159.39.101.2: /* Deities by prominence */

2021-07-23T18:10:48Z

Deities by prominence

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There are 1,028 hymns ('''sūkta''') in the [[Rigveda]], the principal text of the [[historical Vedic religion]] of the [[Vedic period]] (1500–500 BCE). Most of these hymns are dedicated to specific [[deity|deities]]. The most prominent deity is [[Indra]], slayer of [[Vritra]] and destroyer of the [[Vala (Vedic)|Vala]], liberator of the cows and the rivers; [[Agni]] the sacrificial fire and messenger of the gods; and [[Soma (drink)|Soma]], the ritual drink dedicated to Indra, are additional principal deities.<ref name="britannicavedic">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vedic-religion|title=Vedic religion|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref>{{sfn|Flood|1996|p=21-22}}

==Deities by prominence==
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 (drink)|Soma]] 123
*[[Aśvins]] 56
*[[Varuna]] 46
*[[Maruts]] 38
*[[Mitra (Vedic)|Mitra]] 28<ref name="autogenerated1">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.</ref>
*[[Ushas]] 21
*[[Vayu]] (Wind) 12
*[[Savitr]] 11
*the [[Rbhus]] 11
*[[Pushan]] 10
*the [[Apris]] 9
*[[Brhaspati]] 8
*[[Surya]] (Sun) 8
*[[Dyaus|Dyáuṣ Pitṛ́]] and [[Prithivi|Pṛthvī Mātṛ́]] (Heaven and Earth) 6, plus 5.84 dedicated to Earth alone
*[[Ap (water)|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
*[[Dadhikra]]s 4
*[[Yama (Hinduism)|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 (deity)|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]]
*[[Nirṛti (goddess)|Nirrti]]
*[[Mandala 10|Asamati]]
*[[Urvasi]]
*[[Pururavas]]
*[[Vena (Hindu King)|Vena]]
*[[Aranyani]]
*[[Mayabheda]]
*[[Tarksya]]
*[[Tvastar]]
*[[Saranyu]]

==See also==
*[[Historical Vedic religion]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin}}

* {{Citation | last =Sri Aurobindo | year =1998 | title =The Secret of veda | publisher=Sri Aurobindo Ashram press |url=https://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Secret-Of-The-Veda-Aurobindo.pdf }}

* {{Citation |last=Flood |first=Gavin D. |author-link=Gavin Flood |year=1996 |title=An Introduction to Hinduism |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-43878-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KpIWhKnYmF0C}}

*[[Ralph T.H. Griffith]], ''Hymns of the Rigveda'' (1888)
{{refend}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Rigveda}}

[[Category:Rigvedic deities| ]]
[[Category:Rigveda|Deities]]
[[Category:Indo-European deities]]
[[Category:Hindu deities]]

Rigvedic deities - Revision history

159.39.101.2: /* Deities by prominence */