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Library - Theology - Vedism
Vedism is an ancient polytheistic religion that originated in c. 1,700 BCE, although Vedics believe that their deities came to Earth in c. 3,000 BCE to share the Vedic doctrine, called Bhagavad-gita, with his great warrior friend named Arjuna. As a prominent facet of many cultures throughout India (and some parts of adjacent countries), the Hare Krishna religion has also gained some popularity in Western Civilization, particularly in parts of Europe and North America.
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- Indra (god, and leader of all other deities)
- Agni (god of fire, and approver of sacrifices)
- Asvins (two golden-chariot-riding goddesses of the shining of sunrise and sunset, and Ayurvedic doctors for the other deities)
- Varuna (god of law, sky, water, celestial oceans, and the underworld)
- Maruts (violent storm deities, in groups as large as 180, armed with golden weapons)
- Mitra (god of meetings, friendship, honesty, and legal contracts)
- Ushas (goddess who protects against evil spirits at night and is often associated with reddish cows)
- Vayu (lord of the winds)
- Savitr (a god who is also the sun)
- Rbhus (a group of three deities)
- Pushan (god of meetings)
- Apris (the twelve deities of attonement and good will)
- Brhaspati (god of prayer and devotion)
- Surya (sun god)
- Dyaus (sky father god) and Prithivi (earth mother goddess)
- Apas (god of water)
- Ādityas (the seven celestial deities - Varuna, Mitra (Surya), Aryaman, Bhaga, Ansa/Amsa, Dhatri, and Indra)
- Vishnu (supreme elephant-like god)
- Brahmanaspati (guru god)
- Rudra (god of winds and storms)
- Sarasvati (a goddess who is also a river)
- Yama (god of death)
- Parjanya (god of rain, thunder, and clouds)
- Vāc (god of speech)
- Vāstoṣpati (god of the homestead)
- Vishvakarman (god of abstract creation and architecture)
- Manyu (god of war)
- Kapinjala (god of the heathcock bird)
- Aditi (sky goddess)
- Apam Napat (god of fresh water)
- Nirrti (goddess of death and corruption)
- Aranyani (goddess of forests and all the animals who dwell within)
- Saranyu (wife of Surya, and goddess of clouds and the dawn)
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- Govinda (primeval Lord, first progeniter, caretaker of cows)
- Soma (plant for a ritual drink described as the "god of gods")
- Makara (a crocodile who serves Varuna as his mount)
- Dadhikrā (a divine horse)
- Manas (thought)
- Dakshina (grants rewards for priests and poets)
- Jnanam (knowledge)
- Purusha (a "cosmic man" who was sacrificed by the gods so they could use his body to build the world; he had one thousand heads and one thousand feet)
- Bhaga (prosperity and wealth)
- Vasukra
- Atri (a bard and a scholar)
- Ksetrapati (mistress of dirt)
- Ghrta (cheese and fire sacrifices)
- Asam#&257;ti (god of unrivaled uniqueness)
- Urvasi (celestial maiden of the heart)
- Pururavas (first king of the Aila dynasty, associated later with Surya and Usha)
- Vena (a mythological king who became corrupted by evil)
- Mayabheda (elimination of ignorance)
- Tārkṣya (mythical horse-like being with wheels)
- Tvaṣṭṛ (a.k.a., Tvastar; the first-born creator of the universe)
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- Karma
- Sex is a distraction that wastes human energy and should only be used for procreation
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- Five vows
- Ahimsa (not causing harm)
- Brahmacharya (sexual abstinence)
- Asteya (not committing theft)
- Satya (not being dishonest)
- Aparigrahā (non-attachment to posessions)
- Yoga
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See also
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