Visvedevas | EPFL Graph Search

Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?

Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of GraphSearch.

The visvedevas (विश्वेदेव) 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. The visvedevas are sometimes regarded as the most comprehensive gathering of the gods, a classification in which no deity is stated to be omitted. 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: This is, ye Wise, your great and glorious title, that all ye Deities abide in Indra. (trans. Griffith) The dichotomy between devas is not evident in these hymns, and the devas are invoked together such as 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. According to Manu (iii, 90, 121), offerings should be made daily to the visvedevas. These privileges were bestowed on them by Brahma and the Pitri as a reward for severe austerities they had performed on the Himalayas. In later Hinduism, the visvedevas form one of the nine ganadevatas (along with the adityas, 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: Vasu Satya Kratu Daksha Kala Kama Dhrti Kuru Pururavas Madravas Rocaka or Locana Dhvani or Dhuri The visvedevas are described to have incarnated on earth due to the curse of sage Vishvamitra, 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.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related concepts (7)

Rigveda

The Rigveda or Rig Veda (ऋग्वेद , from "praise" and "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (sūktas). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts (śruti) known as the Vedas. Only one Shakha of the many survive today, namely the Śakalya Shakha. Much of the contents contained in the remaining Shakhas are now lost or are not available in the public forum. The Rigveda is the oldest known Vedic Sanskrit text. Its early layers are among the oldest extant texts in any Indo-European language.

Abhasvaras

Abhasvaras (आभास्वर) is a term used in Buddhism to refer to a heaven and in Hinduism to refer to a class of deities. In Buddhism, Abhasvaras is the name of a heaven. The words roots are Sanskrit (from "a" near to, towards + the verbal root "bhas" to shine upon, illuminate). In Hinduism, abhasvaras refers to a class of deities featured in the Puranas. They are 64 in number, and described to be personifications of mental qualities, serving as the sovereigns of all varieties of spiritual and physical enlightenment.

Maharajikas

The maharajikas (महाराजिक) refers to a class of minor deities in Hinduism, numbering 220 or 236 members. The Puranas feature the maharajikas among the nine classes (gaṇas) of deities, among the adityas, rudras, vasus, visvedevas, tushitas, abhasvaras, anilas, and the sadhyas. They are sometimes referred to as a class of the devas, or the gaṇadevas. According to the Shiva Purana, the maharajikas serve as the attendants of Shiva, under the command of Ganesha. They are regarded to reside on the Gaṇaparvata mountain, situated on Kailasha.