Rigveda Devatas (ऋग्वेदे देवताविचारः)

Devata (Samskrit: देवता) or Deva (देवः) refers to a supernatural entity having the capability to grant desired boons to other beings, such as humans. They are all-powerful superior beings who are invoked and praised with stutis. The concept of Devas has been present since the earliest times. However, since the earliest texts, namely Rigveda to the Upanishads, Puranas and Itihasas, their characteristics, importance and legends have undergone various changes.

In the present context, we discuss the features and nature of deities with reference to Rigveda.

Important Aspects of Devatas in Rigveda

The phenomenon of nature were the objects of worship for the human being in the earliest times. Some characteristics about Rigvedic deities include

1. Personification of Nature: Natural phenomena, the Sun, Moon, Rain etc., inspired sense of reverence in man giving rise to the concept of "presiding deities" in them. Nature stood as a never ending perplexity to them due to its power and sublimity. Various aspects of nature stimulated their aesthetic consciousness and gave rise to personification of the powers of nature into devatas. With sense of awe and wonder they worshiped the hostile forces of nature. Hence, all the phenomena of nature were the objects of reverence and became devas and devis. Agni is addressed as नृ॒णां नृत॑मो, ie., man (hero) among men. Devatas we see are often addressed as men. And this personification is a sensible representation of a human, with head, face, eyes, nose etc described aesthetically and poetically by many seers.
2. Presence of supernatural Powers: The seers identified that different powers had exceptional capacity to grant specific wishes. The Rigveda deals with a number of nature gods of varying importance based on their supernatural powers, such as, Agni, Indra, Surya, Rudra, Visnu, Pusan, the Asvins, the Maruts, Savitr, Varuna, Usas, Parjanya etc. Praised for their mighty deeds, their greatness and beneficence extoled in mantras, the deities, in turn, helped their worshippers with their sustenance, wealth, offspring, prosperity, long life, victory, cattle, so on and so forth.
3. Number of devatas: A belief in many devatas (Bahudevatavada or polytheism) was very common. We find many devatas having supernatural powers being amply praised. Next we find the concept of worshipping one devata (Ekadevatavada or monotheism). According to them there is only one devata, Agni whose abode is on the earth, Vayu or Indra whose place is in the air and Surya, whose place is in the sky. एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति। (Rig. Veda. 1.1.64.46) which And the many devatas mentioned are different manifestations or descriptions of one Supreme. They emphasized that all natural phenomena were the various facets of one all-pervading Supreme being. Hiranyagarbha, the primordial "golden" germ or Prajapati, the creator is an example of such Supreme being from where the whole creation sprang forth. Gradually, the seers realized the underlying all-pervading divine principle, The Infinite, from which arose and into which the nature and universe, their individual attributes are absorbed and dissolved.
4. Every Devata is Supreme: The important characteristic of worship is that every devata was regarded as the Supreme. Mantras in a particular extol the greatness of that particular deity as if that deity was the greatest of all devatas.
5. Identification of devatas: One devata is identified with another as well as with all other devatas in the Veda. The first sukta of the second mandala gives the identification of Agni with all gods, viz. Dyaus, Indra, Visnu, Brahma, Brahmanaspati, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, Rudra, Bhaga, Tvastr, and so on and so forth. Yaska also supports this view.
6. Dual devatas: Some particular deities, who shared certain functions in common, were joined in the form of a special kind of dual compound typically seen in the Rigveda. The most important of these paired devatas are - Asvini devatas, Dyava-prithvi, Agnisoma, Indravayu, Indragni, Indrapusana, Indrabrhaspati, Indra-varuna, Indravisnu, Indrasoma, Somarudra, Rodasi etc. Some of them Indramarutah, Agniparjanya are praised in a small number of mantras. Due to close similarity, sometimes one of the two names with a dual termination became indicative of the two. Thus, it is seen that Varuna indicates Mitravaruna.
7. Group of devatas (plural): We find that the seers eulogized a number of groups of devatas who formed a set and are mentioned only in plural. They are the Maruts (group of 49 devatas), Adityas (12), Rudras (11) Visvedevas (13). Thus, a group of thirteen devatas are collectively called as Vishvedevas.

Devata of a Mantra

With respect to devatas, Rigveda has a some unique perspectives. Each richa or mantra in the Rigveda has a devata who is the subject of that mantra.

Mantra-devatas are determined by four characteristics, viz., name, relationship, activity, and physical appearance. For example, in the mantras, we see that Indra, Agni etc are mentioned by their name, physical appearance or referenced by their relationship with other deities, or praised for their activities; such deities are determined to be the devata for that particular mantra. However, in certain mantras, none of the four characteristics are used to describe a devata. In such cases the devata for that mantra is determined by the Yajna mentioned. Yaska clarifies

यद्देवतः स यज्ञो वा यज्ञाङ्गं वा, तद्देवता भवति। तद् येऽनादिष्टदेवता मन्त्रास्तेषु देवतोपपरीक्षा (Nirukta 7.1.4)

The yajna-devata becomes the devata for those mantras where the devata is not indicated (अनादिष्ट-देवताक मन्त्र). For example, in Agnistoma Yajna, Agni is the primary deity. The deity for the अनादिष्ट-देवताक मन्त्र used in this yajna is determined as Agni. Based on the context the deity is determined.

प्रकरणाद्धि संदिग्धदेवतेषु देवता नियमः (Explanation of Nirukta 7.1.4)

Based on the timing (kala namely pratah, madhyana, sayam) of the yajna (Yajna-anga) the deity is said to be Agni, Indra and Aditya respectively. As per some scholarly opinions the deity for the अनादिष्ट-देवताक मन्त्र is Prajapati as given by प्राजापत्या इति याज्ञिका: (Nirukta 7.1.4). Some others opine that it is Vishnu or Agni based on the reference यज्ञो वै विष्णुः। Agni is said to represent all devatas, all devas reside in him. Yaska further mentions, अपि वा सा कामदेवता स्यात्। as an other option, where the deity can be decided as per the wish of the yajmana.

Characteristics of a Devata in Rigveda

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, more distinctly in the Agamas at a later stage. 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.

पुरुषविधाः स्युः, इत्येकम् । चेतनावद् हि स्तुतयो भवन्ति । अपुरुषविधाः स्युः, इत्यपरम् । (Nirukta. 7.6 and 7)

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. Their characteristics can be summarized as follows.

• सामान्यगुणाः ॥ Common Characteristics

Devatas are said to have brilliance, power, benevolence, wisdom, infinity, omnipotence, righteousness, auspiciousness and compassion. Besides the function of creation, preservation and destruction are ascribed to them. They are said to extend the earth and prop the air and the sky.

• अमरत्वम् ॥ Immortality

In the Vedas, we see the perspective that devatas are characterized as immortal (अमृताः) and do not age i.e., ever-youthful (अजराः).

ते अ॒स्मभ्यं॒ शर्म॑ यंसन्न॒मृता॒ मर्त्ये॑भ्यः । बाध॑माना॒ अप॒ द्विष॑: ॥३॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.90.3) अ॒श्याम॒ वाज॑म॒भि वा॒जय॑न्तो॒ ऽश्याम॑ द्यु॒म्नम॑जरा॒जरं॑ ते ॥७॥ (Rig. Veda. 6.5.7)

Savitr is said to be the bestower of immortality on devatas.

दे॒वेभ्यो॒ हि प्र॑थ॒मं य॒ज्ञिये॑भ्योऽमृत॒त्वं सु॒वसि॑ भा॒गमु॑त्त॒मम् । (Rig. Veda. 4.54.2)

From the interpretation given by Sayanacarya, it is known that Savitr bestowed Soma and other means to attain immortality. Savitr also gave immortality on the Rbhus. Agni is implored to confer immortality. According to a scholar, devatas attained immortality by partaking amrta or the celestial Soma juice.

स॒तो नू॒नं क॑वय॒: सं शि॑शीत॒ वाशी॑भि॒र्याभि॑र॒मृता॑य॒ तक्ष॑थ । वि॒द्वांस॑: प॒दा गुह्या॑नि कर्तन॒ येन॑ दे॒वासो॑ अमृत॒त्वमा॑न॒शुः ॥१० (Rig. Veda. 10.53.10)

The undecaying nature of the gods is alluded to in the Rgvedic mantras. Indra is described as ever youthful (yuna) and undecaying (ajuryata). The concept of immortality and eternal nature of the devatas arose from the observation of the regular recurrences of the phenomena of nature. Nature repeating itself in unbroken regularity made them eternal.

• परोपकारत्वम् ॥ Benevolence

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.

अ॒ग्निना॑ र॒यिम॑श्नव॒त् पोष॑मे॒व दि॒वेदि॑वे। य॒शसं॑ वी॒रव॑त्तमम्॥३॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.1.3)

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.

• ऋतम् ॥ Rta (Moral order)

In the Rgvedasamhita, a well developed conception of ethical conduct is noticed. The word used to denote the conception of the order of the world is rta. Everything in the Universe which is conceived as showing regularity of action may be said to have the rta for its principle. Rta is said to be the highest truth and all beings are supposed to follow its laws. Those laws are indispensable and their violation bodes bad consequences. Devatas are ideal embodiments of the human values and human character. They were described as the guardians of honesty and virtue. They were holy ones and wise. They were guileless (adruha) and are never remiss. In the first mandala of the Rgvedasamhita, Agni is called the guardian of Eternal Law (gopamrtasya).

राज॑न्तमध्व॒राणां॑ गो॒पामृ॒तस्य॒ दीदि॑विम्। वर्ध॑मानं॒ स्वे दमे॑॥८॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.1.8)

Varuna and the Adityas were considered as the founders and protectors of moral order, i.e. Rta (Rigveda. 7.86.4). Varuna established the laws of rta and he is called dhrtavrata

आ॒दि॒त्येषु॒ प्र वरु॑णे धृ॒तव्र॑ते म॒रुत्सु॑ वि॒श्वभा॑नुषु ॥३॥ (Rig. Veda. 8.27.3)

Many of the deities are guardians of Rta, freeing, or punishing thereby protecting and releasing people from papa (sin). The concepts of Papa and Punya are seen from the Rigvedic times.

• यज्ञः ॥ Yajna

Yajna has a central role in Rigveda samhita. It has been described as bhuvanasya nabhi, i.e. the very source of the creation. Yajna is conceived as the nabhi (the navel) or पृथि॒व्या अ॒यं य॒ज्ञो भुव॑नस्य॒ नाभि॑: । of the entire cosmos. In the Rigvedic mantra, we find the term दे॒वव्य॑चस्तमः।

प्र य॒ज्ञ ए॑त्वानु॒षग॒द्या दे॒वव्य॑चस्तमः ॥२॥ (Rig. Veda. 5.22.2)

Sayanacharya has interpreted this term दे॒वव्य॑चस्तमः। devavyachastama as - देवव्यचस्तमः देवानामाप्तः यज्ञः। which means that Yajna is most suitable for the devatas. They are exalted by the conduct of yajnas (yajnavrddha). We find that devatas and yajnas are intimately related. The very first mantra of Rigvedasamhita, indicates that the concept of yajna along with its rules and conventions of performance has its origin in the Rigveda itself. Agni is praised as the purohita, invoked to come to the yajna, be pleased with the stutis and in turn bestow wealth to the yajamana. The term yajna is derived from the dhatu yaj, which expresses three senses, i.e. devapuja or glorification of the devatas, samgatikarana or establishing a connection between men and devatas, and dana, or offering of oblations to devatas.

Devatas in Rigveda are invoked to confer blessings on the yajnas and bestow benefits, prosperity, health etc, on the worshipper. The deities also gain strength due to the worship of people through offerings in yajna. Different devatas have different roles in the cosmos and they are invoked for their strengths. All the vedic activities rest on Agni, the principal carrier of offerings to the devatas. The Maruts are called rtasya sardha, as they derive strength from yajnas. It is stated that by the praises of others, the Maruts have nourished strength connected with the sacrifice (Rigveda. 8.7.21). Rudra is the protector of the yajna. The Asvins are also invoked to bring peace and blessing to a yajna. Devatas are the invisible celebrants of the yajna.

Classification of Rigvedic Deities

Yaska, the author of Nirukta, classified Indra, Agni and other devatas based on four aspects as below

1. आध्यात्मिक - proceeding from bodily and mental causes within one's self (carnal agencies)
2. आधिदैविक - proceeding from the influence of the atmosphere or planets (supernatural agencies)
3. आधिभौतिक - derived or produced from the elements (bhutas), and environment (natural agencies)
4. अधियज्ञ - produced by the agency of yajna

Yaska has further classified all devatas or deities based on their abode.

अग्निः पृथिवीस्थानः । वायुर्वा इन्द्रो वा अन्तरिक्षस्थानः । सूर्यो द्युस्थानः । निरुक्त ७.५ (Nirukta. 7.5)

He classified their residence in three regions, namely

1. Prthvi-sthana (पृथिवीस्थानः) devatas i.e. terrestrial deities
2. Antariksha-sthana (अन्तरिक्षस्थानः) devatas i.e. atmospheric deities
3. Dyu-sthana (द्युस्थानः) devatas i.e. celestial deities

Sthana	Prthvi (पृथिवीस्थानः)	Antariksha (अन्तरिक्षस्थानः)	Dyu (द्युस्थानः)
Place	Terrestrial	Atmospheric	Celestial
Predominant Devata	Agni	Indra or Vayu	Surya
Devatas	Agni, Soma, Brhaspati, Tvasta, Prajapati, Vishvakarma, Aditi, Diti etc devi-s, rivers, Prthvi.	Indra, Matarishva (Matarishvan), Vayu Rudra, Marut, and Parjanya, Aapah Apam-napat, Ahirbudhnya, Trita Aptya	Surya, Mitra, Varuna, Dyuh, Pusan, Savita, Aditya, Ashvins, Aryama (Aryaman) Usas and Ratri

Only one devata is predominant among all devatas of each and every region while the rest are personifications of that devata. Each devata has a number of activities and each name has a reference to one such activity. Yaska uses additional interpretation criteria such as

1. इतिहासपरक - Itihasa perspective
2. आख्यानपरक - Akhyana presentation
3. प्राकृतिक पदार्थ - Perspective of nature
4. निर्वचनात्मक - Etymological sense

The above criteria are understood from the akhyana (legend) of 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.

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.

इन्द्रं॑ मि॒त्रं वरु॑णम॒ग्निमा॑हु॒रथो॑ दि॒व्यः स सु॑प॒र्णो ग॒रुत्मा॑न् । एकं॒ सद् विप्रा॑ बहु॒धा व॑दन्त्य॒ग्निं य॒मं मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑नमाहुः ॥४॥६॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.164.46)

The same aspect is explained in Nirukta and Brhaddevata.

तासामियं विभूतिर्हि नामानि यदनेकशः । आहुस्तासां तु मन्त्रेषु कवयोऽन्योन्ययोनिताम् ।। ७१ ।। (Brhd. Deva. 1.171)

Yajurveda and 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. 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. In the Rigveda, we find a mention of three devatas (तिस्रः देवताः) as prominent devatas; Agni in the terrestrial region, Indra or Vayu in the atmospheric region and Surya in the celestial region.

सूर्यो नो दिवस्पातु वातो अन्तरिक्षाद् अग्निर्नः पार्थिवेभ्यः। (Rig. Veda. 10.15.1)

Yaska based his classification of three prominent devatas on the Rigvedic mantra.

तिस्र एव देवता इति नैरुक्ताः । (Nirukta. 7.5)

Elsewhere in Rigveda we find a mention of thirty-three devatas (त्रयस्त्रिंशत् देवताः) , eleven on earth, eleven in atmospheric region and eleven in the celestial region.

ये दे॑वासो दि॒व्येका॑दश॒ स्थ पृ॑थि॒व्यामध्येका॑दश॒ स्थ । अ॒प्सु॒क्षितो॑ महि॒नैका॑दश॒ स्थ ते दे॑वासो य॒ज्ञमि॒मं जु॑षध्वम् ॥११॥ (Rig. Veda. 1.139.11)

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 Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, in Shaunaka and Yajnavalkya samvada there is a mention about thirty-three crore devatas.

Introduction to Important Rigvedic Deities

Among the many devatas praised in the Rigveda, a few important deities and their nature are mentioned below. All deities have their part in granting particular desires to the worshipper. The supreme position is ascribed to various deities at different times.

अग्निः ॥ Agni

As the most invoked deity in the Vedas, Agni enjoys a prominent position as a Rigvedic deity. Agni has various positions from the elemental fire to a reference as Paramatma. Agni symbolizes the yajnas; all yagaas or yajnas are based on Agni, without him no divine activity can be conducted. He is the intermediary messenger between the devatas and the humans, considered as "the mouth" of the devatas. All oblations, aahutis and dravyas offered to other devatas are conveyed by Agni. Along with Indra he is worshipped as a protector of environment. Atharvaveda describes his Virat swaroopa as having four kinds of presentation - as Agni on earth (elemental fire), Agni in water, Surya and Electricity (Vidyut). Wherever the tattvas of Agni such as tejas (brilliance), urja (energy) are seen, in those forms we worship Agni as the devata. Thus we find Agni pervading all over the universe; the celestial regions, atmospheric region, earth, electricity, air and in all directions.

Tretagni or the three Agnis - Garhapatya, Ahavaniya and Dakshinagni are of prime importance in the Vedas. Apart from these, other forms of Agni include - Kravyaada (used in Antyesti samskar etc), Akravyaada (used on Yajnas and other auspicious times), Sankasuka (used as a joining force) and Vikasuka (used as breaking force) forms.

In a human form Agni is described as Ghrtapusta (one who is nourished with ghrta or ghee), Ghrtamukha (one having ghee in his mouth), Ghrtakesha (one having ghee as strands of hair), Haritakesha etc. He is also represented as an Vrshabh (ox), Ashva (horse), Vatsa (a calf), and a divine bird. His food is said to be wood and ghee. He is said to have seven faces and seven tongues as per Atharvaveda and Mundakopanishad. According to Shri. Aravind Ghosh Agni.