[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Religion and philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion) › [Vedic Mythology](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897) › c5.s5.t1.1.2 # Vedic Mythology c5.s5.t1.1.2 Vedic Mythology c5.s5.t1.1.2 - **Language:** English ### [c5.s5.t1.1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c5.s5.t1.1.2) 11\]) she is called queen of the gods and divine³. In the Naighaṇṭuka (5, 5) Vāc is enumerated among the deities of the atmosphere; and thunder, or \*mādhyamikā vāc\*, 'the voice of the middle region', in the terminology of the commentators (Nir. 11, 27), may have been the starting point of the personification. A legend about Vāc frequently referred to in the Brāhmaṇas is that of Soma being bought back from the Gandharvas at the price of Vāc transformed into a woman (AB. 1, 27). Puraṃdhi, whose name occurs about nine times in the RV., is goddess of Plenty⁴. She is nearly always mentioned with Bhaga⁵, two or three times also with Pūṣan and Savitṛ, and once with Viṣṇu and Agni. Pārendi, commonly regarded as identical with Puraṃdhi, is generally considered a goddess of riches and abundance (cp. Yaṣt 8, 38) in the Avesta⁶. Hillebrandt, however, thinks Puraṃdhi is a goddess of Activity⁷. Another goddess of abundance is Dhiṣaṇā, mentioned nearly a dozen times in the RV.⁸. Iḷā, Nourishment, is the personification (mentioned less than a dozen times in the RV.) of the offering of milk and butter, thus representing plenty derived from the cow. Hence Iḍā is in the Brāhmaṇas frequently connected with, though never an actual name of, the cow; and in the Naighaṇṭuka (2, 11) it occurs as one of the synonyms of cow. Owing to the nature of the offering Iḷā is called butter-handed (7, 16⁸) and butter-footed (10, 70⁸). - [Previous: c5.s5.t1.1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c5.s5.t1.1.1) - [Next: c5.s5.t1.1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c5.s5.t1.1.3) - [Up: c5.s5.t1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c5.s5.t1.1) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c5.s5.t1.1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c5.s5.t1.1.2) · Pramāṇa