Brihaddevata attributed to Shaunaka

by Arthur Anthony Macdonell | 1904 | 118,428 words

Hinduism Vedic Hinduism

Buy relevant books

Summary: This is the English translation of the Brihaddevata attributed to Shaunaka—an ancient Sanskrit text serving as a catalogue of deities mentioned in the Rigveda. More specifically, the Brhad-devata contains details on the divine figures worshipped in the Rigvedic hymns and briefly narrates the myths and legends surrounding their composition.

Source 1: exoticindiaart.com
Source 2: archive.org

Contents of this online book ( + / - )

The full text of the Brihaddevata attributed to Shaunaka in English is available here and publically accesible (free to read online). Of course, I would always recommend buying the book so you get the latest edition. You can see all this book’s content by visiting the pages in the below index:

Warning! This document has not been proofread. However, for each page you can (and should) verify the text with the original source PDF file.

+ Chapter 1 - Introduction

. Part 1 - Importance of knowing the deities; The Vedic Triad

. Part 2 - Prayer and praise

. Part 3 - Different kinds of hymns

. Part 4 - Hymn deities, stanza deities, incidental deities

. Part 5 - Origin of names

. Part 6 - Saunaka's view: all names derived from action

. Part 7 - Auspicious names

. Part 8 - Different kinds of formulas and modes of expression

. Part 9 - Definition of noun and verb

. Part 10-12 - Examples of different kinds of formulas

. Part 13 - The Sun and Prajapati as the source of all

. Part 14 - The three forms of Agni

. Part 15 - The Triad and the Atman

. Part 16 - The chief deity of a hymn

. Part 17 - Names of deities enumerated

. Part 18 - Characteristics of hymns to Agni, Indra-Vayu, and Surya

. Part 19 - The three Agnis

. Part 20 - Agni, Jatavedas, Vaisvanara: essentially identical, but distinguished

. Part 21 - The deities of the three worlds in the descending series

. Part 22-23 - The deities representing terrestrial Agni

. Part 24 - Other deities associated with Agni

. Part 25 - The group of deities of the middle sphere belonging to Indra

. Part 26 - Deities and deified objects belonging to Indra's sphere

+ Chapter 2 - Introduction (continued)

. Part 1 - Deities of Indra’s sphere

. Part 2-3 - Deities of Surya's sphere

. Part 4 - Surya and Vaisvanara a form of Agni

. Part 5-6 - Five names of Agni; Derivation of Agni

. Part 7-12a - The twenty-six names of Indra

. Part 12b-13 - The seven names of Surya (the sun)

. Part 14 - Derivation of Visnu

. Part 15 - Threefold Vac (speech): her terrestrial and middle forms

. Part 16 - Other middle forms of Vac and her four Celestial forms

. Part 17 - Names of Female Seers: three groups

. Part 18a - Deity in self-laudations and colloquies

. Part 18b-20 - Particles, Prepositions, Genders, Nouns, Pronouns, etc.

. Part 21-22 - Analysis of words; Six kinds of compounds

. Part 23 - Yaska’s wrong explanations; Dropping of letters

. Part 24 - Word and sense; The verb expresses a form of becoming

. Part 25 - The deities of the Vyahrtis and of Om

. Part 26 - The first three hymns; Authors of Vaisvadeva hymns

. Part 27 - Character of Vaisvadeva hymns

. Part 28 - Passages of the Rg-veda addressed to Sarasvati

. Part 29 - Indra associated with the Maruts in Rigveda I.6

. Part 30 - The deities of Rigveda I.12, and of the Apri hymn I.13

. Part 31 - The eleven Apri hymns

. Part 32 - Tanunapat and Narasamsa in Apri hymns

+ Chapter 3 - Deities of Rigveda I.13-126

. Part 1 - Description of Tanunapat; Narasamsa; Ila; Barhis

. Part 2 - The Divine Doors; Night and Morning

. Part 3 - The Two Divine Sacrificers; The Three Goddesses; Tvastr

. Part 4 - The celestial Tvastr; Story of Dadhyanc and the Mead

. Part 5 - The horse's head of Dadhyanc; The middle Tvastr

. Part 6 - Vanaspati; The Svahakrtis

. Part 7 - Tanunapat and Narasamsa; Deities of Rigveda I.14-15

. Part 8 - Hymn to the Seasons: Rg-veda I.15

. Part 9 - Three kinds of hymns to the All-gods

. Part 10 - How to ascertain the deity of a hymn

. Part 11-12 - Hymn-owning and incidental deities; Seers of Vaisvadeva hymns

. Part 13 - Explanation of Dravinodas; Deities of Rigveda I.16-18

. Part 14-15 - Deities of Rig-veda I.18; Eight names of Prajapati

. Part 16 - How to ascertain the deity of a stanza, etc.

. Part 17 - Story of the Ribhus and Tvastri

. Part 18-19 - Deities of Rigveda I.20-23

. Part 20 - Deities of Rig-veda I.24-30

. Part 21 - Deities of Rig-veda I.31-40

. Part 22 - Deities of Rig-veda I.41-47

. Part 23 - Rigveda I.48-60; Story of Savya; The Satarcins

. Part 24 - Rig-veda I.61-73; The Eleven Khilas; Rigveda I.74-89

. Part 25 - Rigveda I.90-93; Order of hymn-groups in Mandala I.74-164

. Part 26 - Rigveda I.94-111; Seers of hymns with refrains; Khilas of Kasyapa

. Part 27 - Rig-veda I.105; Story of Trita

. Part 28 - Deities of Rigveda I.112-121

. Part 29-30 - Story of Kaksivat and Svanaya

. Part 31 - Gifts of kings; Narasamsi stanzas; Opinions regarding Rigveda I126.6-7

+ Chapter 4 - Deities of Rigveda I.126–IV.32

. Part 1 - Romasa and Indra; Rigveda I.127-136; Praise in the dual

. Part 2 - Distributed praise; Rigveda I.137-139; Vaisvadeva hymns

. Part 3-5 - Story of the birth of Dirghatamas

. Part 6 - Deities of Rigveda I.157-163

. Part 7-9 - Deities of Rigveda I.164-165; The three Agnis; The year

. Part 10 - Indra, the Maruts, and Agastya; Rigveda I.169-170

. Part 11-12 - Rigveda I.171-191; Agastya and Lopamudra

. Part 13-15 - Deities of Rig-veda II.1-12; Gritsamada, Indra, and the Daityas

. Part 16 - Deities of Rig-veda II.23-30

. Part 17 - Deities of Rig-veda II.31-35

. Part 18 - Deities of Rigveda II.36-43; Indra as a Kapinjala

. Part 19 - The seer Visvamitra; Deities of Rigveda III.1-6. 95

. Part 20 - Deities of Rigveda III.7-29

. Part 21 - Deities of Rig-veda III.30-33; Visvamitra, Sudas, and the Rivers

. Part 22 - Rigveda III.31: an adoptive daughter; Visvamitra and Sakti

. Part 23 - Visvamitra and Vac Sasarpari; Spells against the Vasisthas

. Part 24 - Rigveda III.53. 21-24; Deities of Rigveda III.54-60

. Part 25 - Deities of Rig-veda III.61-62

. Part 26 - Deities of Rig-veda IV.1-15

. Part 27-28 - Rigveda IV.18-30; Indra’s birth and fight with Vamadeva

. Part 29 - The steeds of the various gods

+ Chapter 5 - Deities of Rigveda IV.33–VII.49

. Part 1 - Deities of Rigveda IV.33-52

. Part 2 - Deities of Rigveda IV.53-58

. Part 3-4 - Deities of Rigveda V.1-28; Story of Tryaruna and Vrsa Jana

. Part 5 - References to Rigveda V.2.2,9 in other works; Deities of V.29-40

. Part 6 - Atri’s praise of gifts

. Part 7 - Rnamcaya's gifts to Babhru

. Part 8-9 - Detailed account of Rig-veda V.41-45

. Part 10 - Deities of Rig-veda V.51-60

. Part 11-15 - Story of Syavasva

. Part 16 - Rigveda V.73-78; Story of Saptavadhri

. Part 17 - Deities of Rgveda V.79-87; Khilas

. Part 18 - The Khilas of Prajavat and Jivaputra; Employment of formulas

. Part 19 - Story of the birth of Bhrgu, Angiras and Atri

. Part 20 - Origin of Bharadvaja; Deities of Rigveda VI.1-46

. Part 21-22 - Deities of Rig-veda VI.37,44,45,47,48

. Part 23 - Deities of Rgveda VI.49-62

. Part 24 - Deities of Rigveda VI.63-74; The seven treasures

. Part 25-28 - Story of Abhyavartin Cayamana and Prastoka Sarnjaya

. Part 26-27 - Deities of Rig-veda VI.75 in detail

. Part 29 - Pedigree of Vasistha; Kasyapa’s wives.

. Part 30 - Story of Mitra-Varuna and Urvasi

. Part 31 - Birth of Agastya and Vasistha

. Part 32 - Vasistha and his descendants; Deities of Rigveda VII.1-32

. Part 33 - Deities of Rg-veda VII.33-38

. Part 34 - Deities of Rigveda VII.38-43

. Part 35 - Deities of Rigveda VII.44-49

+ Chapter 6 - Deities of Rigveda VII.50–X.17

. Part 1 - Deities of Rigveda VII.50-66

. Part 2 - Deities of Rigveda VII.66-85

. Part 3 - Vasistha and the dog of Varuna

. Part 4 - Deities of Rigveda VII.90-96

. Part 5 - Story of Nahusa and Sarasvati

. Part 6 - Deities of Rigveda VII.97-104

. Part 7 - Detailed account of Rgveda VII.104

. Part 8 - Story of Kanva and Pragatha

. Part 9 - Deities of Rigveda VIII.1-21

. Part 10 - Deities of Rig-veda VIII.5-18

. Part 11 - Rigveda VII.19: praise of Trasadasyu’s gifts

. Part 12-13 - The boons chosen by the seer; Story of Sobhari and Citra

. Part 14 - Deities of Rigveda VIII.26-31; Rigveda VIII.29 is prthak-karma-stuti

. Part 15 - Detailed account of Rgveda VIII.29,31; Deities of Rigveda VIII.32-34

. Part 16 - Indra and Vyamsa's sister; Deities of Rig-veda VIII.35-46

. Part 17 - Deities of Rgveda VIII.47-56

. Part 18 - Deities of Rgveda VIII.60-67

. Part 19 - Deities of Rgveda VIII.68-75

. Part 20 - Deities of Rgveda VIII.76-90

. Part 21-22 - Story of Apala

. Part 23-24 - Story of Soma’s flight from the Gods

. Part 25 - Details regarding Rig-veda VIII.100; Visnu helps Indra

. Part 26 - Details regarding the deities of Rigveda VIII.101

. Part 27 - Deities of Rigveda IX.1-86

. Part 28 - Deities of Rigveda IX.87,96,112

. Part 29 - Indra and the Seers; Value of penance

. Part 30 - Deities of Rigveda X.1-8; Trisiras and Indra

. Part 31-32 - Deities of Rigveda X.9-16; Three Agnis

. Part 33 - Story of Saranyu: Rigveda X.17

+ Chapter 7 - Deities of Rigveda IX.17-98

. Part 3 - Detailed account of the funeral hymn Rig-veda X.18

. Part 4 - Formulas in which no deity is mentioned

. Part 5-6 - Deities of Rigveda X.19-27-28; Dialogue of Indra and Vasukra

. Part 7 - Deities of Rigveda X.30-33

. Part 8 - The hymn of Dice: Rigveda X.34; Deities of Rigveda X.35-44

. Part 9-10 - Deities of Rig-veda X.45-46; Story of Ghosa

. Part 11-13a - Story of Indra Vaikuntha

. Part 13b-17 - Story of Agni and his brothers: Rigveda X.51-53

. Part 18-21 - Story of Subandhu: Rgveda X.57-59

. Part 22 - Details of Rigveda X.63-66; Deities of Rig-veda X.67-72

. Part 23 - Detailed account of Rg-veda X.71

. Part 24 - Deities of Rigveda X.72-84; Khilas

. Part 25-29 - The Surya hymn: Rigveda X.85; Three forms of Usas

. Part 30-31 - Deities of Rigveda X.89-93; Story of Pururavas and Urvasi

. Part 32 - Story of Devapi

+ Chapter 8 - Deities of Rigveda X.98-191 (1-98); Conclusion (99-140)

. Part 3 - Deities of Rigveda X.102-103; The Khila of Nakula

. Part 4 - The story of Bhutamsa Kasyapa

. Part 5-7 - The story of Sarama and the Panis

. Part 8 - Deities of Rigveda X.109-120

. Part 9 - Deities of Rig-veda X.121-129; Three khilas

. Part 10 - Deities of Rigveda X.130-137

. Part 11 - The Khila “bhumih”; Deities of Rigveda X.138-142

. Part 12 - Deities of Rigveda X.143-154; Khila: Medhasukta

. Part 13 - Deities of Rigveda X.155-159

. Part 14 - Deities of Rigveda X.160-164

. Part 15 - Deities of Rig-veda X.165-174

. Part 16 - Deities of Rigveda X.175-181

. Part 17 - Deities of Rigveda X.182-184

. Part 18 - The Khila “nejamesa”; Deities of Rigveda X.185-188

. Part 19 - Rigveda X.189-190; The Khila “samjnanam”

. Part 20-21 - Two Khilas; Rigveda X.191; Mahanamni stanzas

. Part 22 - Deities of Nivids, Nigadas, and metres

. Part 23 - Deities of metres, Vedas, Vasatkara, Svahakrtis; The Svaras

. Part 24-25a - Deities of the tones

. Part 25b - Deities of the Prastava, Udgitha, Upadrava, Pratihara, Nidhana

. Part 26 - Various Deities incidental in Vaisvadeva hymns

. Part 27 - Remarks about Deities and knowledge of them

. Part 28 - Importance of knowing the Deities (Conclusion)

Comments:

Comment functionality currently not enabled

Last Updated: 03 June, 2025

Like what you read? Help to become even better:

Buy me a Coffee

Become a Patreon

|

Why? | More options...