Concept · All traditions · Pan-India

Vasus

A group of gods that the Rigveda names often but never counts or describes, led by Indra there and by Agni later. The Brahmanas make them eight: Agni, Earth, Wind, Air, Sun, Heaven, Moon and Stars.

Sources: Vedic Mythology, A. A. Macdonell (1897); The Satapatha-Brahmana, tr. Julius Eggeling (Sacred Books of the East 12, 41); The Upanishads, tr. F. Max Muller (Sacred Books of the East 1 and 15) · see Vasus's web

Relations 3

Vasus parent of

Aditi (God)
The same verse calls Aditi the daughter of the Vasus. Macdonell marks it as strange beside her usual place as mother.
Vishvakarma (God)
In the Vishnu Purana Vishvakarma is the son of Prabhasa, the eighth Vasu, and Yogasiddha. The Rigveda gives the All-maker no parents.

Vasus cursed by

Vasishtha (Sage) · The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
All eight Vasus are cursed to be born among men; seven are freed within a year.

Stories 1

The Vasu Dyu steals Vasishtha's cow and is born as Bhishma
From the epics · as the eight brothers, cursed together · 3 tellings

Cited

Vedic Mythology, A. A. Macdonell (1897) § s45 Scholarly
The Satapatha-Brahmana, tr. Julius Eggeling (Sacred Books of the East 12, 41) § 11.6.3.6 Primary text (translation)
The Upanishads, tr. F. Max Muller (Sacred Books of the East 1 and 15) § brihadaranyaka-3.9.3 Primary text (translation)