Help
Sign In
QaR
September 2009 
Ashtadikpalas - the eight guardians of the sky
Posted on Dec 16th, 2008
by 
Eli
Eli
The dikpalas are eight in number. As their collective name suggests, they rule the eight quarters or the eight zones of the universe. Ashta means eight, dik means quarters or directions and palas means rulers. According to Hindu thinking each quarter is assigned to a particular divinity. He presides over it and acts as its chief guardian spirit ensuring the orderliness of the universe and the protection of its occupants. (It is interesting to note that there are no goddesses in this list).
We notice that during the Vedic period it was the Adityas who ruled the skies and kept a watch over the world from one end to another. The Adityas knew all the deeds, because they had eyes and spies everywhere. While the Adityas ruled the skies, on earth it was Pusan, the god with a shaft who knew the directions and who showed the paths that led to green pastures and safe places. In the Rigvedic hymns we do not find any reference to the dikpalas.
Thus the concept of Ashtadikpalas was a post vedic development. In the post Vedic period, many gods lost their ranks. Some gods completely disappeared. There was an obvious adjustment and compromise with native cultures. The Vedic gods lost their significance during this period and reemerged as the dikpalas.
The concept of Ashtadikpalas symbolically denotes that God is every where and in every direction and that in whatever direction you proceed or offer your worship, you will ultimately find Him. When one makes an atma-pradakshina (revolving around one self) in front of God, one is not only saluting the self with in, the God in front, but also the divinities that are around onself i all the directions.
The knowledge of the Ashtadikpalas became the basis for the evolution of the traditional Hindu science of design and construction called Vasthu-shastra. Vasthu-shastra means knowledge of things. It is actually a science which deals with how things should be organized in a particular location for the better flow of energies and blessings of divinities. In ancient India it played an important role in the :
- construction of temples and places of worship,
- location of various components of a house in relation to the street, city or town where it is located,
- location and arrangement of various household things like furniture and utensils and arrangement of rooms, doors and windows with in the house,
- location of the farm fields and water tanks,
- how to position a dead body before and during cremation,
- the direction in which one should sleep or sit while performing a puja or a ceremony and so on.
Just to give a few examples, many traditional Hindus believe that the north east corner of a room should be left vacant, because that direction belongs to Iswara. They would also prefer to do business facing north, because north is ruled by Kubera, the lord of wealth, and avoid facing the south generally, since the direction is ruled by Yama, the lord of death. People also would not prefer to construct their houses, with the main facade facing the south, since that would supposedly lead to physical and mental difficulties and disabilities for the occupants and the owners.
Following are the the eight gods who rule the eight quarters:
East Indra
West Varuna
North Kubera
South Yama
South East Agni
South West Niruthi
North East Isana
North West Vayu
Access: Public
i like this narration with facts. Similarly there are elephants are also there. What about them? i like to see details like this.
The number eight (ashta) seems to have a mystic significance in vedic literature. In the Brahmans we find reference to eight Adityas: Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman, Amia, Bhaga, Dhatar, Indra and Vivsvant. These were subsequently replaced by the Ashta Dikpalas, mentioned in the blog. In addition, we also find mention of eight elephants guarding the eight quarters.
Indra and Varuna are not worshipped now as earlier.
Ashts dik palas
I wrote more onyour blog mentioned above second time on my comments. There appears only one line , and that is why I am wiriting here.Indra and Varuna are not woeshipped now as earlier. Kubera is now coming back with Luckshmi. Yama not worshipped at all. Agni worshipped in all Yajnas.About Varuna, in Europe, Mitra and Varuna were worshipped together in ancient times. i saw an image of Mithra fighting with a Bull at London museum.
I never realized that God’s can be removed….I wonder what brought that on? Who decides these things?
It is always a pleasure to read your blogs, Eli.
Namaste
Evolution of Hindu Gods and Goddesses has a long history. From Vedic Gods to the modern age, many gods have appeared, disappeared and reappeared (sometimes in another form). Cross cultural influences play a big role in such decisions, and they are gradual transitions.
How AWESOME!!
So I guess what it’s really all about, is that, Gods’ have the power to become what ever….when ever they feel the need to change their format and its growth to this changing of times, huh?
I can truly see this…..after all….that’s how they perceived their name in the first place.
Such a magic and wisdom they truly hold for us to now become a better human being for and to be granted such richness to see, feel and tap into a greater part of our souls, is truly a blessing.
To see the same constellations in the sky that have existed over time and not to have ‘one single star’ of that pattern fall from grace, has much to say about Gods in transitory position…it holds the same pattern but is always moving though our galaxy as time persists it’s evolution.
Gratitude’s, Eli.
I am totally in love with this universe of ours and what it holds.
Namaste