Vedic Mythology c4.s1.22

c4.s1.22

§ 9. Origin of gods and men. — As most of the statements contained in the Vedas about the origin of the gods have already been mentioned, only a brief summary need here be added. In the philosophical hymns the origin of the gods is mostly connected with the element of water¹. In the AV. (10, 7^25) they are said to have arisen from the non-existent. According to one cosmogonic hymn (10, 129^6) they were born after the creation of the universe. Otherwise they are in general described as the children of Heaven and Earth. In one passage (10, 63^2) a triple origin, apparently corresponding to the triple division of the universe, is ascribed to the gods, when they are said to have been ‘born from Aditi, from the waters, from the earth’ (cp. 1, 139^11). According no doubt to a secondary conception, certain individual gods are spoken of as having begotten others. Thus the Dawn is called the mother of the gods (1, 113^19) and Brahmaṇaspati (2, 26^3), as well as Soma (9, 87^2), is said to be their father. A group of seven or eight gods, the Ādityas, are regarded as the sons of Aditi. In the AV. some gods are spoken of as fathers, others as sons² (AV. 1, 30^2).