Vāyu

Hindu wind god; one of the oldest Vedic pantheon deities. Father of Bhīma in the Mahabharata and Hanumān in the Ramayana — both inherit his physical strength as their defining attribute. Often invoked compound-form as Vāyav-Indra in Ṛgvedic ritual.

Children

• Bhīma
• Hanuman

Domains

• wind and breath
• physical strength conferral
• wind

Powers

• Confers superhuman strength on his sons
• Vivifies as the breath of life
• Commands and drives the winds

Epithets

• पवन devanagari · Pavana'The Purifier / Wind' — common epithet of the wind godṚgveda (Vāyu hymns, RV 1.2, 1.134) (primary)
• प्राण devanagari · Prāṇa'The Breath of Life' — Vāyu identified with the cosmic vital breathBṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.5; Praśna Upaniṣad (primary)
• मातरिश्वन् devanagari · Mātariśvan'He who grows in the mother (atmosphere)' — Vedic name of the wind/fire-bearerṚgveda 1.96, 3.5 (primary)

Relations

• lover: KuntīInvoked by Kuntī using Durvāsā's mantra; fathered Bhīma.Mahabharata, Adi Parva 122 (primary)

Sources

• existence: Ṛgveda 1.2, 1.134-135, 7.92, 10.168 (the Vāyu hymns); Mahabharata Adi Parva 122; Valmiki Ramayana Kiṣkindhā Kāṇḍa 66 (primary)