Visvedevas

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The visvedevas (

IAST: Viśvēdēva) refers to the designation used to address the entirety of the various deities featured in the Vedas. It also refers to a specific classification of deities in the Puranas.[1] The visvedevas are sometimes regarded as the most comprehensive gathering of the gods, a classification in which no deity is stated to be omitted.[2]

Literature

Rigveda

In the Rigveda a number of hymns are addressed to these deities, including (according to Griffith): 1.3, 1.89, 3.54-56, 4.55, 5.41-51, 6.49-52, 7.34-37, 39, 40, 42, 43, 8.27-30, 58, 83 10.31, 35, 36, 56, 57, 61-66, 92, 93, 100, 101, 109, 114, 126, 128, 137, 141, 157, 165, 181.

RV 3.54.17 addresses them as headed by Indra:[3]

This is, ye Wise, your great and glorious title, that all ye Deities abide in Indra. (trans. Griffith)

The dichotomy between

Mitra and Varuna. Though many devas are named in the Rigveda, only 33 devas are counted, eleven of them present each in earth, space, and heaven.[4]

Manusmriti

According to

Pitri as a reward for severe austerities they had performed on the Himalayas.[5]

Puranas

In later

vasus, tushitas, abhasvaras, anilas, maharajikas, sadhyas, and rudras). According to the Vishnu Purana and Padma Purana, they were the sons of Vishvā, a daughter of Daksha, described as follows:[6]

Mahabharata

The visvedevas are described to have incarnated on earth due to the curse of sage

Vishvamitra,[7] as the five sons of Draupadi with the Pandavas - the Upapandavas. They are described to have returned to their original forms after being killed by Ashvatthama
at night.

See also

References

  1. ISBN 978-81-8382-010-3
    .
  2. ISBN 2-7200-1035-9
    .
  3. ISBN 978-81-208-0046-5
    .
  4. ISBN 8126902868
    . P. 150.
  5. ISBN 1-873722-09-5
    .
  6. ISBN 978-81-208-3638-9
    .
  7. ISBN 978-81-7646-298-3
    .
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