Deva has reference to God, Devata or Deva. Deva is a masculine term that means ‘anything of excellence, radiant, shinning one, divine or heavenly’. In Hinduism, a deity is called as a Deva. Devas are benevolent supernatural beings in earliest Vedic literature as well as in Buddhism. The Devas represent good and are referred to as Sutras. Deva is a word in Sanskrit and found in the 2nd millennium BCE Vedic literature. Dyoloka is the abode of the Devas. Devi is the feminine equivalent of the term Deva. In Indian culture, Deva is a part of name or proper name referring to one who wishes to overcome and excel and who is the ‘master’, ‘seeker of’ or the ‘best among’.
During the 1st millennium the Hindu Devas concept, migrated to East Asia, after which the Japanese Buddhist schools adopted it. Thirty-three Devas are enumerated in the Vedas in its oldest text layer called the Samhitas. . These gods or Devas have assisted in regulating the cosmos and are viewed as higher than humans, however in the Universe, they are not the absolute powers as classified in Buddhism.
Some of the moral values are represented by Devas such as Mitra, Varuna and Adityas, while forces of nature are represented by some other Devas. Each of the Devas thus symbolizes epitome of magical powers, exalted and creative energy and specialized knowledge. Soma, Agni and Indra are Devas mostly referred to in the RigVeda. Vishvedevas are a number of deities taken together and worshipped
