In
Babylonian mythology,
Sarpanit (alternately
Sarpanitu,
Zarpanit,
Zarpandit,
Zerpanitum,
Zerbanitu, or
Zirbanit) is a
mother goddess and the consort of the chief god,
Marduk. Her name means
"the shining one", and she is sometimes associated with the planet Venus. By a play on words her name was interpreted as
zer-banitu, or "creatress of seed", and is thereby associated with the goddess Aruru, who, according to Babylonian myth, created mankind.