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The Abstract Deity of the Rig Veda – Hiraṇyagarbha – A Study

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Due to its rich mystical exegesis and philosophical depth, Hinduism often appears to encompass every variety of theological discourse. However, a focused study of its foundational scriptures—the Vedas—reveals that these texts themselves do not exhibit the monotheistic or unity centered theology characteristic of the Abrahamic faiths. In the Rigveda, widely regarded as the oldest and most authoritative layer of Vedic literature, there is no concept or term that corresponds to a singular, supreme God. Instead, Vedic texts invoke a host of devas (gods) and employ the term yajña uniformly to denote sacrificial worship offered to them. While most Vedic deities are personified and sensuous, a few—such as Hiraṇyagarbha and Prajāpati—are associated with cosmic creation and may be interpreted as abstract or formless divinities. This article offers a concise study of Hiraṇyagarbha and argues that even this “golden embryo” does not function as a uniquely supreme deity within the Vedic corpus. Through a close reading of key hymns in the Rigveda and the Atharvaveda, alongside their Brahmanical commentaries (e.g., the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa), it demonstrates the absence of an unlimited, incorporeal, and unconditioned God. Instead, the pluralistic theology of the Vedas is confirmed by lexicographical evidence—particularly in Yāska’s Nirukta and the Nighaṇṭu—which defines deva as any being a ṛṣi addresses in praise or supplication. Although later Upanishadic layers introduce notions of inner unity, these figures emerge from cosmological processes (the “cosmic egg”) and are neither eternal nor exclusively supreme. The findings affirm that, despite Upanishadic intimations of unity, the Vedic worldview remains fundamentally polytheistic in both language and ritual practice.