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* '''परोपकारत्वम् ॥ Benevolence'''

* '''परोपकारत्वम् ॥ Benevolence'''

Gods are said to be exclusively beneficent beings, bestowers of prosperity and immense wealth11', who grant happiness in life. They protect against enemies and destroy the enemies of the human beings.112 They are friends of the sacrificer. They came to earth to be present at the worship of the devoted people and partook of their offerings. That gods bring bliss is stated thus: “Blessed is all that Gods regard with favour.”113

Devatas are said to be exclusively beneficent beings, bestowers of prosperity and immense wealth, who grant happiness in life. The very first sukta of Rigveda, describes Agni devata as a benevolent deity who grants wealth to the yajamana. 

 

 

Devatas destroy and protect men against enemies. Pleased with the stuti and offerings they become the friends of the yajamana. They come down to the yajna-sthala by the worship of the devoted people and partake of their offerings.

॥ Morality  

॥ Morality  

Yaska, the author of Nirukta, classified Indra, Agni and other devatas based on four aspects as below<ref name=":62" />

Yaska, the author of Nirukta, classified Indra, Agni and other devatas based on four aspects as below<ref name=":62" />

# आध्यात्मिक - proceeding from bodily and mental causes within one's self (carnal agencies)

# '''आध्यात्मिक''' - proceeding from bodily and mental causes within one's self (carnal agencies)

# आधिदैविक - proceeding from the influence of the atmosphere or planets (supernatural agencies)

# '''आधिदैविक''' - proceeding from the influence of the atmosphere or planets (supernatural agencies)

# आधिभौतिक - derived or produced from the elements (bhutas), and  environment (natural agencies)

# '''आधिभौतिक''' - derived or produced from the elements (bhutas), and  environment (natural agencies)

# अधियज्ञ - produced by the agency of yajna

# अधियज्ञ - produced by the agency of yajna

# निर्वचनात्मक - Etymological sense  

# निर्वचनात्मक - Etymological sense  

The above criteria are understood from the akhyana (legend) of [[Indra and Vrtrasura (इन्द्रः वृत्रासुरः च)|Indra and Vrtra]] discussed in the perspectives of Itihasa (historical), as an Akhyana (anecdote), in the perspective of nature (Vrtra is said to be whirlwind), along with the etymological explanation. Indra is thus, a raja (the ruler of Swarga), his characteristics explained in various anecdotes, as vidyut (lightning) the natural perspective among many other meanings.  

The above criteria are understood from the akhyana (legend) of [[Indra and Vrtrasura (इन्द्रः वृत्रासुरः च)|Indra and Vrtra]] discussed in the perspectives of Itihasa (historical), as an Akhyana (anecdote), in the perspective of nature (Vrtra is said to be whirlwind), along with the etymological explanation. Indra is thus, a raja (the ruler of Swarga), his characteristics explained in various anecdotes, as vidyut (lightning) the natural perspective among many other meanings.<ref name=":62" />

== Number of Devatas ==

== Number of Devatas ==

In the Vedas, the number of devatas is said to range from one to six thousand. In Rigveda, the famous mantra emphasizes the '''unity of devatas (एकेश्वरवादः)''', different forms of the same all-powerful Ishvara manifesting as Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni etc.<ref name=":62" /><blockquote>इन्द्रं॑ मि॒त्रं वरु॑णम॒ग्निमा॑हु॒रथो॑ दि॒व्यः स सु॑प॒र्णो ग॒रुत्मा॑न् । एकं॒ सद् विप्रा॑ बहु॒धा व॑दन्त्य॒ग्निं य॒मं मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑नमाहुः ॥४॥६॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.164.46)</blockquote>The same aspect is explained in Nirukta and Brhaddevata. <blockquote>तासामियं विभूतिर्हि नामानि यदनेकशः । आहुस्तासां तु मन्त्रेषु कवयोऽन्योन्ययोनिताम् ।। ७१ ।। (Brhd. Deva. 1.171)</blockquote>[[Yajurveda (यजुर्वेदः)|Yajurveda]] and [[Atharvaveda (अथर्ववेदः)|Atharvaveda]] also support Ekeshvaravada. In this universe, there exists one all-powerful entity or energy (Universal Energy), which in the Vedas has been called as Vaishvanara Agni. The components and subparts of this very source of energy are the devatas.<ref name=":62" />  

In the Vedas, the number of devatas is said to range from one to six thousand. In Rigveda, the famous mantra emphasizes the '''unity of devatas (एकेश्वरवादः)''', different forms of the same all-powerful Ishvara manifesting as Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni etc.<ref name=":62" /><blockquote>इन्द्रं॑ मि॒त्रं वरु॑णम॒ग्निमा॑हु॒रथो॑ दि॒व्यः स सु॑प॒र्णो ग॒रुत्मा॑न् । एकं॒ सद् विप्रा॑ बहु॒धा व॑दन्त्य॒ग्निं य॒मं मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑नमाहुः ॥४॥६॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.164.46)</blockquote>The same aspect is explained in Nirukta and Brhaddevata. <blockquote>तासामियं विभूतिर्हि नामानि यदनेकशः । आहुस्तासां तु मन्त्रेषु कवयोऽन्योन्ययोनिताम् ।। ७१ ।। (Brhd. Deva. 1.171)</blockquote>[[Yajurveda (यजुर्वेदः)|Yajurveda]] and [[Atharvaveda (अथर्ववेदः)|Atharvaveda]] also support Ekeshvaravada. In this universe, there exists one all-powerful entity or energy (Universal Energy), which in the Vedas has been called as Vaishvanara Agni. The components and subparts of this very source of energy are the devatas.<ref name=":62" /> By virtue of their special qualities Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Yama etc the devatas derived their names. Thus we see that Bahudevata-vada is also supported by this  explanation. There is only one root source, Universal Energy. The many devatas are explained by their differing activities, and their names are given based on their gunas.<ref name=":62" />  

In the Rigveda, we find a mention of '''three devatas''' as prominent devatas; Agni in the terrestrial region, Indra or Vayu in the atmospheric region and Surya in the celestial region.<ref name=":62" /> <blockquote>सूर्यो नो दिवस्पातु वातो अन्तरिक्षाद् अग्निर्नः पार्थिवेभ्यः। (Rig. Veda. 10.15.1)</blockquote>Yaska based his classification based on the Rigvedic mantra.<blockquote>तिस्र एव देवता इति नैरुक्ताः । (Nirukta. 7.5)</blockquote>Elsewhere in Rigveda we find a mention of '''thirty-three devatas''', eleven on earth, eleven in atmospheric region and eleven in the celestial region.<ref name=":62" /><blockquote>ये दे॑वासो दि॒व्येका॑दश॒ स्थ पृ॑थि॒व्यामध्येका॑दश॒ स्थ । अ॒प्सु॒क्षितो॑ महि॒नैका॑दश॒ स्थ ते दे॑वासो य॒ज्ञमि॒मं जु॑षध्वम् ॥११॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.139.11) </blockquote>Shatapatha Brahmana (11.3.6.5) and Aitareya Brahmana (12.11.22) give their names. They are eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Adityas, Dyus and Prthvi (or Indra and Prajapati).   

In the Rigveda, we find a mention of '''three devatas''' as prominent devatas; Agni in the terrestrial region, Indra or Vayu in the atmospheric region and Surya in the celestial region.<ref name=":62" /> <blockquote>सूर्यो नो दिवस्पातु वातो अन्तरिक्षाद् अग्निर्नः पार्थिवेभ्यः। (Rig. Veda. 10.15.1)</blockquote>Yaska based his classification based on the Rigvedic mantra.<blockquote>तिस्र एव देवता इति नैरुक्ताः । (Nirukta. 7.5)</blockquote>Elsewhere in Rigveda we find a mention of '''thirty-three devatas''', eleven on earth, eleven in atmospheric region and eleven in the celestial region.<ref name=":62" /><blockquote>ये दे॑वासो दि॒व्येका॑दश॒ स्थ पृ॑थि॒व्यामध्येका॑दश॒ स्थ । अ॒प्सु॒क्षितो॑ महि॒नैका॑दश॒ स्थ ते दे॑वासो य॒ज्ञमि॒मं जु॑षध्वम् ॥११॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.139.11) </blockquote>Shatapatha Brahmana (11.3.6.5) and Aitareya Brahmana (12.11.22) give their names. They are eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Adityas, Dyus and Prthvi (or Indra and Prajapati).   

== References ==

== References ==