Visvedevas


The visvedevas refers to the designation used to address the entirety of the various deities featured in the Vedas. It also refers to a specific classification of deities in the Puranas. The visvedevas are sometimes regarded as the most comprehensive gathering of the gods, a classification in which no deity is stated to be omitted.

Literature

Rigveda

In the Rigveda a number of hymns are addressed to these deities, including : 1.3, 1.89, 3.54-56, 4.55, 5.41-51, 6.49-52, 7.34-37, 39, 40, 42, 43, 8.27-30, 58, 83 10.31, 35, 36, 56, 57, 61-66, 92, 93, 100, 101, 109, 114, 126, 128, 137, 141, 157, 165, 181.
RV 3.54.17 addresses them as headed by Indra:
The dichotomy between devas is not evident in these hymns, and the devas are invoked together such as Mitra and Varuna. Though many devas are named in the Rigveda, only 33 devas are counted, eleven of them present each in earth, space, and heaven.

Manusmriti

According to Manu, offerings should be made daily to the visvedevas. These privileges were bestowed on them by Brahma and the Pitri as a reward for severe austerities they had performed on the Himalayas.

Puranas

In later Hinduism, the visvedevas form one of the nine ganadevatas. According to the Vishnu Purana and Padma Purana, they were the sons of Vishvā, a daughter of Daksha, described as follows:

Mahabharata

The visvedevas are described to have incarnated on earth due to the curse of sage Vishvamitra, as the five sons of Draupadi with the Pandavas - the Draupadeyas. They are described to have returned to their original forms after being killed by Ashvatthama at night.