P
thivi
(‘the extended one’). The Hindu manifestation of the earth, the womb of
Agni
(
atapatha Br
hmana
7. 4. 1. 8), the Mother in whose womb the embryonic earth is formed. She is sometimes joined with the sky as Dy
v
-P
thivi, and remains associated with agriculture. In later Hinduism, she is Bh
dev
, the consort of
Vi
u
.
Psalms, Book of
(Gk.,
psalmoi
, ‘songs accompanied by string music’). The first of the
Writings
in the Hebrew Bible and nineteenth book in the Christian Old Testament. The Hebrew title is
Tehillim
(‘songs of praise’), from the same root as the common refrain
Alleluia
. The 150 Psalms are numbered differently in Protestant (following the Hebrew) and Roman Catholic (following the
Septuagint/Greek
and
Vulgate
) Bibles.