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Rig Veda · 649 of 1027
Mandala 8: HYMN XXIX. Viśvedevas.
1.ONE is a youth brown, active, manifold he decks the golden one with ornament.
2.Another, luminous, occupies the place of sacritice, Sage, among the Gods.
3.One brandishes in his hand an iron knife, firm, in his seat amid the Deities.
4.Another holds the thunderbolt, wherewith he slays the Vṛtras, resting in his hand.
5.Another bears a pointed weapon: bright is he, and strong, with healing medicines.
6.Another, thief-like, watches well the ways, and knows the places where the treasures lie.
7.Another with his mighty stride hath made his three steps thither where the Gods rejoice.
8.Two with one Dame ride on with winged steeds, and journey forth like travellers on their way.
9.Two, highest, in the heavens have set their seat, worshipped with holy oil, imperial Kings.
10.Some, singing lauds, conceived the Sāma-hymn, great hymn whereby they caused the Sun to shine.
Asked of Guide
Why does this hymn list many different divine figures with varied weapons and roles?
The hymn names many Viśvedevas and gives each a distinct attribute—knife, thunderbolt, healing medicines, three strides—so the gods appear as a chorus of specialized powers serving the sacrificer and the cosmos. The catalogue makes visible a distributed divine presence: each figure performs a function in sacrifice, protection, healing, or cosmic order, and the hymn treats them collectively as supportive forces invoked in ritual.
This layering of roles resembles the Vedic habit of enumerating manifestations to cover all needs, like the way the Purusha hymn maps cosmos to parts; the list functions as a ritual toolkit. Saying “Some, singing lauds, conceived the Sāma-hymn” ties these agents to cultic acts, showing their work is both mythic and immediately practical in worship.
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