2012, 08:01 PM
Namasté,

Something I stumbled across in my reading the other night:

If you go to this page (http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/vedic_experience/Part1/VEPartIChC.html) and scroll about halfway down, you will find a beautiful translation of Atharva Veda XII.1 - also known as the Bhūmi-sūkta. :)

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

Ramakrishna
06 January 2012, 09:54 PM
Namaste,


Namasté,

Something I stumbled across in my reading the other night:

If you go to this page (http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/vedic_experience/Part1/VEPartIChC.html) and scroll about halfway down, you will find a beautiful translation of Atharva Veda XII.1 - also known as the Bhūmi-sūkta. :)

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

Thank you Indraneela, that entire page looks very useful!

Jai Sri Ram

shian
07 May 2012, 01:18 AM
The other name of Mother Earth is Vasudhara

Bhudevi - Vasudhara and Maa Laksmi acctually is same

not many peoples know, two key to get spiritual response from Maa Laksmi is

1. Sadhaka must have pure life, (if we are layman, we must life like the Dharma of layman, especially Dharma of sexual life)

2. Sadhaka must have clean habit , i mean in home, etc (especially in Maa Laksmi altar, we must keep clean). Dont throw garbage everywhere ( throw it in trash) because Maa Laksmi is coneccted with inner and outer pure, She also Bhumi Devi or Vasudhara who will want we keep and save the planet.

Then, woman is more suitable for become Maa Laksmi devotee, She especially protect woman and help woman in many trouble of life.