Thiên Y A Na
Encyclopedia
Thiên Y A Na is a Vietnamese goddess. She is worshipped in what is referred to by some as Đạo Mẫu
, the mother goddess religion. She is also known as Pô Nagar, the Cham deity from whom she originated. The Cham people of Vietnam
had been much influenced by India, and it is believed that Pô Nagar is represented with the characteristics of Bhagavati Uma
. The cult of Thiên Y A Na is popular in Vietnam, particularly among women. She is channeled through Lên đồng rituals. There have been many temples and shrines devoted to her throughout the last several centuries.
It is widely believed that the deity known as Thiên Y A Na is the Vietnamized version of the Cham deity, Pô Nagar, meaning “Lady of the Kingdom”. When the Việt came down from the North to central Vietnam and took over control of the land occupied by the Cham people, they attempted to assimilate the Cham into Việt culture. In doing so, they Vietnamized certain aspects of Cham culture that appealed to the Việt. It is through this process that the goddess Pô Nagar became Thiên Y A Na.
, they altered several aspects of Pô Nagar when incorporating her into their culture. There was no longer any mention of her having multiple husbands, nor did she have a large number of children. Instead, she was described as an immortal being, who could transform herself into a trunk of eaglewood at will. She used this ability to escape to China, where she married a prince. Later, she is said to have returned to Vietnam to teach her people. She was a powerful goddess who demanded respect and used her supernatural powers to punish those who disrespected her. She has also become a Buddhist deity, rather than an indigenous figure.
Today she is the object of worship for many. The cult that has grown up around her mostly consists of women who participate in Đạo Mẫu. They make offerings to her and ask for her aid in various aspects of their lives. They worship her through the practice of Lên đồng, whereby she is channeled by a spirit medium. Her worshipers often go on pilgrimages to Thiên Y A Na’s temples and shrines, where they conduct rituals in her honour. These rituals usually consist of complex performances by a spirit medium and her attendants.
There are many shrines and temples dedicated to Thiên Y A Na throughout Vietnam. The most famous of these temples are the Thiên Y A Na temple located in Huế
, along the left bank of the Perfume River
(Sông Hương) and the Pô Nagar Temple
near modern Nha Trang
.
Dao Mau
The term "Đạo Mẫu" refers to the worship of mother goddesses in Vietnam. While scholars like Ngô Đức Thịnh propose that it represents a systematic mother goddess cult, the term draws together fairly disparate beliefs and practices...
, the mother goddess religion. She is also known as Pô Nagar, the Cham deity from whom she originated. The Cham people of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
had been much influenced by India, and it is believed that Pô Nagar is represented with the characteristics of Bhagavati Uma
Bhagavathi
Bhagavathi or Bhagavati is the general way people refer to the Hindu goddesses in Kerala, Goa and Maharashtra states of India. It can be used to refer any of the Hindu goddesses like Durga, Kannaki, Parvati, Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Kali...
. The cult of Thiên Y A Na is popular in Vietnam, particularly among women. She is channeled through Lên đồng rituals. There have been many temples and shrines devoted to her throughout the last several centuries.
It is widely believed that the deity known as Thiên Y A Na is the Vietnamized version of the Cham deity, Pô Nagar, meaning “Lady of the Kingdom”. When the Việt came down from the North to central Vietnam and took over control of the land occupied by the Cham people, they attempted to assimilate the Cham into Việt culture. In doing so, they Vietnamized certain aspects of Cham culture that appealed to the Việt. It is through this process that the goddess Pô Nagar became Thiên Y A Na.
The Legend of Pô Nagar
According to the myth of Pô Nagar, she was born from the clouds of the sky and the foam of the sea. Her physical form was manifest in a piece of eaglewood floating on the waves of the ocean. She is also said to have had ninety-seven husbands and thirty-nine daughters who became goddesses like their mother. Pô Nagar was the goddess who created the earth, eaglewood and rice. It is told that there was even the aroma of rice in the air around her. The Chams looked upon her as a goddess of plants and trees. She was considered nurturing like the earth and she granted blessings to her followers.Vietnamization of Pô Nagar
After the Vietnamese adopted the Pô Nagar deity, they made several changes. They changed her name to "Thien Y A Na Diễn Phi Chúa Ngọc Thành Phi". Since the Việt were ConfucianConfucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
, they altered several aspects of Pô Nagar when incorporating her into their culture. There was no longer any mention of her having multiple husbands, nor did she have a large number of children. Instead, she was described as an immortal being, who could transform herself into a trunk of eaglewood at will. She used this ability to escape to China, where she married a prince. Later, she is said to have returned to Vietnam to teach her people. She was a powerful goddess who demanded respect and used her supernatural powers to punish those who disrespected her. She has also become a Buddhist deity, rather than an indigenous figure.
Thiên Y A Na Cult
Today she is the object of worship for many. The cult that has grown up around her mostly consists of women who participate in Đạo Mẫu. They make offerings to her and ask for her aid in various aspects of their lives. They worship her through the practice of Lên đồng, whereby she is channeled by a spirit medium. Her worshipers often go on pilgrimages to Thiên Y A Na’s temples and shrines, where they conduct rituals in her honour. These rituals usually consist of complex performances by a spirit medium and her attendants.
Sites of Worship
There are many shrines and temples dedicated to Thiên Y A Na throughout Vietnam. The most famous of these temples are the Thiên Y A Na temple located in Huế
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
, along the left bank of the Perfume River
Perfume River
The Perfume River is a river that crosses the city of Huế, in the central Vietnamese province of Thừa Thiên Huế.-Etymology:In the autumn, flowers from orchards upriver from Huế fall into the water, giving the river a perfume-like aroma....
(Sông Hương) and the Pô Nagar Temple
Po nagar
Po Nagar is a Cham temple tower founded sometime before 781 AD and located in the medieval principality of Kauthara, near modern Nha Trang in Vietnam...
near modern Nha Trang
Nha Trang
Nha Trang is a coastal city and capital of Khanh Hoa province, on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is bounded on the North by Ninh Hoà district, on the East by the South China Sea, on the South by Cam Ranh town and on the West by Diên Khánh district...
.