How many devas are there in total?

Question

There are 33 devas mentioned in Vedas and more in other scriptures, but are there more devas that are not mentioned in scripture and are unknown to us? Is there the possibility of an infinite number of devas? Have any scholars written on this?

Answer 1

There is no Vedas or Puranas manuscripts that state that there are more than thirty-three devas. Note, that by devas, I mean, 12 Adityas, 11 Rudras, and the 8 Vasus, as well as the 2 Ashwini Kumaras. The last 2 gods may differ; many Puranas contradict by saying 2 Ashwinis, 1 Indra and 1 Prajapati (even though Indra and Prajapati is present in the Adityas), and even Shani and Yama.

The cattle clothed itself in sevenfold strength, those among them that are sleek and those that are poor. The thirty-three gods attend them mayest thou, (O cattle), guide us to the heavenly world! (Atharva Veda, Book 9 Part 1, Hymn 12 Verse 3)

Three and thirty he puts down; the gods are three and thirty; verily he wins the gods; verily also he piles up the fire with itself and with a body; he becomes with his body in yonder world, who knows thus. (Yajur Veda, Book 5, Part 4, verse 4.1)

Rig Veda Book 1, Hymn 45

शरुष्टीवानो हि दाशुषे देवा अग्ने विचेतसः | तान रोहिदश्व गिर्वणस्त्रयस्त्रिंशतमा वह ||

Agni, the Gods who understand give ear unto the worshipper: Lord of Red Steeds, who lovest song, bring thou those Three-and-Thirty Gods.

The Thirty Gods and Three besides, whose seat hath been the sacred grass, From time of old have found and gained. (Rig Veda Book 8, part 4, hymn XXVIII)

Thus be ye lauded, ye destroyers of the foe, ye Three-and-Thirty Deities, The Gods of man, the Holy Ones. (Rig Veda Book 8)

Who out of many, tell me, is that Skambha He in whose body are contained all three-and-thirty Deities? (Atharva Veda, Book 10, Hymn 7, verse 13)

It is wel stated in all four Vedas that there are ony 33 devas. There is not an infinite amount of devas, as no scriptures support this.

Answer 2

There are 33 gods as per Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.

Yājñavalkya said, ‘These are but the manifestations of them, but there are only thirty-three gods.’ ‘Which are those thirty-three?’ ‘The eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras and the twelve Ādityas—these are thirty-one, and Indra and Prajāpati make up the thirty-three.’(Br Up 3.9.2 - 1 )