Dewi Sri
Dewi Sri
ꦢꦺꦮꦶꦱꦿꦶ ᬤᬾᬯᬶᬲ᭄ᬭᬶ ᮑᮄ ᮕᮧᮠᮎᮤ ᮞᮀᮠᮡᮀ ᮃᮞᮢᮤ | |
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Goddess of rice | |
Affiliation | Phosop, Inari, Ceres |
Abode | Paddy field |
Symbol | Rice |
Gender | Female |
Region | Java, Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi |
Part of a series on |
Religion of Java |
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Dewi Sri or Shridevi (
History and origin
The
The name "Sri" was derived from Sanskrit (श्री) which means wealth, prosperity, health, beauty, good fortune and also the other name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.[3]
Denys Lombard in his book Le Carrefour Javanais. Essai d'Histoire Globale argues that the mythological character of Dewi Sri was originated from India.[4] In Hinduism, the goddess Sri is known as Lakshmi, the shakti or consort of Vishnu. However, the cult of the rice goddess in Indonesian Archipelago, which associated with Dewi Sri, has widely spread even in the areas that was not exposed to Indian influences.
Titi Surti Nastiti, a researcher of Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional however, suggests that the cult of the goddess of rice has older origin, the rice goddess has been worshipped from the prehistoric period prior of Hindu-Buddhist influence in the archipelago. Several statues made from stone and bronze identified as "Dewi Sri" (goddess Sri) was found in Indonesia, more specifically from ancient Java. Examining the mudra (hand positions) and lakshana (attributes) of the statue, Indonesian Dewi Sri iconography are different from the murti of goddess Sri Lakshmi found in India. In India the depiction of Lakshmi often shows her holding padma (red lotus) in her hands. The depiction of Dewi Sri in Indonesia has always been related as the goddess of rice. The practice of paying homage to the goddess of rice or the goddess of fertility had already existed prior to Hindu-Buddhist influences to the archipelago.[5]
Therefore, the siplin (sculptor or statue maker) of ancient Java often depicting goddess Sri as the goddess of rice. The siplin in ancient Java has a different concept of goddess Sri as the shakti of Vishnu. The depiction of goddess Sri is inseparable from the concept of her as the goddess of rice that has been worshipped from the prehistoric period. Therefore, Dewi Sri has a distinctive attribute that depicts this, which is her left hand holding a sprig of rice. In Indonesian society, the veneration of the goddess of rice is very closely related to the fertility cult and its important role in agriculture.[5]
Regional variants
The mythology of Dewi Sri is native to Java, among Javanese and Sundanese populations, also linked to Hinduism in the archipelago since early as the first century. She was equated with the Hindu goddess Shri Lakshmi, and often regarded as an incarnation or one of her manifestations. The goddess is also associated with wealth and prosperity.[2]
In Java, the oldest Javanese manuscript that mentioned about the legend of Dewi Sri is Tantu Pagelaran. Tantu Panggelaran is a Javanese literary work in medieval Javanese language, which is a transition language between ancient Javanese and modern Javanese. It is estimated was written in the Majapahit era circa 15th century.[4]
In West Java Dewi Sri is known as Nyai Pohaci Sanghyang Asri. Sundanese manuscripts that mentions the legends of Nyai Pohaci among others are Wawacan Pohaci, Cariyos Sawargaloka, Wawacan Sanghyang Sri, Wawacan Puhaci Dandayang, Wawacan Dewi Sri, and Wawacan Sulanjana.[4]
Meanwhile in Central Java, one of the legends related to Dewi Sri is Sri Sedana. In
The
Attributes and legends
Dewi Sri is believed to have
Mythology
Most of the stories regarding Dewi Sri are associated with the mythical origin of the rice plant, the staple food of the region. Examples of this can be found in the "Wawacan Sulanjana":[8] [9]
Once upon a time in heaven, Batara Guru (who in ancient Javanese Hinduism was associated with
As he was crying, three teardrops fell to the ground. Miraculously, after touching the ground the teardrops became three beautiful shining eggs that looked like jewels or pearls. Batara Narada advised him to offer these "jewels" to the Batara Guru, hoping that the gift would appease him and he would give a fair judgment, taking into account Anta's disability.
With the three eggs in his mouth, Anta went to the Batara Guru's palace. On the way there he was approached by an
At last, he arrived at the palace and offered his teardrop in the shape of a shiny egg to the Batara Guru. The offer was graciously accepted, and the Batara Guru asked him to nest the egg until it hatched. Miraculously, the egg hatched into a very beautiful baby girl. He gave the baby girl to the Batara Guru and his wife.
Nyai Pohaci (sometimes spelled "Pwah Aci") Sanghyang Asri was her name, and she grew up into a beautiful princess. Every god who saw her became attracted to her, even her foster father, Batara Guru started to feel attracted to her. Seeing the Batara Guru's desire for his foster daughter, the gods grew worried. They feared that this scandal might destroy the harmony in heaven, so finally, they conspired to separate Nyi Pohaci and the Batara Guru.
To keep the peace in the heavens and to protect Nyi Pohaci's chastity, all the gods planned for her to die. She was poisoned, and her body was buried somewhere on earth in a far and hidden place. However, because of Sri Pohaci's innocence and divinity, her grave showed a miraculous sign; for at the time of her burial, some plants grew from the ground that would forever benefit mankind. From her head grew
All of the useful plants, essential for human needs and well-being, are thought to come from the remnant of Dewi Sri's body. From that time on, the people of the Island of Java venerated and revered her as the benevolent "Goddess of Rice" and fertility. In the ancient Sunda Kingdom, she was considered the highest goddess and the most important deity for agricultural society.
Most Dewi Sri myths involve Dewi Sri (also known as Dewi Asri, Nyi Pohaci, among others) and her brother Sedana (also known as Sedhana, Sadhana, Sadono, and others), set either in the kingdom of
Some versions make a correlation between Sri and the large
The nāga or snake, particularly the king cobra is a common fertility symbol throughout Asia, in contrast to being considered representative of temptation, sin or wickedness as in Judeo-Christian belief.
Depiction
Dewi Sri is always depicted as a youthful, beautiful, slim yet curvaceous woman, with stylised facial features idiosyncratic to the respective locale, essentially a woman at the height of her femininity and fertility. In Javanese iconography, Dewi Sri is usually depicted wearing green, white or golden yellow clothes with regal jewelry attire, similar to
The loro blonyo (two "pedestals" or foundations) statue also have some overlap with Dewi Sri and Sedhana.
Ritual and custom
Dewi Sri remains highly revered especially by the
Traditional Javanese people, especially those who are observant
Among the rural Javanese, there is the folk-tradition if a snake having entered a house it will not be chased away. Instead, the people in the house will give it offerings, as the snake is a good
The Javanese and Sundanese has a traditional ceremony called mapag Sri prior to rice harvest. Mapag Sri literary means "to pick up Sri", or to be precise "to call or invite Sri." The ceremony means to invoke the spirit of Sri to come to their village and also as a thanksgiving for a coming successful harvest.
The
The Balinese provide special shrines in the rice fields dedicated to Dewi Sri. The
Similar rice goddesses also can be found in other Asian countries such as
.Gallery
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Stone figure of the rice goddess Dewi Sri with Vitarka Mudra
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Cili, a Balinese Dewi Sri effigy from lontar palm leaf
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An effigy of lontar leaf representing the goddess Dewi Sri
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Dewi Sri depicted in 1952 10Rupiahbanknotes
See also
- Nyai Roro Kidul, Queen of the Southern Sea, worshipped by the Javanese, Sundanese and Balinese
- Ceres (mythology)
- Inari Ōkami
- Nang Kwak
- Phosop
- Ponmagyi
- Shennong
- Tudigong
Notes
- ^ Agus Dermawan T (2021-09-25). "Menjumpai Dewi Sri pada Hari Tani". kompas.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-02-14.
- ^ a b c Muhammad, Fikri (24 August 2021). "Dewi Sri, Sosok Perempuan Sebagai Penjaga Kemakmuran Alam Semesta". National Geographic Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-02-16.
- ^ "Sanskrit - Dictionary". www.learnsanskrit.cc. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
- ^ a b c d e Auliani, Palupi Annisa (2021-08-04). "Legenda Dewi Sri: Simbol Kesuburan, Kehidupan, sekaligus Penderitaan". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ^ a b Nastiti, Titi Surti (2020-06-26). "Dewi Sri Dalam Kepercayaan Masyarakat Indonesia". Jurnal Tumotowa, Kementerian Pendidikan Dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia (in Indonesian).
- ^ bpnbsulsel (2018-06-19). "Sangiang Serri". Balai Pelestarian Nilai Budaya Sulawesi Selatan (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-02-14.
- ^ Jen (25 September 2021). "Cerita Rakyat Dewi Sri Dewi Kesuburan". Tribunjateng.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-02-16.
- ^ "Early Mythology - Dewi Sri". Sunda.org. Archived from the original on 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
- ^ "(Indonesian) Mitos Nyi Pohaci/Sanghyang Asri/Dewi Sri". My.opera.com. 2008-03-01. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
- ISBN 9789794613313. Retrieved 29 March 2012.