Rigvedic_deities

Rigvedic deities

Rigvedic deities

Deities mentioned in the Rigveda

Rigvedic deities are deities mentioned 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; 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

List of Rigvedic deities by a number of dedicated hymns, after Griffith.[3] Some dedications are to paired deities, such as Indra-Agni, Mitra-Varuna, Soma-Rudra, here counted double. Visvedevas (all gods and goddesses together) have been invoked 70 times.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Vedic religion". Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  2. [2]
    Flood 1996, p. 21-22.
  3. [3]
    Griffith 1888.
  4. [4]
    Seth, Noel (2010). "Man's Relation to God in the Varuna Hymns". In Menachery, George (ed.). St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India. Vol. III. pp. 4 ff.

Sources
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