Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: Definitions of visvadevas & pracetas?

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • November 7, 1998 


Dear Mr. Dean De Lucia :

I am glad to respond to your queries .
These are deep Vedic Questions .Thanks
for asking.
V.Sadagopan 
>
>Dear List Members,                                  Oct. 29, 1998
>
>May I ask one of the senior members if the visvadevas and the pracetas are
>the same entities? I know that the pracetas are mentioned in the Bhagavatam,
>but I can't find anything on the others. And could I ask for a line or two
>or a paragraph explaining what their importance was?
>
>And the Vasus; are they the same?

1). VisvEdevA: (2)Pracetas (3) Vasus
**************************************

VisvEdevA: are referred to often in the VedAs 
( Rg Vedam I.3.7-9),Yajur Vedam XXXVI.17).
This word can be translated literally into all DevAs.
Veda NaarAyaNan is their emperor ( Deva Raajan ).
Vedic words are translated into three levels of
significance : literal, philosophical and esoteric.

In the phlosophical transaltion , VisvEdevA: 
are understood as "all nature's bounties". 
In the esoteric level , VisvEdEvA:
represent all mental and supramental faculties .

Specific VisvEdevA: are Agni , Vaayu , VaruNA ,
SuryA , MitrA et al . Those who are not enumerated
here add to the list of the assembly of dEvAs 
saluted by ANDAL as Mupaatthu MukkOti DevAs or
33 Crores of DevAs with individual functions 
tied across hierarchies and chains of commands .
Each of them have been defined as having illuminating
wisdom ( sarvE divya guNa yukthA : ) .

They are often called to accept the Sacred Somaa
Juice consecrated by the Yajnam . One Rg veda manthram
in this category appealing to VisvEdEvA:is :

visvadEvAsO asridha yEhimAyAsO adhruha :I
mEgam jushantha vahnaya : II---Rg Vedam Canto I.3.9

(Meaning ) : May the universal Gods , who are exempt
from kashayam (decay) and are omniscient as well as
free from malice accept this sacrifice  in their role
as bearers of riches . 

2) PRECHETHAS AND PRECHETASES :

PrechEtas has many levels of meanings in the Vedic lore.
According to one , this is one name for VaruNan , the Lord
of Waters . PrechEtas means discriminating in the context
of the discriminating intellect of VaruNan 
(Please refer to evening SandhyAvandhanam prayers 
addressed to VarunA : imam mE VaruNa--). 

PracEtas according to SvAyambhuva Manu , the first 
law giver is "awareness" and is one of the Lords of progeny 
( prajaapathy ). Bhaagavatha PurANam refers to 
SvAyambhuva Manu (4.1) and the prajApathys 6.5.6).

BhAgavatha purANam (9.25) discusses which Gods 
and VisvEdEvAs to worship for attaining a particular
boon . It points to the worship of PracEtas (VaruNan)
for attaining treasures .

3) Vasu(s): Vasu in PurANic and Vedic lore has
many meanings. 

According to purANAs,we have 14 manvanthrAs 
or periods of Time ruled by 14 different 
Manus or Law givers .There are seven seers 
with different names in each of the manvanthram,
who thru their tapas (penance) and anushtAnams
shape the course of the world and its beings .
We are now in the seventh manvanthram, Vaivasvatha
manvanthram and the law giver is Vaivasvatha Manu.
He is assisted by the seven seers : VasishtA , 
KaasyapA , GouthamA , VisvAmitrA , BhaaradhvAjA 
and Jaamadagni . 

In the ninth ManvanthrA to follow , Daksha-
SaavarNika Manu would be the law giver and one of 
the seven Rishis (saptha Rishis) to assist him
would have the name of VASU .

The literal meaning of the word Vasu is 
Wealth or objects of pleasure . 

In Vedic and Upanishadic lore , Vasus 
refer to the eight spheres of existence :
Fire, Earth, Wind , Atmosphere, Sun ,
Sky, Moon and Stars . This classification 
is consistent with the meaning of Vasu as 
"dwelling " or "dweller " .All the eight 
spheres of existence or dwellings are
understood as dwellings for the world.
There are individual manifest energies 
and ruling deities and coresponding ManthrAs in
the VedAs for each of these spheres of 
existence(Vasus). 

Hope this helps to dwell deeper into these Vedic 
Concepts ,
V.Sadagopan 
P.S : Mr.De Lucia , Are you living in Brazil ?