Editing Prithvi (section)

===Yajurveda===
[[File:0112321 Varaha at Ancient Hindu site Eran, Madhya Pradesh 024.jpg|thumb|The Yajurveda introduces the earliest form of Varaha myth, where a boar lifts the Earth from primordial waters. The 6th-century Colossal Varaha at [[Eran]] is one of the earliest fully animalistic icons, with Bhumi clinging to its tusk.]]

Prithvi’s role extends to cosmogonic myths, especially in the ''[[Yajurveda|Yajuraveda]]'', where she plays a significant part in the creation process. In the ''Yajurveda'', the earth is submerged in the cosmic ocean at the beginning of creation until a boar dives into the waters and brings it to the surface, enabling creation to unfold.<ref name=":2" />

The ''[[Taittiriya Samhita]]'' expands the above ''Yajuraveda myth'' and describes the earth as being created from the waters, with the hymn Atharvaveda 12.1.8 stating that Prithvi was originally water (salila). This cosmogonic role positions the earth as the first material entity formed from the more abstract waters, marking an essential stage in creation.<ref name=":2" />

This myth is seed of the later epic myth of Vishnu’s [[Varaha]] (boar) avatara, where the earth (Prithvi, now called [[Bhumi (goddess)|Bhumi]]) is rescued from the depths of the ocean. This myth became a prominent part of later Hindu iconography, where [[Vishnu]], in his boar form, lifts Bhumi out of the cosmic waters. This narrative emphasizes Prithvi's vulnerability in later myths and her need for divine protection, further reflecting the dynamic between the earth and the gods.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />