Vala ('), meaning "enclosure" in

Vedic Sanskrit Vedic Sanskrit was an ancient language of the Indo-Aryan subgroup of the Indo-European language family. It is attested in the Vedas and related literature compiled over the period of the mid- 2nd to mid-1st millennium BCE. It was orally preser ...

, is a demon mentioned in the Vedas, including the

Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts (''śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only one Sh ...

and the

Atharvaveda The Atharva Veda (, ' from ' and ''veda'', meaning "knowledge") is the "knowledge storehouse of ''atharvāṇas'', the procedures for everyday life".Laurie Patton (2004), Veda and Upanishad, in ''The Hindu World'' (Editors: Sushil Mittal and G ...

. Vala is attributed to be the son of

Tvashtr Tvashtr ( sa, त्वष्टृ, Tvaṣṭṛ) is a Vedic artisan god or fashioner. He is also mentioned in later literature of Hinduism like the ''Harivamsa''. Sometimes, Tvashtr is identified with another deity named Vishvakarma. In Hindu L ...

and therefore the brother of

Vrtra Vritra () is a danava in Hinduism. He serves as the personification of drought, and is an adversary of the king of the devas, Indra. As a danava, he belongs to the race of the asuras. Vritra is also known in the Vedas as Ahi (Sanskrit: ', lit ...

. Historically, it has the same origin as the Vrtra story, being derived from the same root, and from the same root also as

Varuna Varuna (; sa, वरुण, , Malay: ''Baruna'') is a Vedic deity associated initially with the sky, later also with the seas as well as Ṛta (justice) and Satya (truth). He is found in the oldest layer of Vedic literature of Hinduism, such ...

, ''*val-/var-'' (PIE ''*wel-'') "to cover, to enclose" (perhaps cognate to ''

veil A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has been prominent ...

''). Parallel to Vrtra "the blocker", a stone serpent slain by

Indra Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...

to liberate the rivers, Vala is a stone cave, split by Indra (intoxicated and strengthened by

Soma Soma may refer to: Businesses and brands * SOMA (architects), a New York–based firm of architects * Soma (company), a company that designs eco-friendly water filtration systems * SOMA Fabrications, a builder of bicycle frames and other bicycle ...

, identified with

Brhaspati Brihaspati ( sa, बृहस्पति, ), also known as Guru, is a Hindu deity. In the ancient Vedic scriptures of Hinduism, Brihaspati is a deity associated with fire, and the word also refers to a rishi (sage) who counsels the devas (god ...

in 4.50 and 10.68 or

Trita Trita ("the Third") is a minor deity of the Rigveda, mentioned 41 times. He is associated with the Maruts, with Vayu and most especially with Indra, whom he sometimes assists and other times acts in place of when fighting Tvastar, Vrtra and Vala. H ...

in 1.52, aided by the

Angiras Angiras or Angira ( Sanskrit: / ', pronounced ) was a Vedic rishi (sage) of Hinduism. He is described in the '' Rigveda'' as a teacher of divine knowledge, a mediator between men and gods, as well as stated in other hymns to be the first ...

as in 2.11), to liberate the cows and

Ushas Ushas (Vedic Sanskrit: / ') is a Vedas, Vedic goddess of dawn in Hinduism. She repeatedly appears in the Rigvedic hymns, states David Kinsley, where she is "consistently identified with dawn, revealing herself with the daily coming of light to t ...

, hidden there by the

Panis This is a list of ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes that are mentioned in the literature of Indic religions. From the second or first millennium BCE, ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes turned into most of the population in the northern p ...

. Already in 2.24, the story is given a mystical interpretation, with warlike Indra replaced by

Brahmanaspati Brihaspati ( sa, बृहस्पति, ), also known as Guru, is a Hindu deity. In the ancient Vedic scriptures of Hinduism, Brihaspati is a deity associated with fire, and the word also refers to a rishi (sage) who counsels the devas (god ...

, the lord of prayer, who split Vala with prayer (''

brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...

'') rather than with the thunderbolt. Vala is mentioned 23 times in the Rigveda, Vala appears in hymns RV 1.11, 52, 62, RV 2.11, 12, 14, 15, 24, RV 3.30, 34, RV 4, 50,

RV 6 The sixth Mandala of the Rigveda has 75 hymns, mainly to Agni and Indra. Most hymns in this book are attributed to the ' family of Angirasas, especially to Bharadvaja. It is one of the "family books" (mandalas 2–7), the oldest core of the Rigve ...

.18, 39, RV 8.14, 24, RV 10.67, 68, 138. Central verses of the story (trans. Griffith): :2.12.3 ''Who slew the

Dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...

, freed the Seven Rivers, and drove the kine forth from the cave of Vala, '' :'' Begat the fire between two stones, the spoiler in warriors' battle, He, O men, is Indra.'' :2.15.8 ''Praised by the Angirases he slaughtered Vala, and burst apart the bulwarks of the mountain.'' :''He tore away their deftly-built defences. These things did Indra in the

's rapture.'' :8.14.7 ''In Soma's ecstasy Indra spread the firmament and realms of light, when he cleft Vala limb from limb.'' (compare to this description the

Purusha sukta Purusha suktam (Sanskrit पुरुषसूक्तम्) is hymn 10.90 of the Rigveda, dedicated to the Purusha, the "Cosmic Being". It is also found in the Shukla Yajurveda Samhita 31.1-16 and Atharva Veda Samhita 19.6. Slightly differe ...

) :10.68.6 ''Brhaspati, when he with fiery lightnings cleft through the weapon of reviling Vala,'' :''Consumed him as tongues eat what teeth have compassed: he threw the prisons of the red cows open.'' :1.11.5 '' Lord of the thunder, thou didst burst the cave of Vala rich in cows.'' :''The Gods came pressing to thy side, and free from terror aided thee,'' :1.62.4 ''Mid shout, loud shout, and roar, with the Navagvas, seven singers, hast thou, heavenly, rent the mountain;'' :''Thou hast, with speeders, with Dasagvas, Indra, Shakra, with thunder rent obstructive Vala.''

References

*Janda, M., ''Eleusis, das indogermanische Erbe der Mysterien'' (1998). {{Rigveda Rigvedic deities Asura