Rigvedic deities
Rigvedic deities are deities mentionned in the sacred texts of Rigveda, the principal text of the historical Vedic religion of the Vedic period (1500–500 BCE).
There are 1,028 hymns (sūkta) in the Rigveda. Most of these hymns are dedicated to specific deities.
The most prominent deity is Indra, slayer of Vritra and destroyer of the Vala, liberator of the cows and the rivers; Agni the sacrificial fire and messenger of the gods; and Soma, the ritual drink dedicated to Indra, are additional principal deities.[1][2]
Deities by prominence[edit]
List of Rigvedic deities by a number of dedicated hymns, after Griffith (1888). Some dedications are to paired deities, such as Indra-Agni, Mitra-Varuna, Soma-Rudra, here counted double. Vishvadevas (all gods together) have been invoked 70 times.
- Indra 250
- Agni 200
- Soma 123
- Aśvins 56
- Varuna 46
- Maruts 38
- Mitra 28[3]
- Ushas 21
- Vayu (Wind) 12
- Savitr 11
- the Rbhus 11
- Pushan 10
- the Apris 9
- Brhaspati 8
- Surya (Sun) 8
- Dyáuṣ Pitṛ́ and Pṛthvī Mātṛ́ (Heaven and Earth) 6, plus 5.84 dedicated to Earth alone
- Apas (Waters) 6
- Adityas 6
- Vishnu 4, plus 2 paired hymns 1.155 dedicated to Vishnu-Indra & hymn 6.69 dedicated to Indra-Vishnu. A total of 5 i.e. (4+1/2+1/2) hymns
- Brahmanaspati 6
- Rudra 4, plus a paired hymn 6.74 dedicated to both Soma-Rudra. A total of 41/2 i.e. (4+1/2) hymns
- Dadhikras 4
- Yama (Death) 4
- the Sarasvati River / Sarasvati 3
- Parjanya (Rain) 3
- Vāc (Speech) 2 (mentioned 130 times, deified e.g. in 10.125)
- Vastospati 2
- Vishvakarman 2
- Manyu 2
- Kapinjala (the Heathcock, a form of Indra) 2
Minor deities (one single or no dedicated hymn)
- Manas (Thought), prominent concept, deified in 10.58
- Dakshina (Reward for priests and poets), prominent concept, deified in 10.107
- Purusha ("Cosmic Man" of the Purusha sukta 10.90)
- Aditi
- Shachi
- Bhaga
- Vasukra
- Atri
- Apam Napat
- Ksetrapati
- Ghrta
- Nirrti
- Asamati
- Urvasi
- Pururavas
- Vena
- Aranyani
- Mayabheda
- Tarksya
- Tvastar
- Saranyu
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Vedic religion". Encyclopedia Britannica.
- ^ Flood 1996, p. 21-22.
- ^ Noel Seth,"Man's Relation to God in the Varuna Hymns," in the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Ed. George Menachery, Vol.III, 2010, pp.4 ff.
Sources[edit]
- Sri Aurobindo (1998), The Secret of veda (PDF), Sri Aurobindo Ashram press
- Flood, Gavin D. (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-43878-0
- Ralph T.H. Griffith, Hymns of the Rigveda (1888)
External links[edit]
Media related to Rigvedic deities at Wikimedia Commons
