We often discuss among ourselves, with a slight tone of self-mockery, that we Hindus have thirty-three crore (330 million) gods. We think we have such a surfeit of gods that we do not mind accepting anything and everything. Several scholars and writers share this opinion. Who are all these gods?
Let us try to figure it out. We can list out all the names we know – Vishnu, Shiva, Surya, Venkateswara, etc, etc. We may associate our friends from all parts of the country, count all the local deities, and come to a figure in thousands. What is the truth?
Generally referred to as 33 Koti, Hindus don’t have 33 Crore Gods or Goddesses. The confusion arose due to the meaning of “Koti”. In Sanskrit, the word Koti has two meanings – Crore and Types. Some people mistook the meaning of Crore instead of “Type,” hence the misunderstanding. There are only 33 types of Hindu Gods, which have been explained in many Hindu scriptures.
According to Vedas, there are 33 Gods/Devas. These Gods are separated in the following pattern: 12 + 11 + 8 + 2.
12 is the number of Adityas, 11 are the number of Rudras, 8 is the number of Vasus, 1 is Prajapati, the Master of Gods, and 1 is the Supreme Ruler who is very powerful.
Who Are The Vedic Gods?
In particular Vedic Gods are the deities of the Vedic times and different from the deities popular in modern times. Our sages and rishi from ancient times were awakened, souls. They see God all around and in all beings. Their logic, knowledge, and wisdom are in-depth to the root.
Sages transfer wisdom through shruti and smriti (listening and remembering). But later, when the culture of shruti and smriti was fading off, then sages scripted knowledge and wisdom in the form of writings called Veda, Upanishads, Puranas, and more. Some say they are not written but they are self-created by the Lord. Others believe they are the supreme knowledge incarnated in the form of Vedas. The total number of Vedas is four: Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda.
In Vedas, medicine, music, deities, havan, geography, mathematics, astrology, rules of cosmic religion, customs, and history are all available in detail. The evolution, maintenance, and dissolution of the universe are explained in the four Vedas and other texts. The mantras, the rituals, and the 33 Vedic Gods are some of the important things we get to know in these. Especially all the solutions to the problems of human beings are inside them.
Concept of 33 Crores Gods
You might have heard that there are 33 crores of Gods in Hinduism. This is because scriptures used the term 33 Koti Gods and Goddesses. But the word “Koti” has another meaning: Types. So we can say there are 33 types of Gods and Goddesses among Hindus whom all people worship according to their purposes.
According to scriptures, Upanishads, Purana, and Veda, the 33 Vedic Gods of Vedic Times include eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Adityas, and two Ashwini Kumaras. However, the list varies from text to text. For example, in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the twelve Adityas, Indra, and Prajapati are the 33 Gods. On the other hand, Rigveda, the oldest text, says 11 Gods on earth, 11 in heaven, and 11 in mid-air. Likewise, the Rigveda says Agni on earth, Vayu in air, and sun in the sky. So thus, the 3 main Gods, according to Rigveda, are Agni (fire), Vayu(air), and Surya (Sun).
12 Aditya
Adityas are the protectors and guards and maintain the law. They are bright and pure as light. These Vedic gods, Aditya, dispel darkness and spread light around the universe. They are 12 in number and hence called DvadashĀdityas. Besides, they are the Gods personified and represent the 12 solar months. Therefore they are also called solar deities. 12 Aditya ruled 12 months and on the day of Sankranti, their positions changes. Sankranti is the day when the sun changes the zodiac sign.
Namely, Vishnu, Aryaman, Indra, Tvashtar, Varuna, Bhaga, Savitr, Vivasvat, amsha or ansha, mitra, pushan, daksha are the 12 Adityas. But According to Bhagavad Purana Indra, Dhata, Parjanya, Tvashta Pusha, Aryaman, Bhaga, Vivasvan, Vishnu, Anshuman, Varuna, Mitra are the 12 Vedic Gods out of 33. Hence the list varies in particulars.
8 Vasu
Vedic Gods Vasus are the deities of elements. They are popular as the ashta Vasus or the eight vasus representing the aspects of nature. Dhara or Pritivi (Earth), Anala or Agni (Fire), Anila or Vayu (Wind), Apa or Varuna (Water), Dayus or Akasha (space), Surya (Sun), Moon (Chandra), Dhruva or Nakshatra (star) are another 8 Vedic Gods known as Ashta Vasu.
The seven chakra system is related to seven vasu, the eighth vasu Sun or Surya is eternal.
Vasus and Chakras
| 7 Chakra | Element (Vasu) |
| Mooladhara or or the root chakra | Prithvi, The Earth |
| Swadhisthana or the Sacral Chakra | Varuna, The Water |
| Manipura or the solar plexus chakra | Agni, The Fire |
| Anahata the fourth chakra, Heart Chakra | Vayu, The Wind |
| Vishuddhi or the throat chakra | Akasha, The Sky |
| Agya, ajna or the third eye chakra | Chandra, The Moon |
| And lastly the Sahasrara Chakra or the Crown Chakra | Nakshatras, The Stars |
11 Rudra
They play an important role in the universal work as included in 33 Vedic Gods. Rudra is the God of Gods and resides even in the heart of Gods and each being. He is the Lord of the Universe, and we pray to him for liberation or moksha.
- Mahakal, Tara, Bala Bhuvanesh, Shodash Srividyesh, Bhairava, Chinnamastak, Dhumwan, Baglamukh, Mathang, Kamal, and Hanuman are the incarnations of Lord Rudra.
- In Sanskrit Rud means to weep. There are ten organs in the human body (5 gyanendriya – sense organs and 5 karmendriyas – motor organs), with the mind as the eleventh. These 11 are Rudra as when they leave a body, they make people weep.
- Another school of thought says 11 rudras are the 10 pranas and the eleventh is the soul.
- At the same time, other schools of thought say 11 Rudras consist of five abstractions; five are the names of Shiva and the self. Ānanda (bliss), Vijñāna (knowledge), Manas (thought), Prāṇa (Life force or breath), Vāc (speech) are the five abstractions. The five names of shiva are Isana – the Revealing grace, Tatpurusha – Concealing grace, Aghora – Dissolution/rejuvenation, Vamadeva – Preserving Aspect and Sadyojata – Born at once. Last is Atma, the self or soul.
2 Ashwini
Ashwini Kumars are not only God’s physicians but they are the Gods who imparted the science of treatment or medicine to sages. Rigveda also mentions the Ashwins. They are the savior. From the many stories popular about them, we can say they are vaidya, life restorers like the doctors. They always stay young and travel very fast. Ashwin is not a single individual they are two.
At the time of Mahabharata, they were born as Nakul and Sahadeva. Nakul and sahadeva are the sons of Kunti, the mother of Pandavas. The twin gods are also called Nā́satyā, which means to return home safely.
Another story in the context of their birth says that they are the sons of Ashwini and are called Ashwini Kumara. Ashwini is the female name of ashwa, while ashwa in sanskrit means the horse. Story goes like this… The consort of Surya could not bear the heat of Lord and hence went to the forest. She took the form of a Female horse, mare so that no one can recognize her. There she gave birth to the twins. Thus they are also the Son of Lord Surya, Sun.
In conclusion, there are 33 Vedic Gods, including 12 Adityas + 8 Vasus + 11 Rudras + 2 Ashwini Kumaras.
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