satay
25 June 2006, 12:22 AM
It is explained in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, III. ix, I.
Then Vidhagdha, the son of sakala, asked him (Gargi): ‘How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?’
Yajnavalkya ascertained the number through (the group of mantras known as) the Nivid, and said, “As many as are mentioned in the Nivid of the Visve-devas- three hundred and three, and three thousand and three.”
“very good,” said saklya and asked again: how many gods are there, yajnavalkya?
Thirty-three
“very good,” said saklya and asked again: how many gods are there, yajnavalkya?
Three
“very good,” said saklya and asked again: how many gods are there, yajnavalkya?
Two
“very good,” said saklya and asked again: how many gods are there, yajnavalkya?
One and a half
“very good,” said saklya and asked again: how many gods are there, yajnavalkya?
One
“very good”, said sakalya, and asked: ‘which are those three hundred and three, and those three thousand and three?’
Yajnavalkya said: “There are only thirty-three gods. These others are but manifestations of them.”
“Which are these thirty-three?”
“the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, and the tweleve Adityas – these are thrity-one. And Indra and Prajapati make up the thirty-three.
Then Vidhagdha, the son of sakala, asked him (Gargi): ‘How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?’
Yajnavalkya ascertained the number through (the group of mantras known as) the Nivid, and said, “As many as are mentioned in the Nivid of the Visve-devas- three hundred and three, and three thousand and three.”
“very good,” said saklya and asked again: how many gods are there, yajnavalkya?
Thirty-three
“very good,” said saklya and asked again: how many gods are there, yajnavalkya?
Three
“very good,” said saklya and asked again: how many gods are there, yajnavalkya?
Two
“very good,” said saklya and asked again: how many gods are there, yajnavalkya?
One and a half
“very good,” said saklya and asked again: how many gods are there, yajnavalkya?
One
“very good”, said sakalya, and asked: ‘which are those three hundred and three, and those three thousand and three?’
Yajnavalkya said: “There are only thirty-three gods. These others are but manifestations of them.”
“Which are these thirty-three?”
“the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, and the tweleve Adityas – these are thrity-one. And Indra and Prajapati make up the thirty-three.