Brihaspati, in Vedic mythology, the preceptor of the gods, the master of sacred wisdom, charms, hymns, and rites, and the sage counselor of Indra in his war against the titans, or asuras. As such, Brihaspati is the heavenly prototype of the class of Brahmans and, most particularly, of the earthly purohita, or family priest. To him is attributed a hymn in the Rigveda, the oldest of the Vedas (the sacred books of Hinduism). An ancient sage and the founder of a skeptical philosophical group also bear his name. He is the regent of the planet Jupiter.