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Line 38: − + − + − − == Vedic literature == − Main article: Rigvedic deities Line 90:
Line 87: − − There are also many other lesser celestial beings in Hinduism, such as the Gandharvas (male celestial musicians) and the Apsaras (female celestial dancers). The musicians and dancers are married to each other. − − Sangam literature[edit] − [icon] This section requires expansion. (July 2015) − Sangam literature of Tamil (300BC-300CE) describes the offerings for devas. In Silapathikaram one of the five epics of Tamil by Ilango Adigal saying the offering for Four kind of devas.[57] − The nine Devas, Khleangs artwork from Cambodia (~1000 CE). From left to right: Surya (Sun) on chariot, Chandra (Moon) on pedestal, Yama on buffalo, Varuna on swan, Indra on elephant, Kubera on horse, Agni on ram, Rahu on clouds and Ketu on lion.+ − See also[edit] − Vishvadevas − Ishvara − Bhagavan − God and gender in Hinduism − Hindu deities − Deva (Buddhism) − Divinity − Daeva − Diwata − Notes[edit] − Jump up ^ The list of Vedic Devas somewhat varies across the manuscripts found in different parts of South Asia, particularly in terms of guides (Aswins) and personified Devas. One list based on Book 2 of Aitereya Brahmana is:[16][17] − Devas personified: Indra (Śakra), Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Aṃśa, Vidhatr (Brahma),[18] Tvāṣṭṛ, Pūṣan, Vivasvat, Savitṛ (Dhatr), Vishnu. − Devas as abstractions or inner principles: Ānanda (bliss, inner contentment), Vijñāna (knowledge), Manas (mind, thought), Prāṇa (life-force), Vāc (speech), Ātmā (soul, self within each person), and five manifestations of Rudra/Shiva – Īśāna, Tatpuruṣa, Aghora, Vāmadeva, Sadyojāta − Devas as forces or principles of nature – Pṛthivī (earth), Agni (fire), Antarikṣa (atmosphere, space), Jal (water), Vāyu (wind), Dyauṣ (sky), Sūrya (sun), Nakṣatra (stars), Soma (moon) − Devas as guide or creative energy – Vasatkara, Prajāpati − − ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary Etymologically and Philologically Arranged to cognate Indo-European Languages, Motilal Banarsidass, page 492 − Jump up ^ Wash Edward Hale (1999), Ásura in Early Vedic Religion, Motilal Barnarsidass, ISBN 978-8120800618, pages 5-11, 22, 99-102 − Jump up ^ Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary Etymologically and Philologically Arranged to cognate Indo-European Languages, Motilal Banarsidass, page 121 − ^ Jump up to: a b Nicholas Gier (2000), Spiritual Titanism: Bharat's, Chinese, and Western Perspectives, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791445280, pages 59-76 − ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Jeaneane D Fowler (2012), The Bhagavad Gita, Sussex Academic Press, ISBN 978-1845193461, pages 253-262 − Jump up ^ Encyclopaedia Britannica − Jump up ^ Don Handelman (2013), One God, Two Goddesses, Three Studies of South Bharat's Cosmology, Brill Academic, ISBN 978-9004256156, pages 23-29 − Jump up ^ Wendy Doniger (1988), Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism, Manchester University Press, ISBN 978-0719018664, page 67 − ^ Jump up to: a b c d Klaus Klostermaier (2010), A Survey of Hinduism, 3rd Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791470824, pages 101-102 − Jump up ^ Deva Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper (2015) − ^ Jump up to: a b Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary Etymologically and Philologically Arranged to cognate Indo-European Languages, Motilal Banarsidass, page 496 − Jump up ^ John Stratton Hawley and Donna Marie Wulff (1998), Devi: Goddesses of India, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814912, page 2 − Jump up ^ John Stratton Hawley and Donna Marie Wulff (1998), Devi: Goddesses of India, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814912, pages 18-21 − Jump up ^ Hermann Oldenberg (1988), The Religion of the Veda, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120803923, pages 110-114 − Jump up ^ Twelve Heavenly Deities (Devas) Nara National Museum, Japan − Jump up ^ Hermann Oldenberg (1988), The Religion of the Veda, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120803923, pages 23-50 − Jump up ^ AA MacDonell, Vedic mythology, p. PA19, at Google Books, Oxford University Press, pages 19-21 − Jump up ^ Francis X Clooney (2010), Divine Mother, Blessed Mother, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0199738731, page 242 − Jump up ^ George Williams (2008), A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0195332612, pages 90, 112 − Jump up ^ ऋग्वेद: सूक्तं १.१३९ Sanskrit, Wikisource − Jump up ^ The Rig Veda/Mandala 1/Hymn 139 Verse 11, Ralph T. H. Griffith, Wikisource − Jump up ^ The Rig Veda Samhita Verse 11, HH Wilson (Translator), Royal Asiatic Society, WH Allen & Co, London − Jump up ^ George Williams (2008), A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0195332612, pages 24-33 − ^ Jump up to: a b Bina Gupta (2011), An Introduction to Bharat's Philosophy, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415800037, pages 21-25 − Jump up ^ John Bowker (2014), God: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0198708957, pages 88-96 − Jump up ^ Ivan Strenski (2015), Understanding Theories of Religion: An Introduction, 2nd Edition, Wiley, ISBN 978-1444330847, page 42 − Jump up ^ Wash Edward Hale (1999), Ásura in Early Vedic Religion, Motilal Barnarsidass, ISBN 978-8120800618, page 20 − Jump up ^ Ananda Coomaraswamy (1935), Angel and Titan: An Essay in Vedic Ontology, Journal of the American Oriental Society, volume 55, pages 373-374 − Jump up ^ Ananda Coomaraswamy (1935), Angel and Titan: An Essay in Vedic Ontology, Journal of the American Oriental Society, volume 55, pages 373-418 − ^ Jump up to: a b Nicholas Gier (1995), Hindu Titanism, Philosophy East and West, Volume 45, Number 1, pages 76, see also 73-96 − Jump up ^ Ananda Coomaraswamy (1935), Angel and Titan: An Essay in Vedic Ontology, Journal of the American Oriental Society, volume 55, pages 373-374 − Jump up ^ FBJ Kuiper (1975), The Basic Concept of Vedic Religion, History of Religion, volume 15, pages 108-112 − Jump up ^ Wash Edward Hale (1999), Ásura in Early Vedic Religion, Motilal Barnarsidass, ISBN 978-8120800618, pages 1-2; Note: Hale translates this to "Asuras without the Asura-Devas" in his book, see page 3 for example.; − For original Sanskrit, see Rigveda hymns 8.25.4 and 8.96.9 Rigveda - Wikisource − Jump up ^ Mircea Eliade (1981), History of Religious Ideas, Volume 1, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 978-0226204017, page 204, 199-202, 434-435 − ^ Jump up to: a b c Yves Bonnefoy and Wendy Doniger (1993), Asian Mythologies, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 978-0226064567, pages 52-53 − Jump up ^ Hermann Oldenberg (1988), The Religion of the Veda, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120803923, pages 116-117 − Jump up ^ Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814684, pages 287-289 − Jump up ^ Dominic Goodall (1996), Hindu Scriptures, University of California Press, ISBN 978-0520207783, pages 175-176 − ^ Jump up to: a b Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814684, page 58 − ^ Jump up to: a b Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814684, pages 70-71 − ^ Jump up to: a b Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814684, pages 508-509 − Jump up ^ Max Muller, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.1 Oxford University Press, page 78 with footnote 2 − Jump up ^ Jonathan Edelmann (2013), Hindu Theology as Churning the Latent, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Volume 81, Issue 2, pages 427-466 − Jump up ^ Doris Srinivasan (1997), Many Heads, Arms and Eyes: Origin, Meaning, and Form of Multiplicity in Bharat's Art, Brill Academic, ISBN 978-9004107588, pages 130-131 − ^ Jump up to: a b c d Jonathan Edelmann (2013), Hindu Theology as Churning the Latent, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Volume 81, Issue 2, pages 439-441 − ^ Jump up to: a b Christopher K Chapple (2010), The Bhagavad Gita: Twenty-fifth–Anniversary Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-1438428420, pages 610-629 − ^ Jump up to: a b Nicholas Gier (1995), Hindu Titanism, Philosophy East and West, Volume 45, Number 1, pages 76-80 − ^ Jump up to: a b Stella Kramrisch and Raymond Burnier (1986), The Hindu Temple, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120802230, pages 75-78 − Jump up ^ Wendy Doniger (2000), Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, Merriam-Webster, ISBN 978-0877790440, page 455 − Jump up ^ Bhagavata Purana 3.12.21-22 − Jump up ^ Bhagavata Purana 4.1.13 − Jump up ^ Bhagavata Purana 6.6.24-26 − Jump up ^ Bhagavata Purana 8.13.6 − Jump up ^ Bhagavata Purana 6.18.11 − Jump up ^ Bhagavata Purana 5.24.30 − ^ Jump up to: a b Jonathan Edelmann (2013), Hindu Theology as Churning the Latent, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Volume 81, Issue 2, pages 440-442 − Jump up ^ Silappadikaram By S. Krishnamoorthy. p. 35. − External links[edit] − The Basic Concept of Vedic Religion FBJ Kuiper (1975), History of Religions, Vol. 15, No. 2, pages 107-120 (on roots of Devas and Asuras) − The Proto-Indoaryans T Burrow (1973), Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland, Vol. 105, Issue 2, pages 123-140 (on roots of Devas and Asuras in Indo-Iranian versus Indo-European history) − Indo-European Deities and the Rigveda ND Kazanas (2001), The Journal of Indo-European Studies, Vol. 29, No. 3 & 4 − The Vedic Gods of Japan S Kak (2004), Brahmavidyā: The Adyar Library Bulletin (on the spread of Vedic Devas such as Indra, Agni, Vayu outside India) − On Translation: Māyā, Deva, Tapas Ananda Coomaraswamy, Isis, Vol. 19, No. 1, pages 74-91 (on alternate meanings of Devas) − Ritual, Knowledge, and Being: Initiation and Veda Study in Ancient India Brian K. Smith (1986), Numen, Vol. 33, Fasc. 1, pages 65-89 (on the role of knowledge in empowering the Deva nature in man)
editing content
It is this characteristic nature that is recognized by the Vedic seers and they outpoured their gratitude towards these "devas" in the form of stuti mantras with an intent to receive their benevolence for the good of all. Keeping some devatas in mind the stuti mantras were given by the seers and thus we have a particular devata for each mantra. Thus Devas became the subject matter described in a mantra, and a collection of such stutis formed a particular sukta. Sayanacharya mentions thus,<blockquote>देवता तु मन्त्र प्रतिपाद्या । (Sayana, Rigvedabhashya Bhumika Page 114)</blockquote>The mantras throw light on the nature of a particular deity but the knowledge about them can only be obtained by tapas and sadhana. The mantras are powerful invocations and invitations to call a particular deity. This aspect is also discussed by Yaska in his Nirukta (7.1)<ref name=":6" />
It is this characteristic nature that is recognized by the Vedic seers and they outpoured their gratitude towards these "devas" in the form of stuti mantras with an intent to receive their benevolence for the good of all. Keeping some devatas in mind the stuti mantras were given by the seers and thus we have a particular devata for each mantra. Thus Devas became the subject matter described in a mantra, and a collection of such stutis formed a particular sukta. Sayanacharya mentions thus,<blockquote>देवता तु मन्त्र प्रतिपाद्या । (Sayana, Rigvedabhashya Bhumika Page 114)</blockquote>The mantras throw light on the nature of a particular deity but the knowledge about them can only be obtained by tapas and sadhana. The mantras are powerful invocations and invitations to call a particular deity. This aspect is also discussed by Yaska in his Nirukta (7.1)<ref name=":6" />
== Vedic Deities ==
The characteristic quality of each deva/devi depends on his/her innate nature. Some deities are human-like (manava-vat) in their activities, example, Indra, Varuna, Marut etc. Their physical description is also given in many texts, distinctly, in the Agamas. Yaska mentions that some devatas are similar to humans and they are worshipped as though they are animate beings. Some other deities are not similar to the humans, such as Agni, Vayu, Surya, Chandra, Prthvi etc. Their worship includes an inanimate aspect.<ref name=":6" /><blockquote>पुरुषविधाः स्युः, इत्येकम् । चेतनावद् हि स्तुतयो भवन्ति । अपुरुषविधाः स्युः, इत्यपरम् । (Nirukta. 7.6 and 7)</blockquote>They are described as having a certain special abode in the various regions of this universe. They play a significant role in yajnas, being specially invited and as recipients of havishya, they help in fulfilling the yajamana's wishes.
The attitude of reverence towards the higher objects, superior and subtle to man in power led to the development of beliefs and activities of worship. Phenomenon of nature were the objects of interest that awed the ancient people. Early man was impressed by the natural inexplicable forces of nature to which he reacted to with reverence. Deities in Rigveda are conceived as the presiding deities of natural phenomenon. The seers composed the revelations they had about the natural objects surrounding them. They depicted the vastness of such phenomena and realized the idea of Infiniteness. To them the infinite revealed itself in the various forms of nature.
The Samhitas, of the Vedas enumerate 33 devas, 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, of the Vedas enumerate 33 devas, 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 male Lokapala devas, the guardians of the directions, on the wall of Shiva temple, Prambanan (Java, Indonesia).
The male Lokapala devas, the guardians of the directions, on the wall of Shiva temple, Prambanan (Java, Indonesia).
Nature Devas are responsible for elements or objects such as fire, air, rain and trees - most of them assumed a minor role in the later religion. Certain other deities rose into prominence. These higher Devas control much more intricate tasks governing the functioning of the cosmos and the evolution of creation. Mahadevas, such as Lord Ganesha, have such tremendous tasks under their diligence that they are sometimes called themselves Gods under the Supreme One God. The Trimurti is composed of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. (Note: Mahadeva generally refers to Shiva)
Nature Devas are responsible for elements or objects such as fire, air, rain and trees - most of them assumed a minor role in the later religion. Certain other deities rose into prominence. These higher Devas control much more intricate tasks governing the functioning of the cosmos and the evolution of creation. Mahadevas, such as Lord Ganesha, have such tremendous tasks under their diligence that they are sometimes called themselves Gods under the Supreme One God. The Trimurti is composed of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. (Note: Mahadeva generally refers to Shiva)
Vayu, the Lord of the wind, is an example of an important Deva. Also, Death is personified as the Dev Yama. Devas, in Hinduism, are celestial beings that control forces of nature such as fire, air, wind, etc.
Vayu, the Lord of the wind, is an example of an important Deva. Also, Death is personified as the Dev Yama. Devas, in Hinduism, are celestial beings that control forces of nature such as fire, air, wind, etc.
== References ==
References[edit]
[[Category:Devatas]]
[[Category:Devatas]]