Goddess Of Knowledge: Curious Deity Facts Revealed For Kids!
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Goddesses who are associated with wisdom and intelligence are a part of various mythologies around the world.
In every culture, the human qualities of intellect, knowledge, and wisdom have been attributed to various deities since ancient times. These wise deities are considered the apex of ideal inspiration.
In many cultures, these deities are often worshipped and considered sacred. There are certain goddesses in Greek, Hindu, and Japanese culture who represent wisdom, intelligence, writing, and learning.
Along with these qualities, various deities represent other qualities of the magic of knowledge as well. For example, the Greek goddess Athena represents intelligence as the prime quality, but she also represents power and other qualities like handicraft and peace.
Hindu culture is unique as it has thousands of deities that represent various aspects and qualities of life. In Hindu culture, the goddess Saraswati is worshipped as being a goddess of knowledge, music, and arts. People believe that making the goddess happy can help them succeed in the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.
Read on to dive deep into each one of these goddesses’ cultural and mythological references. Also, read our fascinating articles about the Sobek Egyptian god and statue of liberty original color here at Kidadl.
Is there a Greek god of knowledge?
In Greek mythology, Athena is considered the goddess of knowledge. She was the daughter of Zeus.
Athena was a patroness of the ancient Greek city of Athens, and her name is said to have derived from the city. She is considered a virgin goddess who represents peace and handicrafts. Athena is generally portrayed as being strong and fearless, with an unsmiling face, and wearing a long white chiton or full-length armor.
There is a notable story regarding why Athena was so loved by the citizens of ancient Athens. The story also proves her title as the goddess of wisdom.
There was an ongoing debate about whether Poseidon or Athena was better suited to look after their city of Athens and lead the people into their wellbeing. In order to bring this quarrel to a conclusion, Cecrops, then ruling king of Athens, held a competition and judged who was the better leader, Poseidon or Athena.
In order to display his mettle, in a show of his power, Poseidon struck his trident into a big stone and created a stream of seawater for the people to use. On the other hand, Athena planted an olive tree.
In the end, the king came to the conclusion that Athena was a better leader as she had done something that provided the Athenians with wood, fruit, and oil all at once.
This story proves that Athena utilized her intelligence and knowledge to counter Poseidon’s display of power. She won the competition in the end. Hence, this is why she is aptly considered a knowledge deity.
Who is the goddess of intelligence?
A goddess called Minerva, who originated in Roman mythology, is the equivalent of Athena in Greek mythology. Minerva is a goddess of intelligence and wisdom, along with poetry, medicine, weaving, and crafts.
She has a similar story to that of Athena, where she had to compete against Jupiter for her place. Just like Athena, she also planted an olive tree and won.
In ancient Egyptian culture, one goddess called Neith is often associated with being a goddess of wisdom. Ancient Egyptians believed that Neith was responsible for creating the universe as it is today and that she is also responsible for governing all the laws of nature.
Neith is considered a goddess of the cosmos, water, fate, wisdom, hunting, weaving, and war.
Another Egyptian goddess, Isis, was highly worshipped in ancient Egypt. She is considered the goddess of magic and wisdom, according to several mythological tales.
She was cunning and wise and used her magical powers to gain knowledge from people. There is one tale where the goddess poisoned Ra to gain his name.
The poison could’ve made him vulnerable, so she offered the antidote to her unique poison if he gave away his own name. This tale just shows how intelligent the goddess Isis was and how she used intelligence over power to get what she wanted.
What Hindu goddess is worshipped as the goddess of the arts and of knowledge?
The Hindu goddess Saraswati is worshipped in Hindu culture as the goddess of knowledge, arts, and literature. Goddess Saraswati is generally depicted sitting on a peacock in a white saree, holding a musical instrument called Veena in her hands.
Many Hindus worship goddess Saraswati on a festival called Vasant Panchami, in honor of young children who are learning to read or write.
The meaning of the word Saraswati is derived from the Sanskrit language. It literally means "she who possesses all the lakes, rivers, and water bodies,".
It also means "she who possesses speech," because goddess Saraswati is considered a goddess of knowledge, wisdom, and arts, such as music and writing. There are several depictions of the goddess Saraswati in Hindu mythology, where she is sometimes portrayed with two hands, sometimes with four. She is often shown holding a book, known as Pustaka, in one hand.
The book is a symbol of knowledge. Along with Goddess Saraswati, Lord Ganesha is regarded as the god of wisdom in Hindu culture.
Who is the Japanese god of knowledge?
Benzaiten is a Japanese Buddhist goddess who is derived from the Hindu goddess Saraswati. Benzaiten is related to both Buddhist and Shinto cultures and is often depicted holding a biwa, which is the traditional Japanese version of a lute.
Goddess Benzaiten was worshipped in Japan during the Tokugawa period as a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and arts, just like goddess Saraswati.
Everything that flows is a broader aspect or quality for which Benzaiten is revered. The water which flows literally in rivers, seas, and lakes, as well as the poetic way in which art, music, or knowledge flows are qualities for which Benzaiten is revered. Goddess Benzaiten is a goddess of all these qualities which flow.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for goddess of knowledge: curious deity facts revealed for kids!
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