Aditi is primal god of Hindu pantheon.She was attributed the status of first deity by the Vedic culture, although she is not the only one attributed this status in the Vedas. Aditi’s name means “unbound, unlimited, and unfettered.” Aditi is revered as the unbounded love found in motherhood. she is the guardian of all life and the supporter of all creatures. She is also the keeper of light that illuminates all life and ensures consciousness.
she is personification of space and sky in which reside all gods,from where indra sends down thuderbolt or fight with vrata to release the water, or where one can see sun god, riding in his golden chariot yoked by seven ruddy horses illuminating the sky and earth as he rides from east to west.
Before creation, the universe is said to be concealed(hidden) not only in the divine thought of Vishnu, but more primarily it is said to be held in the mystic womb of the Universal Goddess-aditi. The Great Mother from whom everything in the universe emanates, she contains all the devas and other metaphysical beings, who are in fact perceived as her children.
In the vedas, Aditi is mother of the gods from whose cosmic matrix the heavenly bodies were born.Aditi is also identified with Vāc (mystic speech) in the Rig Veda, and with prakriti in upanishads. As the womb of universe, she is a feminized form of Brahma. She is mentioned nearly 80 times in the Rigveda.
Rigveda explains the cyclic re-birth of the same essence through Aditi who is not only the source of creation but also the resultant creation as follows:
We shall very clearly state the story of the birth of the gods… Before the birth of the gods, being came into existence from non-being…. From the creation-tree (uttanapada), came forth the earth (bhu)...........and the upper worlds (bhuvah) came forth from desire.Aditi gave birth to Daksa, and Aditi was born of Daksa again, O Daksa! Aditi is your daughter! All the Gods took birth later.
The line in the Rig Veda, "Daksha sprang from Aditi and Aditi from Daksha" has reference to "the eternal(existing forever) cyclic re-birth of the same divine essence"
As a mother figure, Aditi is said to be the mother of the great god Indra, the mother of kings and the mother of gods. In the Vedas, Aditi is Devmatar (mother of the celestial gods) as from and in her cosmic matrix all the heavenly bodies were born. She is preeminently the mother of 12 Adityas whose names include Vivasvan, Aryama,Pusa, Tvasta, Savita, Bhaga, Dhata, Vidhata, Varuna, Mitra, Sakra, and Urukrama (Vishnu was born as Urukrama, the son of Nabhi and Meru.) She is also is the mother of theVamana avatar of Vishnu.
Her sons 12 Adityas are called the twelve sovereign principles: Mitra (solidarity), Varuna (fate), Aryaman (chivalry), Daksa (ritual skill), Bhaga (the inherited share), Amsa (the gods' given share), Tvastr (craftsmanship), Savitr (the magic power of words), Pusan (prosperity), Sakra (courage), Vivasvat (social laws), and Vishnu (cosmic law. Aditi’s children help protect humankind.
Aditi is usually mentioned in the Rigveda along with other gods and goddesses. There is no one hymn addressed exclusively to her, unlike other Vedic gods. She is perhaps not related to a particular natural phenomenon like other gods. Compared to Usha and Prithvi, Aditi can be defined as the cosmic creatrix, the creativity of the all-creating.
Like many other Hindu gods and goddesses, Aditi has a savari(ride) .Aditi flies across the boundless sky on a rooster(cock). The cock symbolizes strength and honor. Her weapons include the famous Trishul and a sword.
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