View source for Devata

{{Italic title}} 
{{Short description|Hindu and Buddhist term for deity}}
{{Redirect|Devatha|other uses}}
{{Hinduism}}

{{multiple image
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 | image1 = Devata and Apsaras Prambanan 10.jpg
 | caption1 = A male ''devata'', flanked by a two [[apsara]]s in [[Prambanan]], [[Indonesia]]
 | image2 = 013 Yakkha and Devas (35252943415).jpg
 | caption2  = A mural depicting ''devata''s and a [[yaksha]] in [[Bangkok National Museum|Phutthaisawan Chapel]], [[Thailand]]
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 | caption3 = Statuettes of ''devatas'', [[Kumtura Caves]], [[China]]
 | image4 = SRI AYYANAR TEMPLE COIMBATORE.png
 | caption4 = [[Aiyanar]], a ''[[Kuladevata|kula]]''-''devata'' of South India, and his consorts
}}

'''''Devata''''' (pl: ''devatas'', meaning 'the gods') {{efn|[[Devanagari]]: देवता; [[Khmer language|Khmer]]: ទេវតា (''tevoda''); [[Thai language|Thai]]: เทวดา ({{RTGS|thewada}}); [[Sinhala language|Sinhalese]]: දෙවිවරු (''dewiwaru''); [[Balinese language|Balinese]], [[Sundanese language|Sundanese]], [[Malay language|Malay]]: ''dewata'';  [[Javanese language|Javanese]]: ''déwata'' or ''jawata'';<ref>Tim Balai Bahasa Yogyakarta (2011). ''Kamus Basa Jawa'' (''Bausastra Jawa''). Yogyakarta: Kanisius.</ref>  [[Batak languages]]: ''debata'' [[Toba Batak language|(Toba)]], ''dibata'' [[Batak Karo language|(Karo)]], ''naibata'' [[Batak Simalungun language|(Simalungun)]]; ''[[Anito|diwata]]'' ([[Philippine languages]])}} are smaller and more focused Devas (Deities) in [[Indian religions]], such as [[Hinduism]] and [[Buddhism]]. The term "devata" itself can also mean deva. They can be either male or female. Every human activity has its devata, its spiritual counterpart or aspect.

==Types==
[[File:Buddhist Temple Wat Chomphu Wek (Dec 2022) วัดชมภูเวก จังหวัดนนทบุรี - IMG 15.jpg|thumb|[[Manimekhala]], a devata in Theravada Buddhism, depicted here in a Thai temple]]
There are many kinds of devatas: vanadevatas (forest spirits, perhaps descendants of early nature-spirit cults), [[gramadevata]] (village gods), devatas of river crossings, caves, mountains, and so on. For example, in the [[Konkan]] region of [[India]], Hindu devatas are often divided into five categories:<ref>{{cite book|title=Folklore Notes, Vol. 2, Konkan|year=1915|publisher=British India Press, Mazgaon.|location=Bombay|author=R.E. Enthoven|author2=A. M. T. Jackson|author2-link=A. M. T. Jackson}}</ref>

# [[Gramadevata|Grama devatas]] or village deities who could be the founder deity such as [[Punjabi folk religion#Jathera—ancestral shrines|Jathera]] or [[Balinese Hinduism#Rituals|ancestral worship of Bali]], and examples include [[Santoshi]], [[Renuka]], [[Aiyanar]]
# Sthana devatas or local deities, for example, those in certain places of pilgrimage like [[Rama]] in [[Nasik]], [[Vithoba]] in Pandharpur, [[Krishna]] at Dwarka, [[Kali]] at Kolkata, [[Lakshmi|Mahalakshmi]] at Kolhapur, [[Devi Kanya Kumari]] at [[Kanyakumari]]
# [[Kuladevata|Kula devatas]] or family deities, like Khanderai and [[Muniandi]]
# [[Iṣṭa-devatā (Hinduism)|Ishta devatas]] or chosen deities
# Vastu devatas or Gruha devatas, a class of deities that preside over the house.
Following are some of the important types of Dewatas in [[Buddhism in Sri Lanka|Sri Lankan Buddhism]]:

* Bandara Dewatawo are dewatas of trees, mountains, etc.
* Gambara Dewatawo are dewatas of the villages
* Loka Dewatawo are dewatas of planets{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}

==Scriptures==
[[File:Cambodia-2366 - More Cold Women, still no date.. (3591127397).jpg|thumb|[[Apsara]]s relief on [[Angkor Wat]], [[Cambodia]]]]
Some well-known Hindu-Buddhist heavenly beings belong to the group of devatas, such as [[apsara]]s or [[Vidyadhara|vidhyadaris]] (female cloud and water spirits) and their male counterparts, the [[gandharva]]s (heavenly musicians). Devatas often occur in many [[Jataka tales|Buddhist Jatakas]], Hindu epics such as the [[Ramayana]] and the [[Mahabharata]] and in many other Buddhist holy scriptures.
The island of [[Bali]] is nicknamed ''Pulau Dewata'' ([[Indonesian language|Indonesian]]: "islands of devata or island of gods") because of its vivid [[Hindu culture]] and traditions. In Indonesia, the term [[hyang]] is equivalent to devata. In Hinduism, the devatas that guard the eight, nine and ten cardinal points are called [[Lokapala]] ([[Guardians of the directions|Guardians of the Directions]]) or, more specifically in ancient [[Java]] tradition, ''Dewata Nawa Sanga'' ([[Surya Majapahit|Guardians of Nine Directions]]).

==See also==
* [[Demigod]]
* [[Surya Majapahit]]

==References==
{{notelist}}
{{Reflist}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061109064221/http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1992/09/1992-09-07.shtml Palani, Sivasiva.  "New Angles On Angels."  ''Hinduism Today'', Sep 1992.  Accessed 11 May 2006.]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060916022459/http://www.newindpress.com/sunday/colItems.asp?ID=SEC20030426095714  Krishna, Nanditha.  "Grounded in wisdom."  ''Newindpress on Sunday'', April 26, 2003.  Accessed 11 May 2006.]
* Chopra, Deepak: ''Life after Death, The Burden of Proof'', Chapter 11 "Guides and Messengers" Three Rivers Press, 2008.

==External links==
* [http://www.devata.org/ Devata.org - Research on Khmer Women in Divine Context]
* [http://www.devata.org/khmer-devata-temples/ Photos and Articles about Devata temples in Cambodia, Thailand & Laos]

{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:Hindu deities]]
[[Category:Tutelary deities]]