Yoni ( Sanskrit योनि , yoni IAST ) is a Sanskrit term often used to refer to the vagina (as, for example, in the Kama Sutra ), vulva , and uterus . In a literal translation means "womb", "place of birth."
The word has a large number of different meanings, both in a secular context and in a religious one: “source, origin, resting place, seat, receptacle, vault, dwelling, house, nest” [1] .
In Hinduism, Yoni represents the female receptive principle, the passive principle, which acts as the opposite of the active male principle, which is the lingas [2] . Yoni symbolizes Shakti and other female aspects of God . In a broader sense, yoni personifies everything that is empty inside, perceiving or concave.
Joseph Campbell associates the yoni with “ Kali , the black goddess of bloodsucking, the wife of Shiva ” [3] .
The most ancient archaeological finds, which are considered to be Yoni and Lingam , were discovered during excavations in Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro and belong to the period of civilization of the Indus River Valley .
See also
- Lingam
Notes
- ↑ Monier-Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary . Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries. Date of treatment June 20, 2015.
- ↑ Jansen, Eva Rudy. The book of Hindu imagery: gods, manifestations and their meaning. - Binkey Kok Publications, 2003 .-- P. 46, 119. - ISBN 90-74597-07-6 .
- ↑ Campbell, Joseph . Oriental Mythology: The Masks of God. - P. 170—171.
Links
- Wikimedia Commons has Yoni- related media files