Brihaspati is a powerful deity in the Vedas and he is
mentioned in the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. In the Rig Veda he is
also known as Brahmanaspati. In later times, he lost his powerful status and is
now popular as one of the Navagrahas.
In the Rig Veda, he is depicted as the Master of prayers and
is equated with Brahmanaspati (2.23.1). He is acknowledged as a devata, a
divine being. Ganapati, the deity from later Puranas, appears to have roots in
the Brihaspati-Brahmanaspati connection.
As per Rig Veda, Brihaspati was born from a light in the highest heaven. He drives away darkness with thunder. He is bright and pure and has seven mouths, 100 wings, seven rays and his skin tone is blue-black. He is a friend of Indra.
His weapon is bow and the string is cosmic order. His
chariot is driven by red colored horses.
Some hymns in the Rig Veda equate him with Agni.
He is associated with vedic rituals and is invoked as a
priest in the Yajur Veda and Brahmanas. He is also mentioned in the Atharva
Veda.
He is considered as the creator of metre (the accent in a
metrical foot of verse) in the Maitrayani and Vajasaneyi Samhita.
There are 11 hymns dedicated to Brihaspati in the Rig Veda.
In another couple of hymns he is jointly addressed with Indra.