prajapati

Prajapati is a Sanskrit term found in ancient Indian scriptures, notably the Vedas and Puranas. Its literal translation is "lord of creatures" or "father of all beings." In Hindu cosmology, Prajapati is often associated with the creator god, responsible for the generation and sustenance of the universe and all living things. The concept of Prajapati can vary in different texts, sometimes referring to a single supreme creator, and at other times to a class of divine beings or patriarchs who oversee creation.

In the Rigveda, Prajapati is depicted as a cosmic being who emerged from a primordial state and brought forth the universe through his own actions or sacrifice. He is sometimes identified with the supreme deity Brahma, the four-faced god of creation in the later Puranic tradition. However, in some Vedic hymns, Prajapati is presented as a distinct entity, a divine craftsman or progenitor. The concept also appears in later philosophical schools, where it can represent the animating principle of the cosmos or the ancestral father of humanity. The various interpretations of Prajapati highlight its multifaceted role in the development of Hindu thought regarding creation and divinity.