Apam Napat

Apam Napat is a deity in the Indo-Iranian pantheon associated with water. His names in the Vedas, Apām Napāt, and in Zoroastrianism, Apąm Napāt, mean "child of the waters" in Sanskrit and Avestan respectively. Napāt ("grandson", "progeny") is cognate with Latin nepos and English nephew.[a] In the Rig Veda, he is described as the creator of all things.[3] It is considered to originate from the Proto-Indo-European Hepom Nepōts.[4]

In the Vedas it is often apparent that Apām Napāt is being used as a title, not a proper name. This is most commonly applied to Agni, god of fire, and occasionally to Savitr, god of the sun. A correspondence has also been posited by Boyce[5] between both the Vedic and Avestic traditions of Apam Napat, and Varuna, who is also addressed as "Child of the Waters", and is considered a god of the sea.[6][5]: 47–48  In the Iranian tradition, he is also called Burz ("high one," Persian: برز) and is a yazad.[5]: 42–43 

  1. ^ Philibert, Myriam (1997). Les Mythes préceltiques. Monaco: Éditions du Rocher. pp. 244–247.
  2. ^ Dumézil, Georges (1995). Mythe et Epopée. Vol. III. Quarto Gallimard, pub. Éditions Gallimard. p. 40. ISBN 2-07-073656-3.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference RV2352 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Mallory & Adams 2006, p. 410.
  5. ^ a b c Boyce, Mary (1989). A History of Zoroastrianism: The Early Period. BRILL. pp. 42–43, 45, 47–48. ISBN 90-04-08847-4. Archived from the original on 2023-03-01.
  6. ^ "Apąm Napāt". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on 2024-07-16.


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