Deva (Hinduism)

Translations of
*Deva*
Translations of; Deva
English	Heavenly, divine, shiny, exalted, anything of excellence, donor of knowledge or resources.
Sanskrit	देव ; (IAST: deva)
Assamese	দেৱতা ; (dewatā)
Balinese	ᬤᬾᬯ ; (déwa)
Bengali	দেবতা ; (debota)
Hindi	देवता ; (devatā)
Javanese	ꦢꦺꦮ ; (déwa)
Kannada	ದೇವ ; (deva)
Malayalam	ദേവൻ ; (devan)
Marathi	देव ; (dev)
Nepali	देवता ; (devatā)
Odia	ଦେବତା ; (debôta)
Punjabi	ਦੇਵ ; (Dēva)
Tamil	தேவர்கள் ; (tevarkal̤)
Telugu	దేవుడు ; (dēvuḍu)
	Glossary of Hinduism terms

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Deva (Sanskrit: देव, Sanskrit pronunciation: [de:vɐ]) means "shiny", "exalted", "heavenly being", "divine being", "anything of excellence",^[1] and is also one of the Sanskrit terms used to indicate a deity in Hinduism.^[2] Deva is a masculine term; the feminine equivalent is Devi. The word is a cognate with Latin deus ("god") and Greek Zeus.

In the earliest Vedic literature, all supernatural beings are called Devas^[3]^[4]^[5] and Asuras.^[6]^[7] The concepts and legends evolved in ancient Indian literature, and by the late Vedic period, benevolent supernatural beings are referred to as Deva-Asuras. In post-Vedic Hindu texts, such as the Puranas and the Itihasas of Hinduism, the Devas represent the good, and the Asuras the bad.^[8]^[9] In some medieval works of Indian literature, Devas are also referred to as Suras and contrasted with their equally powerful but malevolent half-brothers, referred to as the Asuras.^[10]

Devas, along with Asuras, Yakshas (nature spirits), and Rakshasas (ghoulish ogres/demons), are part of Indian mythology, and Devas feature in many cosmological theories in Hinduism.^[11]^[12]

^ ^a ^b Klostermaier, Klaus K. (2007). "Part I. Hinduism: Sources and Worldview – The Many Gods and the One God of Hinduism". A Survey of Hinduism. India and South Asian Studies (3rd ed.). Albany, New York: SUNY Press. pp. 101–102. ISBN 9780791470824. LCCN 2006021542. The Hindu deva is not God—at the most deva could be loosely translated as a "divine being." Etymologically it means "god", "shiny," "exalted"; and thus we find that the term deva covers everything that has to do with the supernatural: all figures, forms, processes and emotions, melodies, books, and verse meters—whatever needs the explanation of a transcendent origin or status—are called devas or devatā. The functions of different parts of the body, symbols, and syllabes are explained as deva. In Vedic religion we find the term used in a relatively restricted way; but even there we are not entitled to equate it with god, but rather with supernatural powers in general.
^ Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary” Etymologically and Philologically Arranged to cognate Indo-European Languages, Motilal Banarsidass, page 492
^ Encyclopaedia Britannica - Deva
^ Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities by Charles Russell Coulter, Patricia Turner. Pg.147
^ George Williams (2008), A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0195332612, pages 90, 112
^ Wash Edward Hale (1999), Ásura in Early Vedic Religion, Motilal Barnarsidass, ISBN 978-8120800618, pages 5-11, 22, 99-102
^ Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary” Etymologically and Philologically Arranged to cognate Indo-European Languages, Motilal Banarsidass, page 121
^ Cite error: The named reference nickgier was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference fowlergita was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Encyclopædia Britannica
^ Don Handelman (2013), One God, Two Goddesses, Three Studies of South Indian Cosmology, Brill Academic, ISBN 978-9004256156, pages 23-29
^ Wendy Doniger (1988), Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism, Manchester University Press, ISBN 978-0719018664, page 67

[Klostermaier_2007-1] Klostermaier, Klaus K. (2007). "Part I. Hinduism: Sources and Worldview – The Many Gods and the One God of Hinduism". A Survey of Hinduism. India and South Asian Studies (3rd ed.). Albany, New York: SUNY Press. pp. 101–102. ISBN 9780791470824. LCCN 2006021542. The Hindu deva is not God—at the most deva could be loosely translated as a "divine being." Etymologically it means "god", "shiny," "exalted"; and thus we find that the term deva covers everything that has to do with the supernatural: all figures, forms, processes and emotions, melodies, books, and verse meters—whatever needs the explanation of a transcendent origin or status—are called devas or devatā. The functions of different parts of the body, symbols, and syllabes are explained as deva. In Vedic religion we find the term used in a relatively restricted way; but even there we are not entitled to equate it with god, but rather with supernatural powers in general.

[monier-2] Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary” Etymologically and Philologically Arranged to cognate Indo-European Languages, Motilal Banarsidass, page 492

[3] Encyclopaedia Britannica - Deva

[4] Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities by Charles Russell Coulter, Patricia Turner. Pg.147

[George_Williams_2008-5] George Williams (2008), A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0195332612, pages 90, 112

[6] Wash Edward Hale (1999), Ásura in Early Vedic Religion, Motilal Barnarsidass, ISBN 978-8120800618, pages 5-11, 22, 99-102

[7] Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary” Etymologically and Philologically Arranged to cognate Indo-European Languages, Motilal Banarsidass, page 121

[nickgier-8] Cite error: The named reference nickgier was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[fowlergita-9] Cite error: The named reference fowlergita was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[ang-10] Encyclopædia Britannica

[11] Don Handelman (2013), One God, Two Goddesses, Three Studies of South Indian Cosmology, Brill Academic, ISBN 978-9004256156, pages 23-29

[12] Wendy Doniger (1988), Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism, Manchester University Press, ISBN 978-0719018664, page 67

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