Elements of Hindu Iconography v3.c19.141

v3.c19.141

It is conceived that Bhūmi or Bhūdēvi, meaning the Goddess Earth, is also a consort of Viṣṇu. Possibly this association of the Goddess Earth with Viṣṇu is due to his boar-incarnation. Bhūmi or Bhūdēvi is said to be of a light green colour resembling that of the tender sprouts of the paddy plant. Her head has to be adorned with a karaṇḍa-makuṭa; and she should be made to wear ornaments of all kinds and be dressed in yellow clothes. Bhūmidēvi should be sculptured as a woman with two hands in which she should carry either lotuses or nīlōtpalas. She may be either sitting or standing upon a padmapīṭha. This is the description of the goddess as she is found by the side of her lord Viṣṇu. The Pūrva-kāraṇāgama, however, gives a slightly different description of Bhūdēvi. She is said there to be of dark colour and to wear red clothes as well as a golden yajñōpavīta on her body. In the Viṣṇudharmōttara we have it stated that her complexion is white, that she has four arms and carries in her four hands a ratna-pātra (a vessel filled with gems), sasya-pātra (a vessel containing vegetables), ōshadhi-pātra (a vessel containing medicinal herbs) and a lotus respectively. She should be seated upon the back of four dig-gajas or elephants of the quarters. This description is evidently that of the Goddess Earth when she is set up independently as a svayam-pradhāna object of worship and represents fully poetically all the characteristics of the earth, as the producer of plants, gems etc.