''A god. From the secondary root दिव् to flash, gleam, vibrate, play. On the basis of the consonant द् of which the gunas are force, heavy violence, density, dense penetration, dense movement, we get दा to cut, दि to vibrate and दु to trouble and from दि we get द्यु and दिव् or दीव् meaning to vibrate shiningly, gleam, scintillate or play. The Devas are those who play in light. Their proper home is in the vijnanam, महर्लोक or karanajagat, where matter is jyotirmay and all things luminous स्वेन धाम्ना, by their own inherent lustre and where life is an ordered lila or play. Therefore when the Bhagawat speaks of the power of seeing the life of the gods in Swarga, it calls that particular siddhi देवक्रिडानुदर्शनम्, watching the sports of the gods, because all life is to them a sport or lila. The Gods, however, dwell for us in the lower Swarloka, ie, Chandraloka of which the summit is Kailas and the basis Swarga with Pitriloka just above Swarga. Nevertheless even there they keep their jyotirmay and lilamay nature, their luminous bodies and worlds of self-existent bliss free from death and care.''
Sri Aurobindo - Hymns to the Mystic Fire - Commentaries and Annotated Translations
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देवम् From the root दिव् conveying the idea of active, rapid or brilliant energy. It means to shine, to play, (cf दिव् to gamble), to be bright, clear, strong, swift or luminous. The Devas are strictly speaking the sattwic and rajasic powers of the sukshma worlds, Swar and Bhuvar, who govern or assist the operations of intelligence and energy in man; but it came to be applied to all beings of the other worlds without distinction, even to the tamasic forces, beings and powers who hurt and oppose these very operations. It is in this latter sense that the Persians used it after the teachings of Jarad-drashta (Zaruthrusta, Jaratkaru) had accustomed them to apply other terms to the beneficent and helpful powers.
Sri Aurobindo -Hymns to the Mystic Fire
Commentaries and Annotated Translations/Mandala One/RV I.1
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Gilt copper statue of Indra with inlaid semi-precious stones - 16th-century Nepal
