stem from the Proto-Indo-European daylight-sky god, and is cognate with Greek Zeus or Roman Jove.' The name is cognate with Greek Zeus Patēr, Illyrian Dei-pátrous, or Latin Jupiter, stemming from the PIEDyḗus ph₂tḗr.' The noun refers to the daylight sky, and occurs frequently in the Rigveda, as an entity. The sky in Vedic writing was described as rising in three tiers,,, and or.
Role
Dyáuṣ Pitṛ́ appears in hymns with Prithvi Mata 'Mother Earth' in the ancient Vedic scriptures of Hinduism. In the Rigveda, Dyaus Pitr appears in verses 1.89.4, 1.90.7, 1.164.33, 1.191.6, 4.1.10. and 4.17.4 He is also referred to under different theonyms: Dyavaprithvi, for example, is a dvandva compound combining 'heaven' and 'earth' as Dyaus Pitr and Prithvi Mata. His daughter, Usha, personifies the dawn.
At this letthe Wind blow us a remedy that is joy itself. At this Mother Earth, at this Father Heaven, at this the soma-pressing stones joy itself. To this, o holy Aśvins, give ear. Rig Veda, tr. by Stephanie Jamison & Joel. P. Bretteron Book 1 Hymn 90 Verse 7
मधु नक्तमुतोषसो मधुमत पार्थिवं रजः | मधु द्यौरस्तु नः पिता || Honey by night and at dawn; honeyed is the earthly realm. Honey be Father Heaven for us. Rig Veda, tr. by Stephanie Jamison & Joel. P. Bretteron
Book 1 Hymn 164 Verse 33
द्यौर्मे पिता जनिता नाभिरत्र बन्धुर्मे माता पर्थिवीमहीयम | उत्तानयोश्चम्वोर्योनिरन्तरत्रा पिता दुहितुर्गर्भमाधात | “My father, my progenitor, is Heaven; here is my navel. My mother, this great Earth, is my relation. My womb is within the two open cups . Here my father placed the child of his daughter .” Rig Veda, tr. by Stephanie Jamison & Joel. P. Bretteron
Book 1 Hymn 191 Verse 6
द्यौर्वः पिता पर्थिवी माता सोमो भरातादितिः सवसा | अद्र्ष्टा विश्वद्र्ष्टास्तिष्ठतेलयता सु कम || easy to approach like a path leading to good pastures, but difficult to hold onto like an ally gratified by around. The unassailable ones who watch over us have taken their stand, unclosing the enclosed. Rig Veda, tr. by Stephanie Jamison & Joel. P. Bretteron
स तू नो अग्निर नयतु परजानन्न अछा रत्नं देवभक्तं यद अस्य | धिया यद विश्वे अम्र्ता अक्र्ण्वन द्यौष पिता जनिता सत्यम उक्षन || Let Agni, knowing, lead us to the treasure, which was apportioned to him by the gods. which all the immortals created with their insight, which Father Heaven as begetter — they sprinkled real. Rig Veda, tr. by Stephanie Jamison & Joel. P. Bretteron
Book 4 Hymn 17 Verse 4
सुवीरस ते जनिता मन्यत द्यौर् इन्द्रस्य कर्ता सवपस्तमो भूत | य ईं जजान सवर्यं सुवज्रम अनपच्युतं सदसो न भूम || Rich in heroes, Heaven is considered to be your begetter. The best craftsman was the creator of Indra, who begot him, booming and bearing the good mace, not to be moved, any more than the Earth from its seat. Rig Veda, tr. by Stephanie Jamison & Joel. P. Bretteron
