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Dyaus

Also called: Dyaus Pitar, Dyu, Father Sky, Father Heaven

Father Sky of the Rigveda. The word is the ordinary name of the sky, and as a god he is almost only a father: of Ushas above all, and of the Ashvins, Agni, Parjanya, Surya, the Maruts and once Indra. No hymn is his alone; six praise him together with Prithivi as the parents of gods and creatures. He is a bellowing bull, once a dark horse decked with pearls. In the Mahabharata the name survives as Dyu, one of the eight Vasus, born on earth as Bhishma.

Sources: Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer; Vedic Mythology, A. A. Macdonell (1897); The Mahabharata, tr. K. M. Ganguli (1883-96), sections read for the Vedic layer · see Dyaus's web

Relations 15

Dyaus parent of

Ushas (God)
Dawn is constantly called the daughter of Heaven; about three quarters of the genitive uses of Dyaus name her.
Ratri (God)
Night, like her sister Dawn, is called the daughter of Heaven.
The Ashvins (God)
The Ashvins are children of Heaven (RV 1.182.1, 1.184.1, 10.61.4). Another hymn makes them sons of Vivasvat and Saranyu.
Agni (God)
The ordinary view of the poets: Dyaus begot Agni (RV 10.45.8). Other hymns give Tvashtri or the Waters.
Indra (God)
Dyaus is once called the father of Indra, and RV 4.17.4 is read the same way by one interpretation. Other verses point to Tvashtri.
Parjanya (God)
Parjanya is called a son of Dyaus.
Surya (God)
Surya's father is Dyaus (RV 10.37.1). He is also called Aditya, son of Aditi.
The Adityas (God)
The Adityas are called sons of Dyaus, though their name means sons of Aditi.
The Maruts (God)
The Maruts are once called sons of Heaven (RV 10.77.2). Their usual father is Rudra.
Angirases (Concept)
The Angirases are sons of Heaven (RV 3.53.7, 10.67.2).
Brihaspati (God)
Heaven and Earth are the parents of Brihaspati (RV 7.97.8). RV 2.23.17 says Tvashtri begot him.

Dyaus consort of

Prithvi (God)
Heaven is the father and Earth the mother; the Aitareya Brahmana (4.27) tells of their marriage.

Dyaus cursed by

Vasishtha (Sage) · The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
Vasishtha curses the Vasu Dyu to a long human life for stealing the cow Nandini.

Dyaus emanates from

Purusha (the cosmic person) (Concept)
In the Purusha hymn the sky was fashioned from the giant's head.

Dyaus has avatar

Bhishma (Mortal) · The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
Bhishma is the Vasu Dyu born as a man (Adi 99); Adi 96 instead makes him an eighth part of each Vasu.

Stories 2

Father Sky and Mother Earth
Legend · as the Father, the sky · 3 tellings
The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
From the epics · as Dyu, the Vasu who takes the cow · 3 tellings

Cited

Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer § 1.159 Primary text (translation)
Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer § 1.160 Primary text (translation)
Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer § 1.185 Primary text (translation)
Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer § 1.164.33 Primary text (translation)
Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer § 4.17.4 Primary text (translation)
Vedic Mythology, A. A. Macdonell (1897) § section-11 Scholarly
The Mahabharata, tr. K. M. Ganguli (1883-96), sections read for the Vedic layer § adi.99 Primary text (translation)