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Deva (Sanskrit: देव, Devá) means "heavenly, divine, anything of excellence", and is also one of the terms for a deity in Hinduism.[1] Deva is masculine, and the related feminine '''equivalent is devi (unrelated to devil).''' Devas are benevolent supernatural beings in the Vedic era literature, with Indra (above) as their leader. The above gilt copper statue of Indra with inlaid semi-precious stones is from 16th-century Nepal.

Deva (Sanskrit: देव, Devá) refers to "heavenly, divine, anything of excellence", one of the terms for '''deity''' in Sanatana Dharma literature. Deva is masculine, and the related feminine equivalent is Devi. Devas are  subtle beings defined by their extraordinary divine power (divya shakti). They have a positive benevolent power supporting the humanity in many ways with extraordinary and distinguished competence.<ref name=":6">Dvivedi, Kapil Dev. (2000) ''Vaidika Sahitya evam Samskrti (Vedic Literature and Culture).'' Varanasi: Vishvavidyalaya Prakashan. (Pages 294-308)</ref>

'''In the earliest Vedic literature, all supernatural beings are called Asuras.['''2][3] The concepts and legends evolve in ancient Bharat's literature, and by the late Vedic period, benevolent supernatural beings are referred to as Deva-Asuras. In post-Vedic texts, such as the Puranas and the Itihasas of Hinduism, the Devas represent the good, and the Asuras the bad.[4][5] In some medieval Bharat's literature, Devas are also referred to as Suras and contrasted with their equally powerful, but malevolent half-brothers referred to as the Asuras.[6]

Devata-vada is yet another fundamental concept with unique characteristics propounded in the Vedas, the oldest Sanatana Dharma texts. Devas, also known by the synonym Devatas (देवताः) are the subject matter (प्रतिपाद्य विषयः) of the Vedic mantras and occupy a very important place in all traditions. Devatas are the supernatural extraordinary beings around whom revolve numerous legends as described in ancient Bharat's literature. From the earliest Rigvedic texts to the Puranas and the Itihasas these divine beings, the Devas, are explained based on their nature and specific powers.  

Devas along with Asuras, Yaksha (nature spirits) and Rakshasas (ghosts, ogres) are part of Bharat's mythology, and Devas feature in one of many cosmological theories in Hinduism.[7][8]

Yaska, defines the term Deva (देवः) as <blockquote>देवो दानाद् वा, दीपनाद् वा, द्योतनाद् वा, द्युस्थानो भवतीति वा। (Nirukta 7.15)</blockquote>Deva is one who bestows (gives) something, who is self effulgent, or who helps other shine, or who lives in the celestial region.<ref name=":6" />

 

According to Shabdakalpadhruma, देवः, is a masculine gender word (पुं) used in the sense of extraordinary, who are happy beings (दीव्यति आनन्देन क्रीडतीति ।)

 

According to Amarakosha<ref name=":0">Pt. Hariprasad Bhagiratha (1896) Amarakosha by Amarasingha. Published by Ganapata Krushnajeeva (Page 2-5)</ref>, Devas are mentioned by 26 other terms such as<blockquote>  अमरा निर्जरा देवास्त्रिदशा विबुधाः सुराः ।। १.१.१३ ।।

 

 सुपर्वाणः सुमनसस्त्रिदिवेशा दिवौकसः ।। १.१.१४ ।।

Bas-relief of a devi in Angkor Wat, Cambodia

 

Deva is a Sanskrit word found in Vedic literature of 2nd millennium BCE. Monier Williams translates it as "heavenly, divine, terrestrial things of high excellence, exalted, shining ones".[1][9] The concept also is used to refer to deity or god.[1]

 

 

 वृन्दारका दैवतानि पुंसि वा देवताः स्त्रियाम् ।। १.१.१८ ।।</blockquote>Amara, Nirjara, Deva, Tridasha, Vibhudha, Sura, Suparvana, Sumanasa, Tridivesha, Divoukasa, Aditeya, Divishada, Lekha, Aditinandana, Aditya, Rbhavo, Asvapna, Amartya, Amrtandhasa, Barhimukha, Rtubhuja, Geervana, Danavari, Vrndaraka, Daivata, Devata.

 

There are 9 kinds of devatas who are called Ganadevatas, i.e., a collective group of Devas.<blockquote>आदित्यविश्ववसवस्तुषिताभास्वरानिलाः ।। १.१.१९ ।।

 

महाराजिकसाध्याश्च रुद्राश्च गणदेवताः ।। १.१.२० ।।</blockquote>They are [[Adityas (आदित्याः)|Aditya]] (आदित्यः - 12 devas are collectively termed Aditya), Vishve (विश्वेदेव - 13) Vasu (वसु - 8) Tushit (तुषित - 36), Abhasvar (आभास्वरा - 64), Anila (अनिलाः - 49) Maharajika (महाराजिक - 220), Sadhya (साध्याः - 12), Rudra (रुद्राः - 11)

The Sanskrit deva- derives from Indo-Iranian *dev- which in turn descends from the Proto-Indo-European word, *deiwos, originally an adjective meaning "celestial" or "shining", which is a (not synchronic Sanskrit) vrddhi derivative from the root *diw meaning "to shine", especially as the day-lit sky.[citation needed] The feminine form of *deiwos is *deiwih2, which descends into Indic languages as devi, in that context meaning "female deity". Also deriving from *deiwos, and thus cognates of deva, are Lithuanian Dievas (Latvian Dievs, Prussian Deiwas), Germanic Tiwaz (seen in English "Tuesday") and the related Old Norse Tivar (gods), and Latin deus "god" and divus "divine", from which the English words "divine", "deity", French "dieu", Portuguese "deus", Spanish "dios" and Italian "dio", also "Zeys/Ζεύς" - "Dias/Δίας", the Greek father of the gods, are derived.[citation needed] It is related to *Dyeus which while from the same root, may originally have referred to the "heavenly shining father", and hence to "Father Sky", the chief God of the Indo-European pantheon, continued in Sanskrit Dyaus. The bode of the Devas is Dyurloka.[citation needed]

There are 10 classes of Devas apart from Suras.<blockquote>विद्याधराप्सरोयक्षरक्षोगन्धर्वकिंनराः ।। १.१.२१ ।।

According to Douglas Harper, the etymological roots of Deva mean "a shining one," from *div- "to shine," and it is a cognate with Greek dios "divine" and Zeus, and Latin deus "god" (Old Latin deivos).[10]

पिशाचो गुह्यकः सिद्धो भूतोऽमी देवयोनयः ।। १.१.२२ ।।</blockquote>Vidyadhara (विद्याधरः - Jeemutavaha and others), Apsarasa (अप्सरसाः - Devata stree), Yaksha (यक्षः - Kubera and others), Raksha (रक्षः - Mayavi Lankadhivasi), Gandharva (गन्धर्वः - Tumburu and others), Kinnera (किंनराः - Ashvamukha narasvaroopa), Pisacha (पिशाचः - Pishitas and others), Guhyaka (Manibhadra and others), Siddha (Visvhavasu and others), Bhuta (Balagraha and others or followers of Rudra).<ref name=":0" />

Deva is masculine, and the related feminine equivalent is devi.[11] Etymologically, the cognates of Devi are Latin dea and Greek thea.[12] When capitalized, Devi or Mata refers to goddess as divine mother in Hinduism.[13] Deva is also referred to as Devatā,[9] while Devi as Devika.[11]

Deva is masculine, and the related feminine equivalent is devi.[11] Etymologically, the cognates of Devi are Latin dea and Greek thea.[12] When capitalized, Devi or Mata refers to goddess as divine mother in Hinduism.[13] Deva is also referred to as Devatā,[9] while Devi as Devika.[11]

Main article: Rigvedic deities

Main article: Rigvedic deities

Shiva/Rudra has been a major Deva in Hinduism since the Vedic times.[14] Above is a meditating statue of him in the Himalayas with Hindus offering prayers.

Shiva/Rudra has been a major Deva in Hinduism since the Vedic times. The Samhitas, which are the oldest layer of text in Vedas enumerate 33 devas,[note 1] either 11 each for the three worlds, or as 12 Adityas, 11 Rudras, 8 Vasus and 2 Asvins in the Brahmanas layer of Vedic texts. The Rigveda states in hymn 1.139.11,

 

The Samhitas, which are the oldest layer of text in Vedas enumerate 33 devas,[note 1] either 11 each for the three worlds, or as 12 Adityas, 11 Rudras, 8 Vasus and 2 Asvins in the Brahmanas layer of Vedic texts.[1][19] The Rigveda states in hymn 1.139.11,

ये देवासो दिव्येकादश स्थ पृथिव्यामध्येकादश स्थ ।

ये देवासो दिव्येकादश स्थ पृथिव्यामध्येकादश स्थ । अप्सुक्षितो महिनैकादश स्थ ते देवासो यज्ञमिमं जुषध्वम् ॥११॥[20]

अप्सुक्षितो महिनैकादश स्थ ते देवासो यज्ञमिमं जुषध्वम् ॥११॥[20]

O ye eleven gods whose home is heaven, O ye eleven who make earth your dwelling,

O ye eleven gods whose home is heaven, O ye eleven who make earth your dwelling,

Ye who with might, eleven, live in waters, accept this sacrifice, O gods, with pleasure.

Ye who with might, eleven, live in waters, accept this sacrifice, O gods, with pleasure.

Gods who are eleven in heaven; who are eleven on earth;

Gods who are eleven in heaven; who are eleven on earth;

In the later primary Upanishadic texts, Devas and Asuras discuss and act to seek knowledge, for different purposes. In one case, for example, they go to Prajāpati, their father, to understand what is Self (Atman, soul) and how to realize it. The first answer that Prajāpati gives is simplistic, which the Asuras accept and leave with, but the Devas led by Indra do not accept and question because Indra finds that he hasn't grasped its full significance and the given answer has inconsistencies.[45] Edelmann states that this symbolism embedded in the Upanishads is a reminder that one must struggle with presented ideas, learning is a process, and Deva nature emerges with effort.[45]

In the later primary Upanishadic texts, Devas and Asuras discuss and act to seek knowledge, for different purposes. In one case, for example, they go to Prajāpati, their father, to understand what is Self (Atman, soul) and how to realize it. The first answer that Prajāpati gives is simplistic, which the Asuras accept and leave with, but the Devas led by Indra do not accept and question because Indra finds that he hasn't grasped its full significance and the given answer has inconsistencies.[45] Edelmann states that this symbolism embedded in the Upanishads is a reminder that one must struggle with presented ideas, learning is a process, and Deva nature emerges with effort.[45]

Puranas and Itihasas[edit]

== Puranas and Itihasas ==

In the Puranas and the Itihasas with the embedded Bhagavad Gita, the Devas represent the good, and the Asuras the bad.[4][5] According to the Bhagavad Gita (16.6-16.7), all beings in the universe have both the divine qualities (daivi sampad) and the demonic qualities (asuri sampad) within each.[5][46] The sixteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita states that pure god-like saints are rare and pure demon-like evil are rare among human beings, and the bulk of humanity is multi-charactered with a few or many faults.[5] According to Jeaneane Fowler, the Gita states that desires, aversions, greed, needs, emotions in various forms "are facets of ordinary lives", and it is only when they turn to lust, hate, cravings, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, hypocrisy, violence, cruelty and such negativity- and destruction-inclined that natural human inclinations metamorphose into something demonic (Asura).[5][46]

In the Puranas and the Itihasas with the embedded Bhagavad Gita, the Devas represent the good, and the Asuras the bad.[4][5] According to the Bhagavad Gita (16.6-16.7), all beings in the universe have both the divine qualities (daivi sampad) and the demonic qualities (asuri sampad) within each.[5][46] The sixteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita states that pure god-like saints are rare and pure demon-like evil are rare among human beings, and the bulk of humanity is multi-charactered with a few or many faults.[5] According to Jeaneane Fowler, the Gita states that desires, aversions, greed, needs, emotions in various forms "are facets of ordinary lives", and it is only when they turn to lust, hate, cravings, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, hypocrisy, violence, cruelty and such negativity- and destruction-inclined that natural human inclinations metamorphose into something demonic (Asura).[5][46]