Devata

Deity, luminous being, intelligent principle governing a natural force. In Yogasūtra 3.33, understanding of devatā — through saṃyama — illuminates the nature of the body and hidden faculties. Each cosmic force has its devatā: Agni in fire, Vāyu in wind, Sūrya in the sun. The Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra employs devatā as a focal point for meditation: contemplating the luminosity of a deity until the subject dissolves into it. Devatā is not a separate entity but a face of the one consciousness.