Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c9.68

c9.68

Each of these three planes or spheres of existence has a presiding deity, Savitā (or Sūrya) for the celestial, Indra or Vāyu for the intermediate, and Agni for the terrestrial sphere. The thirty-three gods are mentioned in the *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa* [iv, 5, 7, 2] as comprising 8 Vasus, 11 Rudras, 12 Ādityas, together with *Dyau* and *Pṛithivī*. The *eight* Vasus are Dhava, Dhruva, Soma, Āpa, Anila, Anala, Pratyūsha, and Prabhāsa. The *twelve* Ādityas are Dhātṛi, Mitra, Aryaman, Rudra, Varuṇa, Sūrya, Bhaga, Vivasvat, Pūshan, Savitṛi, Tvashtṛi, and Vishṇu. The *eleven* Rudras are thus named in the *Mahābhārata* [i, 121]: Mṛigavyādha, Sarpa, Nirṛiti, Ajaikapāda, Ahirbudhnya, Pinākin, Dahana, Īśvara, Kapālin, Sthāṇu, and Bhaga. In Rigveda, iii, 9, 9, these thirty-three gods are multiplied into 3,339 gods by way of enumeration of the glories of the original thirty-three, as explained by Sāyaṇa. But the fundamental religious conception in the Rigveda is that of the One emerging as Three, Thirty-three, and in any number to denote the innumerable aspects of the Supreme Being. Each of these gods is worshipped as the Highest God, the creator and sustainer of the Universe by turns. Each god is an Aspect of the One God. That is why Yāska in his *Nirukta* emphatically points out that 'the three chief deities aforesaid, viz. Agni of Pṛithivī, Vāyu or Indra of *Antariksha*, and Sūrya of *Dyu* have each many names suggested by their greatness or diversity of functions (*karma-pṛithaktvād*), just as the names of *Hotṛi*, *Adhvaryu*, *Brahmā*, and *Udgātṛi* are applied to one and the same person (according to the particular offices which he happens to be fulfilling)' [vii, 5]. He also states [vii, 4] : "Owing to the greatness of the Deity, the one Soul is celebrated as if It were many. The different gods are separate members of the one Soul. . . Soul is a god's essence (Māhābhāgyād devatāyāḥ ekaḥ ātmā bahudhā stūyate | Ekasya Ātmanaḥ anye devāḥ pratyaṅgāni bhavanti. . . Ātmā sarvaṁ devasya)."