Thread by @VishwambharMule

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#KnowYourDharma
#HinduDharma
The logic of 33 Koti (Crores) Devtas :-
Many a times people say we have '33 Koti' i.e. Crores of Devtas in our Hindu Dharma. So is it true? Do we really have that many Devtas in Hindu Dharma.
Technically speaking we have 33 Koti Devtas in
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in the Hindu Dharma but here the word 'कोटी (Koti)' does not mean crores.The word 'कोटी(Koti)' is a Sanskrit word,which has different meanings. In '33 Koti' the meaning of word 'Koti' is "प्रभेदाः" i.e 'Types' not crores. So there are 33 types of 'Devtas' mentioned in many
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scriptures of Sanatan Hindu Dharma. In 9th ब्राह्मण (Brahman) of Brihadaranyaka Upnishad, when Maharshi Yadnyavalkya is asked about 'how many devtas are there?' He answered,
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"स होवाच महिमान एवैषामेते त्रयस्त्रिंशत्त्वेव देवा इति कतमे ते त्रयस्त्रिंशदित्यष्टौ वसव एकादश रुद्रा द्वादशादित्यास्त एकत्रिंशदिन्द्रश्चैव प्रजापतिश्च त्रयस्त्रिंशाविति॥" (ब्राह्मण ९ अध्याय ३ मन्त्र २)
Meaning,
The number 33 comes from the number of Vedic gods –
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the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the twelve Adityas, Indra and Prajapati.
So basically these are the 33 Koti i.e. types of Devtas who guide the Universe with influence of Ishwara - the supreme reality. When again asked about which are these 8 Vasus,11 Rudras and 12 Adityas.
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"कतमे वसव इत्याग्निश्च पृथिवी च वायुश्चान्तरिक्षं चादित्यश्च द्यौश्च चन्द्रमाश्च नक्षत्राणि चैते वसव एतेषु हीदं सर्वं हितमिति तस्माद्वसव इति॥" (ब्राह्मण ९ अध्याय ३ मन्त्र ३)
Meaning,
The 8 Vasus are -
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अग्नि(Fire),पृथ्वी(Earth),वायु(Air),अन्तरिक्ष(Space),सूर्य(Sun),चन्द्रमा(Moon),द्युलोक(Heaven),नक्षत्र(Set of Stars).
About 11 Rudras Yadnyavalkya says,
"कतमे रुद्रा इति दशेमे पुरुषे प्राणा आत्मैकादशस्ते यदाऽस्मान्च्छरीरान्मर्त्यादुत्क्रामन्त्यथ रोदयन्ति तद्यद्रोदयन्ति
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तस्माद्रुद्रा इति॥" (ब्राह्मण ९ अध्याय ३ मन्त्र ४ )
The 11 Rudras are -
The 10 Pranas present in our body -
प्राण(Praana),अपान(Apaana),व्यान(Vyaana),समान(Samaana),उदान(Udaana),नाग (Naag),कूर्म(Kurma),कृकाल(Krikal),देवदत्त (Devadutta) and धनञ्जय(Dhananjaya).
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These are nervauric forces which live in the human body and 11th Rudra is our आत्मा(Soul of human body).
Rudra means one who makes a person to weep.These are called Rudras because when they desert the body, it becomes dead and the relations of the deceased,consequently,begin
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to weep.
Speaking about 12 Adityas Yadnyavalkya says -
"कतम अदित्या इति द्वादश वै मासाः संवत्सरस्यैत आदित्या एते हीदं सर्वमाददाना यन्ति ते यदिद सर्वमाददाना यन्ति तस्मादादित्या इति॥" (ब्राह्मण ९ अध्याय ३ मन्त्र ५)
Meaning -
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"There are twelve months in the year. These are the Adityas,because they move along carrying all this with them; therefore they are called Adityas."
So total of 8 Vasus,11 Rudras and 12 Adityas become 31.The remaining two Devtas are इन्द्र(Indra) and प्रजापति(Prajapati).
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About Indra and Prajapati Yadnyavalkya
says -
"कतम इन्द्रः कतमः प्रजापतिरिति स्तनयित्नुरेवेन्द्रो यज्ञः प्रजापतिरिति कतमः स्तनयित्नुरित्यशनिरिति कतमो यज्ञ इति पशव इति॥" (ब्राह्मण ९ अध्याय ३ मन्त्र ६)
Meaning -
"The thunderclap is Indra and the sacrifice is Prajapati."
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In Bhashya of 'Brihadaranyaka Upnishad' Adi Shankaracharya says, "Indra which is also known as the (all-pervading) electricity, as it is productive of great force.
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Prajaapati,also called the “यज्ञ(Yajna)” because it benefits mankind by the purification of air,water,rain and vegetables and because it aids the development of various arts, and in it the honor is accorded to the learned and the wise."
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So these are the 33 Koti Devtas of Sanatan Hindu Dharma as mentioned in our scriptures. These 'Koti' word many a times misinterpreted as Crores and is used to tease our Sanatan Hindu Dharma.
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From next time if anybody asks you or tease you about these 33 Koti Devtas give them above information.
Thank you.!
Jay Shriram..!