Savitr
Encyclopedia
Savitr IAST: savitr
In Vedic religion
, Savitr (stem), Savitā (nominative singular
) is a solar deity
(see Deva
) and one of the Adityas i.e. off-spring of Vedic
deity Aditi
. His name in Vedic Sanskrit
connotes "impeller, rouser, vivifier". Savitr has been celebrated in eleven whole hymns of the Rig Veda and in parts of many others, his name being mentioned about 170 times in aggregate. In modern Hinduism
, Savitr is not worshiped directly. However, in spite of the common ignorance, the sacred Gayatri mantra
is devoted to this God and Savitr is indirectly venerated.
, this class does not represent direct abstractions, but appears in each case to be derived from an epithet applied to one or more deities and illustrating a particular aspect of activity or character. The name of Savitr belongs to a class of Vedic
gods, with others such as Dhatr, Tratr and Tvastr. These names denote these as agent gods, who create, protect, and produce, respectively.
and Indra
. He puts on a tawny garment. He has a golden car with a golden pole, which is omni-form, just as he himself is capable of assuming all forms. His car is drawn by two radiant steeds or by two or more brown, white-footed horses. Mighty splendour (“amati”) is preeminently attributed to Savitr, and mighty “golden” splendour to him only. Such splendour he stretches out or diffuses. He illumines the air, heaven and earth, the world, the spaces of the earth, the vault of heaven.
Savitr has been described as a beneficent deity. He raises aloft his strong golden arms, with which he blesses and arouses all beings and which extend to the ends of the earth. The raising of his arms is characteristic, for the action of other gods is compared with it. Agni
is said to raise his arms like Savitr; the Ushas
, dawn extends light as Savitr his arms, and Brhaspati is implored to raise hymns of praise as Savitr his arms. He moves in his golden car, seeing all creatures, on a downward and an upward path. He impels the car of the Asvins before dawn. He shines after the path of the Ushas
. He has measured out the earthly spaces, he goes to the three bright realms of heaven.
Savitr is sometimes identified with, and at other times distinguished from, the chief Aditya deity Surya
. A number of beautiful Vedic hymn
s are invoked in his praise. As per certain scholars, Savitr is the god of the Sun at Sunrise and Sunset, and has been most often invoked in the latter role in Vedic hymns. Specifically, Vedic
commentator of the 12th century AD, Sayana
charya remarks on Rig veda shloka 1.5.81 that before rising the sun is called Savitr, but from rising to his setting, Surya
.
Like Pusan and Surya
, he is lord of that which moves and is stationary. Savitr has been attributed to as upholding the movables and immovable, which signifies the maintenance of Dharma
. Savitr is a beneficent God who act as protectors of all beings, who are provident and guard the world of spirits. Being an Aditya, Savitr is true to the eternal Law and act as the debt exactor. His ancient paths in the air are dustless and easy to traverse, on them he is besought to protect his worshippers. He is prayed to convey the departed spirit to where the righteous dwell. Savitr bestows immortality on the gods as well as length of life on man. He also bestowed immortality on the Rbhus
, who by the greatness of their deeds went to his house. Like other gods, Savitr is a supporter of the sky. Also, he supports the whole world, a role which has been assigned to Lord Vishnu
in later Vedic pantheon. He fixed the earth with bonds and made firm the sky in the rafterless space.
.
God of the Middle Region: Commentator Yaska
commenting on the verse where Savitr is attributed with causing rain, regards Savitr as belonging to the middle region (or atmosphere) for possessing this ability, adding that the Adityas, who are in heaven, are also called Savitr. It is probably owing to this epithet and because Savitr’s paths are said to be in the atmosphere, that this deity occurs among the gods of the middle region as well as among those of heaven in the Naighantuka
.
Prajapati: Savitr is once depicted as the Prajapati
of the world. In the Satapatha Brahmana (v. 12, 3, 5), Savitr has been identified with Prajapati
and in the Taittiriya Brahmana (v. 1, 6, 4), it has been stated that Prajapati
becoming Savitr created living beings.
Damunas (Domestic): In the Rig veda, Savitr has been twice spoken of as domestic (“damunas”), an epithet otherwise almost entirely limited to Agni
.
Asura: Like many other gods, Savitr is mentioned as ‘asura
’ in many hymns of the Rig veda.
Pusan: Savitr alone is the lord of vivifying power and on account of his movements (yamabhih), he becomes Pusan. In two consecutive verses, Pusan and Savitr are described as connected. In the first the favour of Pusan who sees all beings is invoked, and in the second, Savitr is besought to stimulate the thoughts of worshipers who desire to think of the excellent brilliance of the Deva
. The latter verse is the celebrated Savitri
, now termed as the Gayatri
mantra, with which Savitr was in later times invoked at the beginning of Vedic
study.
Mitra: Savitr is also said to become Mitra
by reason of his laws.
Bhaga: Savitr seems sometimes to be identified with Bhaga
also, unless the latter word is here only an epithet of Savitr. The name of Bhaga
, the good god bestowing benefits is indeed often added to that of Savitr so as to form the single expression Savitr Bhaga or Bhaga Savitr, with the term Bhaga
simply acting as a qualitative and attributive adjective.
, Lord of Creatures . This class, judged by the evolution of the mythological creations of the Veda, does not represent direct abstractions, but appears in each case to be derived from an epithet applied to one or more deities and illustrating a particular aspect of activity or character. Such epithets gradually becoming detached finally attained to an independent position. Thus Rohita, the Red One (whose female form is Rohini), originally an epithet of the sun, as a separate deity in the capacity of a Creator.
In ‘The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads’ Vol. 1, noted Indologist A. Berriedale Keith at p. 204 remarks that:
and in another of Visvakarman. The frequent ascription of the action of establishing (Ydha) the phenomena of the world to different gods, gradually led to the conception of a separate deity exercising this particular activity.
According to Yaska
, Sanskrit scholar of the 5th century BCE, who made various attempts to interpret difficult Vedic
mythologies in his work Nirukta
(Etymology) (12,12), the time of Savitr’s appearance is when darkness has been removed. Sayana
charya on Rig Veda) remarks that before his rising the sun is called Savitr, but from his rising to his setting, Surya. But Savitr is also sometimes spoken of as sending to sleep, and must therefore be connected with evening as well as morning. He is, indeed, extolled as the setting sun in one hymn (2, 38); and there are indications that most of the hymns addressed to him are meant for either a morning or an evening sacrifice. He brings all two-footed and four-footed beings to rest and awakens them. He unyokes his steeds, brings the wanderer to rest; at his command night comes; the weaver rolls up her web and the skilful man lays down his unfinished work. Later the west was wont to be assigned to him as the east to Agni
and the south to Soma
.
Like Surya
, Savitr is implored to remove evil dreams and to make men sinless. Savitr drives away evil spirits and sorcerers. He observes fixed laws. The waters and the wind are subject to his ordinance. He leads the waters and by his propulsion they flow broadly. The other gods follow his lead. No being, not even Indra
, Varuna
, Mitra
, Aryaman
, Rudra
, can resist his will and independent dominion. His praises are celebrated by the Vasus, Aditi
, Varuna
, Mitra
and Aryaman
. He is lord of all desirable things, and sends blessings from heaven, air, earth.
At p. 65 of “The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads: Vol. 1”, author Arthur Berriedale Keith has maintained that:
In several passages Savitr and Surya
appear to be spoken of indiscriminately to denote the same deity. The Vedic
poet observes:
In another hymn Surya
is spoken of in terms prasavitr (Vivifier), an adjective usually applied to Savitr, and in the third verse Savitr is apparently mentioned as the same god as Surya
. In other hymns also, it is hardly possible to keep the two deities apart. In certain passages, Savitr combines with the rays of the sun or shines with the rays of the sun.
of Rigveda
3.62.10, is dedicated to Savitr, is hence also called Sāvitrī. It is considered to be among the holiest mantras of Hinduism
.
Gayatri is a Sanskrit meter which structurally contains 3 lines of 8 syllables each. Thus, there are numerous Gayatri mantra
s in invocation of all principal deities. In the Bhagavad Gita
, one of the prime important Hindu religious-philosophical texts, Lord Sri Krishna identifies himself directly with the Gayatri Mantra
: "Of poetry, I am the Gayatri
." (10:35)
It is a little known fact that the most revered Gayatri Mantra
is devoted to Deva
Savitr. The text of the mantra bereft of the Vyahriti, is "tát savitúr váreṇyaṃ bhárgo devásya dhīmahi dhíyo yó naḥ pracodáyāt", the special utterance vyahriti at the beginning of the Savitr gayatri being "Oṃ Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ ".
The meaning being:
Tat = that;
savitur = Savitr, bright like the Sun;
vareṇyaṃ = best choicest;
bhargo = effulgent glory to destroy sins;
devasya = divine Savitr's;
these first nine words describe the glory of God;
dhīmahi = may imbibe; pertains to meditation;
dhiyo = intellect;
yo = who;
naḥa = our;
pracodayāt = may inspire.
The vivifier role of Savitr is invoked in the maha mantra
.
Since all the other three Vedas contain much material rearranged from the Rig Veda, the Gayatri mantra is found in all the four Vedas. The deva invoked in this mantra is Savitr, and hence the mantra is also called Savitri
. In the Atharva Veda, the Gayatri
mantra is different from the regular Gayatri mantra.
and Varuna
that they are obeyed by all the gods, and other passages tell us that Varuna
and Surya
are subject to Indra
, that Varuna
and the Ashvins
submit to the power of Vishnu
, who otherwise is of comparatively little moment among the Vedic gods, and that Indra
, Mitra
and Varuna
, Aryaman
and Rudra
cannot resist the ordinances of Savitr
"Indra measured six broad spaces, from which no existing thing is excluded: he it is who made the wide expanse of earth and the lofty dome of the sky, even he". Savitr assisted Indra
in shaping the universe. In “Indian myth and Legend”, renowned Indologist Donald A.Mackenzie
has harboured such a view.
In Vedic Mythology, A. A. MacDonnel
(p. 13) has asserted that:
According to Shri Aurobindo, the vedic imagery are deeper than mere imagery. The gods, goddesses and the evil forces mentioned in the Vedas represent various cosmic powers. They play a significant role in the drama of creation, preservation and destruction in the inner world of a human being.
Once the senses are controlled and the mind is stabilized through slaying of all the dark powers, comes the awakening, the goddess Ushas, who brings along with her Ashvins into the world of inner consciousness. After Ushas appear Aditi, the Primal Sun, the God of Light, first as Savitr, who represents the Divine grace essential for all spiritual success, and then as Mitra, who as the Divine love is considered as a friend of the illumined mind (Indra) and his associates (the other gods). The Sun is of Truth, after which appear Rta
, Truth in Action and Rtachit, Truth consciousness.
The Vedic pantheon is purely meta-physical, appearing at the intellectual and spiritual level.
In the case of the Adityas we have evidence in the Rigveda of their having a share in the offering [Soma Sacrifice], and so also in the case of Agni and the Maruts, but so comparatively seldom as to show that the position of these gods was distinctly far from assured as regards their share in the Soma sacrifice. The wives of the gods are also mentioned in the Rig veda as having a part, but never Savitr, a fact which is doubtless fair evidence that the Rig veda did not know him as having a place in the rite, and that he was later brought in, perhaps because of his growing importance, perhaps as an Aditya.
, except for in the Yajurveda (7.19), which says there are eleven gods in heaven (light space), eleven gods in atmosphere (intermediate space), and eleven gods in earth (observer space). In the Satapatha Brahmana, the number of Ādityas is eight in some passages, and in other texts of the same Brahmana
, twelve Adityas are mentioned.
and Devi
rather than Vedic deities like Savitr.
Not even a single mention to the deity is found in the huge corpus. There appears to be complete disappearance of the deity from contemporary Hindu
pantheon.
The religion and philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads, Volume 1 By Arthur Berriedale Keith
Basic Information on Lord Savitr
http://www.spiritual-teachers.com/rigveda/savitur_1.htm
http://www.intratext.com/ixt/ENG0039/5V.HTM
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/iml/iml07.htm#fn_86
In Vedic religion
Historical Vedic religion
The religion of the Vedic period is a historical predecessor of Hinduism. Its liturgy is reflected in the mantra portion of the four Vedas, which are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites...
, Savitr (stem), Savitā (nominative singular
Grammatical number
In linguistics, grammatical number is a grammatical category of nouns, pronouns, and adjective and verb agreement that expresses count distinctions ....
) is a solar deity
Solar deity
A solar deity is a sky deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it, usually by its perceived power and strength. Solar deities and sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms...
(see Deva
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
) and one of the Adityas i.e. off-spring of Vedic
Vedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
deity Aditi
Aditi
Aditi in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. In the Vedas Aditi is mother of the gods from whose cosmic matrix the heavenly bodies were born...
. His name in Vedic Sanskrit
Vedic Sanskrit
Vedic Sanskrit is an old Indo-Aryan language. It is an archaic form of Sanskrit, an early descendant of Proto-Indo-Iranian. It is closely related to Avestan, the oldest preserved Iranian language...
connotes "impeller, rouser, vivifier". Savitr has been celebrated in eleven whole hymns of the Rig Veda and in parts of many others, his name being mentioned about 170 times in aggregate. In modern Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, Savitr is not worshiped directly. However, in spite of the common ignorance, the sacred Gayatri mantra
Gayatri Mantra
The Gāyatrī Mantra is a highly revered mantra, based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rigveda , attributed to the rishi . The mantra is named for its vedic gāyatrī metre. As the verse can be interpreted to invoke the deva Savitr, it is often called Sāvitrī...
is devoted to this God and Savitr is indirectly venerated.
Nature of the Deity
Savitr is a deity whose name primarily denote an agent, in the form of a noun derived from a root with the suffix “-tr”. As per noted 19th century Indologist A. A. MacDonnelArthur Anthony Macdonell
Arthur Anthony Macdonell , 7th of Lochgarry, was a noted Sanskrit scholar.Macdonell was born in India and educated at Göttingen University, then matriculated in 1876 at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, gaining a classical exhibition and three scholarships...
, this class does not represent direct abstractions, but appears in each case to be derived from an epithet applied to one or more deities and illustrating a particular aspect of activity or character. The name of Savitr belongs to a class of Vedic
Vedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
gods, with others such as Dhatr, Tratr and Tvastr. These names denote these as agent gods, who create, protect, and produce, respectively.
Characterisation and Appearance of Savitr as per Vedas
As per the description available in the Rig veda, Savitr is pre-eminently a golden deity, nearly all his members and his equipment being described by that epithet. He is golden-eyed, golden-handed and golden-tongued; with all these epithets being peculiar to him as a deity. He has golden arms, and is broad-handed or beautiful-handed. He is also pleasant tongued or beautiful-tongued, and is once called iron-jawed. He is yellow-haired, an attribute shared with AgniAgni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
and Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
. He puts on a tawny garment. He has a golden car with a golden pole, which is omni-form, just as he himself is capable of assuming all forms. His car is drawn by two radiant steeds or by two or more brown, white-footed horses. Mighty splendour (“amati”) is preeminently attributed to Savitr, and mighty “golden” splendour to him only. Such splendour he stretches out or diffuses. He illumines the air, heaven and earth, the world, the spaces of the earth, the vault of heaven.
Savitr has been described as a beneficent deity. He raises aloft his strong golden arms, with which he blesses and arouses all beings and which extend to the ends of the earth. The raising of his arms is characteristic, for the action of other gods is compared with it. Agni
Agni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
is said to raise his arms like Savitr; the Ushas
Ushas
Ushas , Sanskrit for "dawn", is a Vedic deity, and consequently a Hindu deity as well.Sanskrit is an s-stem, i.e. the genitive case is . It is from PIE , cognate to Greek Eos and Latin Aurora....
, dawn extends light as Savitr his arms, and Brhaspati is implored to raise hymns of praise as Savitr his arms. He moves in his golden car, seeing all creatures, on a downward and an upward path. He impels the car of the Asvins before dawn. He shines after the path of the Ushas
Ushas
Ushas , Sanskrit for "dawn", is a Vedic deity, and consequently a Hindu deity as well.Sanskrit is an s-stem, i.e. the genitive case is . It is from PIE , cognate to Greek Eos and Latin Aurora....
. He has measured out the earthly spaces, he goes to the three bright realms of heaven.
Savitr is sometimes identified with, and at other times distinguished from, the chief Aditya deity Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
. A number of beautiful Vedic hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s are invoked in his praise. As per certain scholars, Savitr is the god of the Sun at Sunrise and Sunset, and has been most often invoked in the latter role in Vedic hymns. Specifically, Vedic
Vedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
commentator of the 12th century AD, Sayana
Sayana
' was an important commentator on the Vedas. He flourished under King Bukka I and his successor Harihara II, in the Vijayanagar Empire of South India...
charya remarks on Rig veda shloka 1.5.81 that before rising the sun is called Savitr, but from rising to his setting, Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
.
Like Pusan and Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
, he is lord of that which moves and is stationary. Savitr has been attributed to as upholding the movables and immovable, which signifies the maintenance of Dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
. Savitr is a beneficent God who act as protectors of all beings, who are provident and guard the world of spirits. Being an Aditya, Savitr is true to the eternal Law and act as the debt exactor. His ancient paths in the air are dustless and easy to traverse, on them he is besought to protect his worshippers. He is prayed to convey the departed spirit to where the righteous dwell. Savitr bestows immortality on the gods as well as length of life on man. He also bestowed immortality on the Rbhus
Rbhus
The Ribhus are three semi-divine beings of the Rigveda and the Atharvaveda, Ribhu, Vaja and Vibhvan, collectively called by the name of their leader. In later Hindu mythology , Ribhu is a son of Brahma....
, who by the greatness of their deeds went to his house. Like other gods, Savitr is a supporter of the sky. Also, he supports the whole world, a role which has been assigned to Lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
in later Vedic pantheon. He fixed the earth with bonds and made firm the sky in the rafterless space.
Epithets of Savitr
Apam napat (Born of the Waters): Savitr is at least once called “apam napat” (Child of Waters), an epithet otherwise exclusively belonging to AgniAgni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
.
God of the Middle Region: Commentator Yaska
Yaska
' ) was a Sanskrit grammarian who preceded Pāṇini , assumed to have been active in the 5th or 6th century BC.He is the author of the Nirukta, a technical treatise on etymology, lexical category and the semantics of words...
commenting on the verse where Savitr is attributed with causing rain, regards Savitr as belonging to the middle region (or atmosphere) for possessing this ability, adding that the Adityas, who are in heaven, are also called Savitr. It is probably owing to this epithet and because Savitr’s paths are said to be in the atmosphere, that this deity occurs among the gods of the middle region as well as among those of heaven in the Naighantuka
Nighantu
' is a Sanskrit term for a traditional collection of words, grouped into thematic categories, often with brief annotations. Such collections share characteristics with glossaries and thesauri, but are not true lexicons, such as the kośa of Sanskrit literature...
.
Prajapati: Savitr is once depicted as the Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...
of the world. In the Satapatha Brahmana (v. 12, 3, 5), Savitr has been identified with Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...
and in the Taittiriya Brahmana (v. 1, 6, 4), it has been stated that Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...
becoming Savitr created living beings.
Damunas (Domestic): In the Rig veda, Savitr has been twice spoken of as domestic (“damunas”), an epithet otherwise almost entirely limited to Agni
Agni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
.
Asura: Like many other gods, Savitr is mentioned as ‘asura
Asura
-In Hinduism:In Hinduism, the Asuras constitute a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes considered sinful and materialistic. The Daityas and Danavas were combinedly known as Asuras. The Asura were opposed to the Devas. Both groups are children of Kasyapa...
’ in many hymns of the Rig veda.
Pusan: Savitr alone is the lord of vivifying power and on account of his movements (yamabhih), he becomes Pusan. In two consecutive verses, Pusan and Savitr are described as connected. In the first the favour of Pusan who sees all beings is invoked, and in the second, Savitr is besought to stimulate the thoughts of worshipers who desire to think of the excellent brilliance of the Deva
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
. The latter verse is the celebrated Savitri
Savitri
Savitri or Savithri may refer to:*Savitri, with all vowels short, a Roman-phonetic spelling of the Vedic Hindu sun god Savitr*Sāvitrī, a name of the Gayatri Mantra dedicated to Savitr...
, now termed as the Gayatri
Gayatri
Gayatri is the feminine form of , a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. Gayatri is a consort of Brahma and the goddess of learning. Brahma married her when there was a need for a companion during a yajna. Brahma had to start the yajna along with his wife...
mantra, with which Savitr was in later times invoked at the beginning of Vedic
Vedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
study.
Mitra: Savitr is also said to become Mitra
Mitra
*Mitra was an important Indo-Iranian divinity. Following the prehistoric cultural split of Indo-Aryan and Iranian cultures, names descended from *mitra were used for the following religious entities:...
by reason of his laws.
Bhaga: Savitr seems sometimes to be identified with Bhaga
Bhaga
Sanskrit is a term for "lord, patron", but also for "wealth, prosperity". The cognate term in Avestan and Old Persian is , of uncertain meaning but used in a sense in which "lord, patron" might also apply. A Slavic cognate is "god"...
also, unless the latter word is here only an epithet of Savitr. The name of Bhaga
Bhaga
Sanskrit is a term for "lord, patron", but also for "wealth, prosperity". The cognate term in Avestan and Old Persian is , of uncertain meaning but used in a sense in which "lord, patron" might also apply. A Slavic cognate is "god"...
, the good god bestowing benefits is indeed often added to that of Savitr so as to form the single expression Savitr Bhaga or Bhaga Savitr, with the term Bhaga
Bhaga
Sanskrit is a term for "lord, patron", but also for "wealth, prosperity". The cognate term in Avestan and Old Persian is , of uncertain meaning but used in a sense in which "lord, patron" might also apply. A Slavic cognate is "god"...
simply acting as a qualitative and attributive adjective.
Savitr in the Class of Gods
In the Rig veda, there are two classes of deities whose nature is founded on abstraction. The one class consisting of the direct personifications of abstract notions such as desire is rare, occurring only in the very latest hymns of the Rig veda and due to that growth of speculation which is so plainly traceable in the course of the Vedic age. The other and more numerous class comprises deities whose names primarily either denote an agent, in the form of a noun derived from a root with the suffix “-tr”, such as Dhatr, Creator, or designate some attribute, such as PrajapatiPrajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...
, Lord of Creatures . This class, judged by the evolution of the mythological creations of the Veda, does not represent direct abstractions, but appears in each case to be derived from an epithet applied to one or more deities and illustrating a particular aspect of activity or character. Such epithets gradually becoming detached finally attained to an independent position. Thus Rohita, the Red One (whose female form is Rohini), originally an epithet of the sun, as a separate deity in the capacity of a Creator.
In ‘The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads’ Vol. 1, noted Indologist A. Berriedale Keith at p. 204 remarks that:
“…[A] second class of gods who may be called abstract is afforded by the agent gods, such as Dhatr, whose name expresses a function which they perform, so that they can be called functional gods. In all the cases which are to be found in the Vedic literature we are able to say with a fair degree of plausibility that the conception formed itself from the use of the epithet in question in the first place of some concrete god, and then, after denoting that deity in the special field of action, it was gradually made into a separate deity concerned merely with the sphere of action in question. This, however, cannot be proved beyond doubt: it will for instance always be open to question whether Savitr is really an aspect of the sun, or whether he is god of stimulation who by reason of similarity of nature has been made like to the sun. In other cases there can be less doubt: the god Visnu cannot really be explained as a god of wide stepping: he is a sun god, who happens to have a special sphere of activity…”
Savitr as Agent God
The most important of the gods whose names denote an agent in “-tr” class, is Savitr. Apart from Savitr, other such deities are of rare occurrence in the Rig Veda. Dhatr, found in a few passages as an appellative designating priests as establishes of the sacrifice, occurs as the name of a deity about a dozen times and, with the exception of one indefinite mention in company with a number of other gods, only in the tenth book. In one of these passages the name is an epithet of IndraIndra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
and in another of Visvakarman. The frequent ascription of the action of establishing (Ydha) the phenomena of the world to different gods, gradually led to the conception of a separate deity exercising this particular activity.
According to Yaska
Yaska
' ) was a Sanskrit grammarian who preceded Pāṇini , assumed to have been active in the 5th or 6th century BC.He is the author of the Nirukta, a technical treatise on etymology, lexical category and the semantics of words...
, Sanskrit scholar of the 5th century BCE, who made various attempts to interpret difficult Vedic
Vedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
mythologies in his work Nirukta
Nirukta
Nirukta is one of the six disciplines of Hinduism, treating etymology, particularly of obscure words, especially those occurring in the Vedas. The discipline is traditionally attributed to , an ancient Sanskrit grammarian...
(Etymology) (12,12), the time of Savitr’s appearance is when darkness has been removed. Sayana
Sayana
' was an important commentator on the Vedas. He flourished under King Bukka I and his successor Harihara II, in the Vijayanagar Empire of South India...
charya on Rig Veda) remarks that before his rising the sun is called Savitr, but from his rising to his setting, Surya. But Savitr is also sometimes spoken of as sending to sleep, and must therefore be connected with evening as well as morning. He is, indeed, extolled as the setting sun in one hymn (2, 38); and there are indications that most of the hymns addressed to him are meant for either a morning or an evening sacrifice. He brings all two-footed and four-footed beings to rest and awakens them. He unyokes his steeds, brings the wanderer to rest; at his command night comes; the weaver rolls up her web and the skilful man lays down his unfinished work. Later the west was wont to be assigned to him as the east to Agni
Agni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
and the south to Soma
Soma
Soma , or Haoma , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Vedic and greater Persian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities...
.
The Aditya Class: Savitr & Surya
The epithet “surya-rashmi” has been used in the Rig Veda only once and, it has been applied to Savitr:“[S]hining with the rays of the sun, yellow-haired, Savitr raises up his light continually from the east.”
Like Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
, Savitr is implored to remove evil dreams and to make men sinless. Savitr drives away evil spirits and sorcerers. He observes fixed laws. The waters and the wind are subject to his ordinance. He leads the waters and by his propulsion they flow broadly. The other gods follow his lead. No being, not even Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, Varuna
Varuna
In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld...
, Mitra
Mitra
*Mitra was an important Indo-Iranian divinity. Following the prehistoric cultural split of Indo-Aryan and Iranian cultures, names descended from *mitra were used for the following religious entities:...
, Aryaman
Aryaman
Aryaman is one of the early Vedic deities . His name signifies "bosom friend". He is the third son of Aditi. He is an Aditya, a solar deity. He is supposed to be the chief of the manes and the Milky Way is supposed to be his path.Aryaman is another name for Surya or the Sun God...
, Rudra
Rudra
' is a Rigvedic God, associated with wind or storm, and the hunt. The name has been translated as "The Roarer", or "The Howler"....
, can resist his will and independent dominion. His praises are celebrated by the Vasus, Aditi
Aditi
Aditi in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. In the Vedas Aditi is mother of the gods from whose cosmic matrix the heavenly bodies were born...
, Varuna
Varuna
In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld...
, Mitra
Mitra
*Mitra was an important Indo-Iranian divinity. Following the prehistoric cultural split of Indo-Aryan and Iranian cultures, names descended from *mitra were used for the following religious entities:...
and Aryaman
Aryaman
Aryaman is one of the early Vedic deities . His name signifies "bosom friend". He is the third son of Aditi. He is an Aditya, a solar deity. He is supposed to be the chief of the manes and the Milky Way is supposed to be his path.Aryaman is another name for Surya or the Sun God...
. He is lord of all desirable things, and sends blessings from heaven, air, earth.
At p. 65 of “The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads: Vol. 1”, author Arthur Berriedale Keith has maintained that:
[T]he connection of Savitr with the sun is fairly close. It is at least possible, therefore, that in its origin Savitr was not an independent creation, but was an epithet of Surya, but that question is of little importance: the essential feature of the god is not his original basis, but his function as the inspirer or impeller to holy sacrifice: the ritual act is repeatedly said in the Yajurveda to be done ‘on the instigation of the god Savitr’.”
In several passages Savitr and Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
appear to be spoken of indiscriminately to denote the same deity. The Vedic
Vedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
poet observes:
“[G]od Savitr has raised aloft his brilliance, making light for the whole world; Surya shining brightly has filled heaven and earth and air with his rays.”
In another hymn Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
is spoken of in terms prasavitr (Vivifier), an adjective usually applied to Savitr, and in the third verse Savitr is apparently mentioned as the same god as Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
. In other hymns also, it is hardly possible to keep the two deities apart. In certain passages, Savitr combines with the rays of the sun or shines with the rays of the sun.
Gayatri Mantra
The famous Gayatri MantraGayatri Mantra
The Gāyatrī Mantra is a highly revered mantra, based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rigveda , attributed to the rishi . The mantra is named for its vedic gāyatrī metre. As the verse can be interpreted to invoke the deva Savitr, it is often called Sāvitrī...
of Rigveda
Rigveda
The Rigveda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns...
3.62.10, is dedicated to Savitr, is hence also called Sāvitrī. It is considered to be among the holiest mantras of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
.
Gayatri is a Sanskrit meter which structurally contains 3 lines of 8 syllables each. Thus, there are numerous Gayatri mantra
Gayatri Mantra
The Gāyatrī Mantra is a highly revered mantra, based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rigveda , attributed to the rishi . The mantra is named for its vedic gāyatrī metre. As the verse can be interpreted to invoke the deva Savitr, it is often called Sāvitrī...
s in invocation of all principal deities. In the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
, one of the prime important Hindu religious-philosophical texts, Lord Sri Krishna identifies himself directly with the Gayatri Mantra
Gayatri Mantra
The Gāyatrī Mantra is a highly revered mantra, based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rigveda , attributed to the rishi . The mantra is named for its vedic gāyatrī metre. As the verse can be interpreted to invoke the deva Savitr, it is often called Sāvitrī...
: "Of poetry, I am the Gayatri
Gayatri
Gayatri is the feminine form of , a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. Gayatri is a consort of Brahma and the goddess of learning. Brahma married her when there was a need for a companion during a yajna. Brahma had to start the yajna along with his wife...
." (10:35)
It is a little known fact that the most revered Gayatri Mantra
Gayatri Mantra
The Gāyatrī Mantra is a highly revered mantra, based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rigveda , attributed to the rishi . The mantra is named for its vedic gāyatrī metre. As the verse can be interpreted to invoke the deva Savitr, it is often called Sāvitrī...
is devoted to Deva
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
Savitr. The text of the mantra bereft of the Vyahriti, is "tát savitúr váreṇyaṃ bhárgo devásya dhīmahi dhíyo yó naḥ pracodáyāt", the special utterance vyahriti at the beginning of the Savitr gayatri being "Oṃ Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ ".
The meaning being:
Tat = that;
savitur = Savitr, bright like the Sun;
vareṇyaṃ = best choicest;
bhargo = effulgent glory to destroy sins;
devasya = divine Savitr's;
these first nine words describe the glory of God;
dhīmahi = may imbibe; pertains to meditation;
dhiyo = intellect;
yo = who;
naḥa = our;
pracodayāt = may inspire.
The vivifier role of Savitr is invoked in the maha mantra
Maha Mantra
Maha Mantra may refer to the following:*Any mantra thought to be particularly "great" or important*A common name for the Hare Krishna mantra in Bengali Vaishnavism*a name of the Aum Namah Shivaya mantra*the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra...
.
Since all the other three Vedas contain much material rearranged from the Rig Veda, the Gayatri mantra is found in all the four Vedas. The deva invoked in this mantra is Savitr, and hence the mantra is also called Savitri
Savitri
Savitri or Savithri may refer to:*Savitri, with all vowels short, a Roman-phonetic spelling of the Vedic Hindu sun god Savitr*Sāvitrī, a name of the Gayatri Mantra dedicated to Savitr...
. In the Atharva Veda, the Gayatri
Gayatri
Gayatri is the feminine form of , a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. Gayatri is a consort of Brahma and the goddess of learning. Brahma married her when there was a need for a companion during a yajna. Brahma had to start the yajna along with his wife...
mantra is different from the regular Gayatri mantra.
Law of Savitr & Moral Hierarchy
There is throughout the Rig Veda no trace of any consistent subordination of one god to another. The lack of system in this regard is clearly shown by such assertions as those made by both IndraIndra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
and Varuna
Varuna
In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld...
that they are obeyed by all the gods, and other passages tell us that Varuna
Varuna
In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld...
and Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
are subject to Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, that Varuna
Varuna
In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld...
and the Ashvins
Ashvins
The Ashvins , in Hindu mythology, are divine twin horsemen in the Rigveda, sons of Saranya , a goddess of the clouds and wife of Surya in his form as Vivasvat. The Ashvins are Vedic gods symbolising the shining of sunrise and sunset, appearing in the sky before the dawn in a golden chariot,...
submit to the power of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, who otherwise is of comparatively little moment among the Vedic gods, and that Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, Mitra
Mitra
*Mitra was an important Indo-Iranian divinity. Following the prehistoric cultural split of Indo-Aryan and Iranian cultures, names descended from *mitra were used for the following religious entities:...
and Varuna
Varuna
In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld...
, Aryaman
Aryaman
Aryaman is one of the early Vedic deities . His name signifies "bosom friend". He is the third son of Aditi. He is an Aditya, a solar deity. He is supposed to be the chief of the manes and the Milky Way is supposed to be his path.Aryaman is another name for Surya or the Sun God...
and Rudra
Rudra
' is a Rigvedic God, associated with wind or storm, and the hunt. The name has been translated as "The Roarer", or "The Howler"....
cannot resist the ordinances of Savitr
Role in Creation
Savitr has a major role in creation. The relevant hymn mentions that:"Indra measured six broad spaces, from which no existing thing is excluded: he it is who made the wide expanse of earth and the lofty dome of the sky, even he". Savitr assisted Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
in shaping the universe. In “Indian myth and Legend”, renowned Indologist Donald A.Mackenzie
Donald Alexander Mackenzie
Donald Alexander Mackenzie was a Scottish journalist and folklorist and prolific writer on religion, mythology and anthropology in the early 20th century.-Life & Career:...
has harboured such a view.
In Vedic Mythology, A. A. MacDonnel
Arthur Anthony Macdonell
Arthur Anthony Macdonell , 7th of Lochgarry, was a noted Sanskrit scholar.Macdonell was born in India and educated at Göttingen University, then matriculated in 1876 at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, gaining a classical exhibition and three scholarships...
(p. 13) has asserted that:
[T]here are in the last book of the Rig Veda some hymns which treat the origin of the world philosophically rather than mythologically. Various passages show that in the cosmological speculation of the Rig Veda The sun was regarded as an important agent of generation. Thus he is called the soul (atma) of all that moves and stands. Statements such as that he is called by many names though one indicate that his nature was being tentatively abstracted to that of a supreme god, nearly approaching that of the later conception of Brahma. In this sense the sun is once glorified as a great power of the universe under the name of the golden embryo, hiranya-garbha, in Rig Veda. It is he who measures out space in the air and shines where the sun rises. In the last verse of this hymn, he is called PrajapatiPrajapatiIn Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...
, lord of created beings , the name which became that of the chief god of the Brahmanas. It is significant that in the only older passage of the Rig veda in which it occurs, PrajapatiPrajapatiIn Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...
is an epithet of the solar deity Savitr, who in the same hymn is said to rule over what moves and stands."
Savitr in Context of Vedic Symbolism
Some modern Hindu spiritual thinkers like Shri Aurobindo assign symbolism to the Vedic deities like Savitr. The Vedic deities are not only forces of nature, but also forces that exist within the human intellect and psyche and help the individual in spiritual progress. Shri Aurobindo has enumerated the symbolic significance of the Vedic Gods in his book "The Secret of the Vedas".According to Shri Aurobindo, the vedic imagery are deeper than mere imagery. The gods, goddesses and the evil forces mentioned in the Vedas represent various cosmic powers. They play a significant role in the drama of creation, preservation and destruction in the inner world of a human being.
Once the senses are controlled and the mind is stabilized through slaying of all the dark powers, comes the awakening, the goddess Ushas, who brings along with her Ashvins into the world of inner consciousness. After Ushas appear Aditi, the Primal Sun, the God of Light, first as Savitr, who represents the Divine grace essential for all spiritual success, and then as Mitra, who as the Divine love is considered as a friend of the illumined mind (Indra) and his associates (the other gods). The Sun is of Truth, after which appear Rta
Rta
In the Vedic religion, Ṛta is the principle of natural order which regulates and coordinates the operation of the universe and everything within it. In the hymns of the Vedas, Ṛta is described as that which is ultimately responsible for the proper functioning of the natural, moral and sacrificial...
, Truth in Action and Rtachit, Truth consciousness.
The Vedic pantheon is purely meta-physical, appearing at the intellectual and spiritual level.
Emergence of Savitr
Arthur Berriedale Keith in “The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads, Vol 2” has averred that:In the case of the Adityas we have evidence in the Rigveda of their having a share in the offering [Soma Sacrifice], and so also in the case of Agni and the Maruts, but so comparatively seldom as to show that the position of these gods was distinctly far from assured as regards their share in the Soma sacrifice. The wives of the gods are also mentioned in the Rig veda as having a part, but never Savitr, a fact which is doubtless fair evidence that the Rig veda did not know him as having a place in the rite, and that he was later brought in, perhaps because of his growing importance, perhaps as an Aditya.
Savitr in Brahmanas
The Vedas do not identify the Ādityas and there is no classification of the thirty-three godsThirty-three gods
The ' heaven is an important world of the devas in Buddhist cosmology. The word ' is an adjective formed from the numeral ', "33" and can be translated in English as "belonging to the thirty-three [devas]"....
, except for in the Yajurveda (7.19), which says there are eleven gods in heaven (light space), eleven gods in atmosphere (intermediate space), and eleven gods in earth (observer space). In the Satapatha Brahmana, the number of Ādityas is eight in some passages, and in other texts of the same Brahmana
Brahmana
The Brāhmaṇas are part of the Hindu śruti literature. They are commentaries on the four Vedas, detailing the proper performance of rituals....
, twelve Adityas are mentioned.
Decline of Savitr
The Puranic corpus is completely silent about Savitr. The Puranas focus on mainly other Vedic deities like Visnu, SivaSiva
Siva may refer to:*Shiva, a major Hindu God*Živa , a Slavic goddess*A pro-apoptotic signaling protein*1170 Siva, asteroid named after the god*Siva , name of several rural localities in Russia...
and Devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
rather than Vedic deities like Savitr.
Not even a single mention to the deity is found in the huge corpus. There appears to be complete disappearance of the deity from contemporary Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
pantheon.
Further reading
Savitr at Night from ‘The Rig Veda: an anthology: one hundred and eight hymns, by Wendy DonigerThe religion and philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads, Volume 1 By Arthur Berriedale Keith
Basic Information on Lord Savitr
http://www.spiritual-teachers.com/rigveda/savitur_1.htm
http://www.intratext.com/ixt/ENG0039/5V.HTM
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/iml/iml07.htm#fn_86