Vāc

"Vāk" redirects here. For other uses, see Vak (disambiguation).

Vac (Sanskrit: वाच्, vāc) is a Vedic goddess who is a personified form of divine speech. She enters into the inspired poets and visionaries, gives expression and energy to those she loves; she is called the "mother of the Vedas" and consort of Prajapati, the Vedic embodiment of mind.^[1] She is also associated with Indra in Aitareya Aranyaka.^[2] Elsewhere, such as in the Padma Purana, she is stated to be the wife of Vision (Kashyapa), the mother of Emotions, and the friend of Musicians (Gandharva).^[2]

She is identified with goddess Saraswati in later Vedic literature and post-Vedic texts of Hindu traditions. Saraswati has remained a significant and revered deity in Hinduism.^[3]

Thomas McEvilley gives goddess Vac and the area of her divine purview treatment in 'Appendix E: Philosophy and Grammar' to his magnum opus The Shape of Ancient Thought.^[4]

See also

• Hindu deities
• Rigvedic deities
• Śabda

References

1. Holdrege, Barbara A. (2012-02-01). Veda and Torah: Transcending the Textuality of Scripture. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-1-4384-0695-4.
2. The Myths and Gods of India, Alain Daniélou, pages 260-261
3. David Kinsley (1987). Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 55, 222. ISBN 978-81-208-0394-7.
4. Thomas C. McEvilley (2001). Thomas C. Mcevilley The Shape Of Ancient Thought Comparative Studies In Greek And Indian Philosophies ( 2001, Allworth Press) Libgen.lc.

Further reading

• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0500510881) by Anna Dhallapiccola
• Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 8120803795) by David Kinsley
• Nicholas Kazanas, Vedic Vāc and Greek logos as creative power: a critical study (2009)