Pushan is the God of Meeting. He is one of the Adityas and a Vedic solar deity. Pushan was responsible for feeding of cattle, for roads, journeys and marriages. He is a Soul Guide and directs souls to the other world. He offers protection to men from being utilized by other men and safeguards travelers from wild beasts and bandits. Being a ‘Good God’, supportive guide, Pushan directs his adherents towards wealth and rich pastures.
Pushan is depicted with a golden lance, which is a verb in Sanskrit. The meaning of Pusyati is ‘to cause to thrive’ according to a folk etymology, probably. In the Rigveda, ten hymns are dedicated to Lord Pushan in which one is dedicated to Pushan and Indra and another to Pushan and Soma. A few of these hymns request him to find lost cattle and to protect livestock. Goats pull his chariot. In some descriptions Pushan drives the Sun in its course across the sky. He is the guardian of herds and flocks, when he is represented as the Sun. At times Pushan is called as Kavi which became a title of various other Gods.
The Puranas describe Pushan as one of the twelve sons of Goddess Aditi. The other eleven Adityas are Mitra, Surya, Vishnu, Aryama, Varuna, Tvashta, Vidhata, Savita, Dhata, Bhaga and Indra.
Pushan is also called ‘the Toothless God Of Stars’. As per beliefs, Pushan broke his teeth when he tried eating a part of the sacrifice containing an arrow in the Daksha Yajna. Actually, an angry Rudra had inserted an arrow into the sacrifice for being excluded from the Daksha Yajna. According to another Puranic version, Lord Shiva was not invited by his father-in-law Daksha for the sacrifice and hence in anger kicked Pushan which broke his teeth.
