Water in the Vedas
18 Jun '19 18:13“The Waters are the foundation of all this universe.” — SB XIV, 3, 2, 13
Water, known as ap in Sanskrit, is said to be of the same age of the Universe itself, having been contained in an egg from which everything else emanated. The world is spoken of as having been “originally water without light” (Salilam apraketam; Rig Veda X.29.3). Therefore, water is considered Divine by the Vedas, and it was thought to bring peace, happiness, wealth, long-life and good health.
Rig Veda attributes several Gods to water. Apas, who is addressed in four Suktas, is the God of waters. Indra, Varun, Parjanya are also in directly or indirectly related to water in the texts. Parjanya, who’s name means “the clouds causing the downpour of rains”, represents water in the form of rain, which sustains life on earth. Parjanya is therefore deified in the Rig Veda.
Because water is said to be the primeval element, it is still a common practice in everyday life in India to immerse idols (murtis) and utensils in the sacred rivers, and to anoint oneself with water. This is also why many people in India are returned to the waters when they pass on. All of this symbolizes purification through the return to the origins.
https://www.historyofayurveda.org/library/water-and-earth-in-the-vedas
Water, known as ap in Sanskrit, is said to be of the same age of the Universe itself, having been contained in an egg from which everything else emanated. The world is spoken of as having been “originally water without light” (Salilam apraketam; Rig Veda X.29.3). Therefore, water is considered Divine by the Vedas, and it was thought to bring peace, happiness, wealth, long-life and good health.
Rig Veda attributes several Gods to water. Apas, who is addressed in four Suktas, is the God of waters. Indra, Varun, Parjanya are also in directly or indirectly related to water in the texts. Parjanya, who’s name means “the clouds causing the downpour of rains”, represents water in the form of rain, which sustains life on earth. Parjanya is therefore deified in the Rig Veda.
Because water is said to be the primeval element, it is still a common practice in everyday life in India to immerse idols (murtis) and utensils in the sacred rivers, and to anoint oneself with water. This is also why many people in India are returned to the waters when they pass on. All of this symbolizes purification through the return to the origins.
https://www.historyofayurveda.org/library/water-and-earth-in-the-vedas
