Ttatk ISTLk
Trita Aptya Is a fairly ««11 knowi - but rathsr «yat«rlou« «> figura la tha Vadio Iltaratura. Ha la nut ealabratad In any a&tlra hyan oi tha ii^ but la only incldan- tally aantlonaa In forty paaaagaa oeourrln^ In twantynlna hynna of that Vada. Tba aplthat A|>tya aocampaniaa or altarmitaa with Trlta aaYan tlmaa In four hynna of tha ^Y.*^ ^* 1* oftan •antlonadi or aaaodatad with Indra, Agnl, Maruta, and Soma. Xha Maruta ara aald to hava aldad hla In hla victory ovar V^tra* This aohlavaaant maat hava baen ragardad as a apaclal faatura of tha mythology ralatlng to Trlta* for It la aaployad aa an Illustration.^ Tha aboda of Trlta la ranotaj and tha Adltyaa and Ufas ara jrayad to'drlva away 111 daada ana «vll draaas to that far*off placa.^
Aa 1^^^^ raaarka, tha original natura of eo obscura a god la not aaay to daelda. Moraovar, a collation of all varba uaad In connaetlon with Trlta laada, In i;;8ViK'* Judganant, to no algnlfleaat conclusion whatavar. tt^lllteifid&
1. I.109{ V.as VXII.47} X.e. 2. VIil.7.24. 3. 1.52.4-5. 4. VIIi.^7.13, ate. 5. ityvtt 134. 6. "Trlta iiotar", Jp^Z. 67, i'.eo, fn. 16(2). 7. Varufia m^ ^Itra. 94. Cf .yn 1*1.39t 343.f.
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111 holds that Trita i« tha god of bright sky ravarad in cha Iptya faaily. But thia eh«raet«riaation is obvioualy inada- quata. Equally inadsquat* la tha viaw of |gi]^' who ragarda Trita aa a aolar haro, aoa of ijyaua.
tm^StoaBtt* optionally I holda th^t Irita is a daifiad aaeoator. Xhla viaw also ie by no aaana canvinoing. lililS&SiL** sugeiaation that Trita Aptya waa originally a human haalsr Mho was latar daifisd, also, e&n ba aaia to ba hardly 12 H convincing. ^•^•liUil 'Ay* * "iv figura in nany raapaeta aaalogoua to laiu ia that of Trita, who ia raprasentad as an aneiant primaval warrior, and whoaa connaction with tha eaorliica ia limited to tha iraasin^ of ^iama"* Xaaka, in ona pasaags of tha £14£. i^ txplains Trita Aptya as the nans of a Xfi, or aaer. AQGordiag to aoais arauta teaehara alao^' thara
8. aa also 4|^|^ ii2£*Sli«* ^35) has said. 9. quoted by giB8U» in Vsdie ISdiAi 64. 10. loc. cit. 11. (jQk, 1894> P«428. 12. aa alao |^|k||| (2£*SJk&'> ^35) suys. 13* Cosmology of ^SlM^t ^» ^'^^ ^* 1#. IV.b. 15. 1^ 287-88,
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was a aaar of the nana, Trlta. Likawiaa, |^8liB)24 ranarkat "It aaema jpXaualbla that Trlta Is una of th« inYading Aryan ehiafa, latar daifiad". Hoan ^rauta taacoara ' aay that Trlta la tha ftraat-grand-fathar. Aa haa baan polntad abova, hoMdYar, thaaa vla«a do not aaan to ba aocaptabXa, for, thay do not fully ax{)laln thepharactar of Trlta Aptya aa rapraaantad In the Vada.
tti&ilSitliL ^^* triad to ahow that Xrita Aptya rapraaanta tha third form of Agnl. Ha la, aedording to (|i£j|8fi|i^ii ^ba divinity of lightning. iffidfiBi^JL ^^urthar adda that Trlta*a eonnaotlon with 5oaa, alao, auggaata tha oonclualon that tha fox«ar l8 a fom of flra, nanaly, tha lightning Ir which ^oua daaeanda to tha aarth. Thla would agraa, {|ififl[sB|j||^ bellavaa, with Trita*a natura aa watary, Xptya, and woiJ.d not contradict any of hla known faaturaa. M.fgji^gc^ adda to Hlg^SiS^'a atudy of Trlta tha obaarvatlon that, In one hymn of tne ^^, '" tha tolrd aapaot of Agnl appear a to have a form pro^^r in any rallglon to Sotar, and that that third peraon, on tha avldanca
16. "On tha origin of brahaln gotraa", Jhb^;£> iJJI, 64. 17. ^ 267-88 16. "Hythologleal atudlaa In tha nlgvada", ^HAS. IXV.419-96. 19. Qp.elt.. 59-60. 20. VIII.47.
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(7 3 of paralltls of Gre«k soure«8, may be pieced in « timilar role in Ih period. Siailarly, aome 5rattta teachers eay^^ that Trita la the llehtiiii%. Irita Rptya is identiiieu by bayaj^a aooietiaea with Agni atationed in three fire-receptadeat^ He, however, ae«it not to be sure about tn« exact nature of the divinity. Aa y§(K|Sk|£ reaarka, the peculiar relation ship between Indra and Trita cannot be adequately accounted for if tt|&i28BlU** yii-v^ 16 to be accepteo. Moreover, in the &1 V.54*2, Trita is clearly diatin|<;uiahed from lightning.
iiMiilSmMi holde the view that Trita is a ahortfonu of Tritavana, *thriee atrong*, Ihraetaona eoxreepondinti, to TrltaTana, ^ and Xptya bein^ a popular etymolo&y for AVpya* This,however, is not plausible. In this connection, j^gyij^li; aays i **Althou£h, the Tritopatorea are probably wind-sprits and thus perhaps to be equated, through Trita, with the Maruta, the length of the vowel in the Greek word is still an insupe rable obstacle*' s an original long diptithonii would explain both Uie Creek font and Vedio Traitana} but it involves the
21. |gt 267-66. 22. KSL^«9.5. 23. "Vftraha Indra", ^Jitl 31, p.9, fn.2. 24. "Aksentstudien", ^, 1909» p.61. 25. AV once lEftjkiiB*. X.158.5. 26. Qy.cit.. to, fn.lfc. 27* "Literaturbericht fur das Jahr 1911"* &n&l8til8C> Gi2iSj|tV.310. . 4 - 174
174- ••tting-up of soMdthing which looka Ilka an *original* paU*onyBie - a logical, i£ not a Ilnguiatie, abaurdity** •
In th« ^j^ the Mord trita ia darived fron Vjef *to croaa*, tlrpataao wadh^va babhSva lit. *0Qe «iuo beat croaaad (i.tt* aurpaaaad) in wiadcn'. CoBBnantlnt^. on tnla, ^. ]|^§£i§ •aya that, phonoloi^cally, tha aquation j£^ » ^f ia not poaaiula, but avan, otherwiaa, tha origin ol the Mord ia obaoura. SKBlifCl triaa to connaet Itptya with apifi and intarprata it aa 'friand*. Thua ho sakaa Trita Aptya, tna *friandly* third of a divina trSad. Thia connaction, i.a., api^-aptya, howavar, ia not vary convincing* According to ^IBililtillXSS* Trita ia identical with Saitvataara or naw year. Ha connaeta Trita with Savitr on the baaia of hia ability to offer protection againat the prognoatication of evil drearaa. Further, throu^ti Savitf, he re late a Trita to bamvaftaara. w'bvioualy it ia difficult to accept auch a far-fetched expla nation. According to {|)t||ili|fcCX* Trita Apty« ia no other than the third iSjil^tSft aolipae at the cloae of a cycle of IVJJ daya* In thia aariea of three eolipaea, each falla back by
26. iV.6. 29. ML 134.
31. "Trita", PAIX VI. 54S. 32. "Vedic goda", fl.C.Law Com&uVol. 26l.
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10 daya eoapftr«
Trita Aptytt la a<»× idantixi^d by Say^qui^ also with Xndra aa taa panradar or Uie thraa worlda. In this oonnaction, filBJki^V thinks that Trita, in tha ^ appaara as a Bdnor double of Indra. Also aocordin^ to ytSS^XX^^t Trita ia the prototypa, in aany raapacta, of Indra. j^sm^lii aaya } "Knowintj. vrbat wa now do of tha Aryan invasion, it saama plausibla that Trita is Indra*^. ' Xif oXosaly stuaiad, the passagaa partaining to Indra and Trita satim to show that Trita and Indra hava baan connaotad wi^i aach other artifi* oiaXly and rathar as the result of a purpouaful afterthought. ^
Sayaj^ aoaatiaea identifies Trita Aptya alao with Vayu.^^ The connection of Trita with Triton lad ggJib to the viaw that Trita waa a nfind and water god. He adds that the
33. i.e. ^i 1.187.1,etc. 34. M, 13«. 35. IM, ^t 43. 36. 9Pt9;^%. P*^4. 37. Alao J. g4ilfit|iJk»(^£^l[!ih^^H!^> ^7f 73i takaa for granted tiie aaaa identification. 36. Cf. l^MlltilfiCt ^P'Cit.. p.ll, fn.l. 39. i.e. ul 1.163.2-3. 4J. "Die ^age voo Feridun in indien und Iran".:t.JuKG ll,22i^. 176
divergence of quantity oen be expi&iiiiid by folk etymology. §8te8»iK» i» ^i» ^yfffP^y ftftUKlPBt •dvancea various mytho- logical equations, in vthich, Trita Aptya is identified with Athena Tritonis. Likewise, ^B£Q£j£ thinks that Irita Aptya may have really been a water delt>, a parallel to Ureeiii Triton and German Miaii. k. ||g|}Qgg^ suggestti that Uie original fora of Trita*8 naac was Xrlto-. That scholar has dealt, in great detail, wltn Trita*a scharacter aa a spirit of the waters, a lustratory genius, a drugonslaytir, and a brewer ana dispenser of 5oma. yftfi4Sik8H ^^^^ charactt^rises Trita as 'Water i)eity*, and adds that the name Aptya, w.ich say be derived fron ^ (water), refers to Trita*s connection with rain, water and i^oiaa* Siailurly, yfiile dealini^ with a Kir, passage,^ in which at>tva is traced tu Vif *to re<»ch* (aonoteh). 5. ^§Cii esya i *'The word, however, probably proceeds from aoft^ •waters'*;^ Isritlnt about Trita,yjiJ^jyi^^ remarks : "He la called Aptya, the Vtatery, tiiat is sprung from
41. ''The Iranian gods of healing" JRA& 3^, 294ff; Us Indo»Europeens, 199fI followed by 4l4fcS> oi^«cit. 135. 42. Trita ^iitya t Cine veaische Gotthelt. Uppaaal», 19^7.
43* a^ 133. 4^». iu.2j. 45. Op.cit. 86. 46. as £^ su4:,^e£t8. 47. ma !• 187.1.
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17 7 or dM«lXin^ in the eva o£ oloud and vapour*^, ^ioiilarly, iil»8lilfii ronders th« namt Aptya with, *s|;run4, irotn, or bolanglng to tha j^, or watars of ataoapherti*. Howevar, tua paeuliar ralationahip betwaon Indra and Trita cannot ba adaquataly aeoountad for even on t«he baaia of tnls view.
Ona May agrae with j^JltkiC^ in hia viaw that Trita Aptya ia a rain-god auparaadad by Indra. The Veaic poate uuat have originally glorified tne rain-god of their i^ryan ancestors nanely, Trita Aptya. Thia {^od thua found a place in the aythologies of both tht^ branchtis of the Aryana, namely, the ancient Iraniana and the Vedio Indiana. Later on, aa the reault of suiaa peculiar mythulogical davelopHtent himoni tae latter, a new ^ao cane to be regarded aa Ui^ rain«i^ou in tne Veaic faytholo^y* That ^od ia -t-ndra. Accoruinf.. to Uifid4)ii£i the word aPtya ia philolOt:.ically connected with ^ (• water). he I further, adda'*''' : ''In the Aveeta, the peraonality of ui^ Aryan Trita ia, ao to say, aplit up into two. Aa TInrita, he ia ^/connected with the preparation of Haona, while aa Thraetaona, he slays the fiendieh dragon (Aai i;ahaka)**. Tt.is theory may be aocej^ea ^.enerblly. Howevei', tii& ex««t ai^i- ficanoe of the term * trita* meanintr 'third* does not becoae clear in that thaory.
46. Loc. cit. 49. 2k» SJtk«» P«l^» 5>. Ibid, p.9, fn.3. 51. ikii» P»i^» ^^^•^*
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US 52 £8]|1K ^^^ discusitd this point &t suoac Ittn^^^tn* Ihtt trinity as & ru^ular «rrttng«ii&«sint u£ aeity in indo-t^uropean th«ology may now b« g«n«r8lly accapteci as a i'act.^^ Ihat Trlta in the Vadaa laeans 'third* la certain ; aside frora the •vidence of Uie y-l, ^ there is the explanation of the ^r.^^ that the names uf the ^ptya deities, Lkata, Jvltu, ana Trita resulted from a setiuenoe oi' events. Further, as kCiliidfifi has noticed, a trinity of viiich Trita is one member is mentioned in the ijLV.V«<,1.3 and 4. |;2)B1SC *^y* * **^^ ^^ intereatin^ Uith regard to the trinities) to obaerve ttiat in tne latter stankia (althoU(/i tue syntax, is not beyonu all doubt) Iritu seitCiS to be united (sa.1oya} also with Vata and A^i, thus :a.king isunediately another trinity on uiothtir level of thought". Xhls discussion, (thou^a it is original,) how(;ver, doea not deal witn tn« level of thuught on v«hichk'rita is ao callea.
It may be saiu that Trita Aptya is ori£,inal divinity, whereas, ii^ata and Uvita are artificial formations, ihat Lkata and i^vita arvita.
52. Loc. SJU^. 53. Cf. igt)C8|{}K> i^* ^3^* J4. Viii.47.16. 55. I.ii.3.1 and 1.3.3.13. 56. hi L.I9I.
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17.9 Th« ancient Iranian countarpart of 7rita, is, muat probably, Tia^ar. ^•D.|t}§£ygt)g,^^ howevar, rem^^rka : '"Ihe nana Tiatar is probably ccm^raiile tw ..k. Ilfyi*^. i>ut, in uia Vada, Tifya, doas not iii^^me as a 1,0a. Irit«i, ilka 4iatar, mi^t be, l£ttar on, conceived as t* canatelliition eonaiating of thrae atars. Accordint to itJ2^8M]|» liatar ia thtt rtjgular rain-god of the ancient Irani&n mytaolo£,y. iiataiXeu atudy of thut -^^oaf uoxavar, reva^Jia tnat he oocu^ieil rather a hi^er poaition Uian aare rain-god. Like Irita, Tiatar aaema to i^ovam the source of reiii-watars. ^ The atandin^, epithata of Tiatar are *the radii^nt* and *the glorious*. He ia not a mere personification of riiin. In the aame way* Trita is differeneiated from i^arjany^;. liatar ia opposed in his viork of producing r&in by hi£ adversary i paosha, tiie demon of drought, Mho keeps back thit rain. This struggle eorresponaa with Uiat beti«et:n Irita and Vftra. Moreover, the fact that nhura Maada, tlie /vmesha Jpentas, as Mell as I'ithra are aaong Uiose Mio help Xistar in this war, indicates that tne latter occupies a hi^i^ar poaiciun than tnat of a siiapl«$ rain-^od.
56. MlMShl iSSlS^, ^97. $9. Cf. '*Ti8tar contains tue seed oi rein-water". (rJi,4^). OJ, lir ?(a»ht. Vi^l.l. ci. Xistar Yasht. t2. Xjj,. Vi.ii.7,36.
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I2t8il8&8^l* ^^ supi^ort his view that Trlt£> hytyu is no other than the third or li£:,ht^ning form ol hyni, adauoes the tvidwice or the Old Norse epithet thrioi (•• skt. IriLm)* 'ihe complete )K refertncc is to Gylfaitinnink 3» tfhere Kin^^ Gylfi, visltint, tne Aesir lor e&rly t,Qd9i, iind& three kings seated u^n three thrones one aoove tue ..ther; in answer to his question, Gylfi is tola that the one «ho sat on the lowest throne was a king called Hi^^, that tr4e one who •at next was called L<^ually Hi^, but that the one uppermost was called Third. - Ihie ayth, however, seems to be similfer to thjat ui tue jtptyas, unly H the level ii£ thou^t mentiwiitid above is accepted. Moreover, 4B in t^te JU myth, *First* and *secund* are not mentioned in the Avesta and txie Veda - *;iecund* occurs only twice in the Veda.^ it may be pointed out that both references to Dvita, otherwise remarked to oe doubtful, can be explained witn iJvita as representing tue rainogod. It is obvious that the later myths concerning u
63. Loc. cit. 64. uv, v.le.i, v_^i.i*7.1t.
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Trita Xpuya U a d«ity, uttioct iSiH>n,iaic« In Ui« nV. l8 much lesa great than tha account of feata attrloutea to him would at firat aii^t aaac to warrant. Ha is not tha aubjaot of any whola hyan. Thfir« are, in tha uV., forty paaaagea which rafar tw Trita Aptya, and, takan coiiactivtly, thay aaam to indicate, albait vaguely, th&t ii,od*a cormaxion with ataoaiAiarie waters. In thi» fifth mep^ala hia connexion with the water ia emphaaiaed. * i^Xsewhere, it ia aaid that whan the mii^^ty Haruta go forUi, Tritti ttiundera, bna watera roar wandering in their course. Tne name itptya belongs to hia seven tines in four hymns, km, therefore, of course^ 67 • tnrongly^ |^|4|{2 thinks that Aptya aeeas to be equivalent to Apam Napat. In the hV., Trita saftetimes^^ a^peera in the social capacity of a preparer of Soma. This secondary trait aecruini, to him must have obviously been ttm extension of hia yrit^try character, namely, that oi the bringer ui raina. UMiH^lA thinks - and ri^^tly so - that th«ss ancient ^ryan clans, who had apecialised tnemeelves in tha prep&ratic*n Q£ woma (haorLa;
65. 4l*4« 10. bb^ i^V V.54*2< 67. ^tiVU 134. 68. II.11.20, IA.32.2, 34.4, 3&^'d, 102.2. 69. *2£. cit.. p.lO, fn.l.
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may havtti later on, been named the Iptyae (Xthwyas).'* In ^'^*^ Aveeta. the personality of ancient Trita Aptya ia, ao to eay, aj^it up int& three. Aa Thrita, ana /^thwya, he is connected witn the preparation of Haoma, whilt:, as Tiatar, he a&aya apaoaha, the demon of drou^,ht.
Again, aa ytOdlkiC ^* ahown, it would become quite clear that though Indra also is called Aptya, ^ Trita oust have been t^e original Aptya. In thia respect, a significant piece of evidence is tne iiV, 1.52.3i tahere Indra is deacribea as having perforoea the feat of conquering; Ute rain-stealers in the manner o£ Trita. Thia passage clearly s/iows that the function of overccnain^ the cloud-deoons and releaeint the celestial waters originally bt»loni;;ed to irita, wnile, latex' on, Indra ster>ped into the shoes of that ori4;,inal Aryan rain-i^ivint god ana imitated him in the exploit of bringinL raina. Trita*s victory over tii& rain-stealera must h^ve been regarded as ao primary and characteriatic an achievement of hia aa t^^ t^e mentic^ea aa an illustration.'^ iaua we know why the deeds of Trita have often closest reaesiblance to those of Indra.
7>. Cf. *^he ^tX and the Avesta report the names of tuo aame ancient worthies that fir«»pared ti;e fluid for tutte ^;ods } Vedio Vivasvat, Yana anu i.rita Aptya; Avestan vivanhvant, ^ima, Athwya and itorita'*. ()i^8;^£i$li|> ta^t X^bK 71. 0£-£JLi-. ^'^* ^n-2. 72. Ibid. 10, 73. uV. X.12>i.6. 74. KV 1.52.4-5, .86.1.
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i^ut •v«n alter indrA*a G«X«bration as a rain-uestoiwizi^ goa, Ui« originfiil krytai rain-baatOMint tod was not alto^etiier forgotten In the ^'^m As ahown auuve, Indra was aescrlbtd ae laltetlng Trlta in his feat of conquering the rain-eteelers.'^' There are, homever, unmistakable indicetiuns in the ;^V thi>t Xndra was gradually superseding the orii^nal raiu-be^towioi. god. t.heneyer Irita appears with Indra, tne iormer is clearly represented as a subordinate of the latter. Moreover, a large number of Vedic passages referring to Trita are sucn aa would 8ugc.est that that god had been slowly but surely sinking into oblivion. He is never presented in clear and life-like forni, but is aientioned in cursory allusions. Tritii i£ said 77 7tJ to be dwelling in the farthest distance,'' because, ua ttttiU rightly points out, he liad gradually becone more ana more obliterated fr^xn neaory. The fact that 7t ita ia not at all mentionect in certain m^clalas. such as, the fourth, LRd the seventh - particularly, the fourth - is also hi^ly significant in this Cv^text. As gilMlil^iC thinks, it is not unlikely that there was orit^inally quite a lar^^e nuiuber oi Veuic an^tras
75. Hi 1.52.5. 7t». uV II.11.19-2J, Vill.lk.lt>, >>.a.7-b, y9.o. 77. yV I.1J5.9, Viil.47.13-17. 76. ii£- Lli., 221. 79. i)fi. clt.. 11, fn. 4.
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c«l«bra.i&g Trlta; but they vra not all fivwryd ouin^ to UM d«llnlt«ly d«t«rloratin& position ol thiat i^ou. Iritb, M^O Mas Ui« orii>lnal Aryan ^oa of tiie atmoa^erlc viatarb, indaad older than Indira, was, later on, ccxn^lfitel)' enelvea into the back^^ound as the result ol* the eroding popularity of indra 80 as the rain-be stowing, god. Thus J^t££]{ Is unquestivinat;l>- ri^t in seeing, him an older god tiian Indra, Mho seens to have largely usurped his position as an im^rtant deity. Alto £|£CX 8Ui;;:.ests that dim reminiscence of Irita*8 vanished |p.ory anu an illusion to his final subordination may be lurkint^ in the ziV, II.34.10. Trita is there said to have been ^ven uver to the derision of the Morshipj^ar.
As pointed out above, in the Avesta. Tistar is pradomi- ncntly associated Mith Ahura Masda, tha /aaoesha ^.^pentas, as well as Mithra. In this connection, it may be not«d that, ii. ine ninth may^ajLa. 81 Trita is said to bear Varu^a in tae ocean. Generally speakin,., hoMSver, in the kV. Trita predominantly associated with Vayu, Maruts snd indra. i'nis is an inalcation of tiie fact that, on account of a peculiai^ uev«Ioijm«nt in tt^e Vadie mythology, the latter could not preserve fully the orii4.nal position of Trita Aptya. T. us, in connecting Trita with Vayu and Maruts, the Veda draws a picture of Trita, as
8J. "Indra in the laL-Veda*', Jku^ i.1, 117ff. 81. 95.4. - 15 - 185
fiup«riapo»«d by Iiicir&.
Thtt rflnot«n«&e of Xritia raay b« und^ratood on ui* b«i8i& of both tiKe ana plae«. Tne l^vel of thoUi,Ut under lying the concept of Trit«;i belon£,i;d to tae &ncient timtis. Moreovtr, according to that thought-proceas, he occupi<»d Uic hie^sst place so that he could control the atBofiptieric waters. In this way, Trlta vta&, indeed, a rwaote god. This his r«Boteneaa proved to be a sound foiuidation for later beliefs. Thus, Xrita, as it were, takes Uie responsibility oi driving away unfavourable things so th£t they would never return back. For example, the evil dreaas are driven away by Iritu. Irita, warding;;; off the evil dreaas, corresponds with list&r, s&xiting ttie wicked fairies.^ This afterthought seems to be misunoer- stood.by i>lou&field^ who, regards Trita, orii^naliy, aS tue scapegoat of ^ods. The i^ knows Tritiit only as sune far-olf deity to ti^offl guilt or dreaas nay be banished. In that Veda. his connection witn dmams is eaphasised. 86
Trita*s shadowy figure becooes yet more obscure in UiS later ^aahitas. The following, reference is found in uio %^ ''.
6k. i^^ VIiI.47.15. 63. ][i Viii.8.39,40,51-55. 6v* "Contributions to Lhii interpretation of the Veda^', J^-v^ xvi, cxix. 85. 1.113.1, 3. 8<^. iIX.>c..4.
- It - 86
**Trlta has takan poaaaaaion of our old aga". in chia Cv>ntv.x( 66 ^MiySk 'ay^ * "^^« £L aacribea to Trita tne giving, of lont Ufa, doubtlaaa saraly bacauaa h% ia x,h» ^raaaar o£ 5ana*'. ' SB ^iijBllarly, l^ifij^tlSV ramaxics i **Trita la tha baatowar of lon^ Ufa**. Obvibualy, buth ^g^^^i anu iiifiiiiSU ^* woni, in eonnaotinis the giving of lon£, lifa with Trita. It ia trua that renoval of old sga inpliea t^ie eivinj, of long lifa. Howevar, aa haa bean aald alova, Trita ia poaitively conneotad Mitn the warding off of avil Uiini^a, anon^ which, old aga alao nay be auitably included. In Uiia conniiotion, aortiovar, a paaaa&a from tha V^^^ nay ba quoted i "Uon*t be afraid, J Puro^aaa. do not tpambla; may the aacriiicer and tha oiia^rin^ of tna aaerificar raaain without any languidity. To you, Trita, to you i)vita, to you i:.kataS** Languidity, an evil tuin^, aaaaa to be connected not only with Xrita, but also with i^vita and Lkata. Thia, of courae, ia a further develO|jia«i!nt of Trita mythology.
In Uie Brahmaij^a. we COHM aoroaa a tale uf three • 91 brothera, Lkata, Dvita, and Trita. Similarly, aaya{»a^ relates that Trita, with two other aearB called Ucata and Dvita, suffering froa thirst, found a well fror. which Trits began
87. 1.8.10.2. 88. iti-VU I34. 89. Oij. c^t., 138. 9'i. i.23. 91. on n.^ i.1^5.
- 17 - 1 ^"^ 1 O t
187 to draw water. Tho other two pushed him in 92. IX.34.4* 93. Tbr 1X1.2.8,10-11. In this passa: •» accoraint to t, ii^Blitl tV»dic EtymolOicy. 83), a clear stymoloLy and the names of the t^iree Aptyas (representIn^^ collectively the te.1as or Ac,ni of three worlds) a; e given, ihia, however, is not convincing'.. 94. lk£» if t*«47, fn.3. - Iti - 88 concepciont £.kata, Ovlta, and Trita ara of ramote antiquity, whila tba aytha, Mhloh aaka theo danota the three brothera, ara letar craatlona. Tha 4&£ nantiona four foma of /gni, tha thraa Xptyaa (via., Lkata, Dvita and Tritai and A^^ni himaalf. Thara la told an intaraatin^ atory about A^nl v»hich saya that Agni waa fourfold at flrat. Thrice did ha run away from the gods, vihan thay ohoaa hiia for the of flea of hotf prieat, and antarad into watara. Tha gods discovar&d him and brou^it hiia away frum tnare ptir force. A^ni then apat on tna watara, and frc^ Uiam aprani^ tha A^tya dairies, Xrlta, i>vita and £.kata. In this context.fitZillciii^ili ranarka : "Itda evidently la a davalop&ant of tha originally ^igvadic idea o£ Agni runnln^way from tha |,od8 and hiding himaelf in trie waters and hia conaa^uant recovery by Matariavan". however, gtXifi&ftftl^ aeems to ignore the cloae connection between waters ana the Aptyaa, wnich, of course, is the concluaion ot the myth. Tumlnt, to the ritualistic autraa. it may be noted ha Trita waa rapidly sinking, into oblivion. In this coixnaotlon the following long passage^' may be cuotad : ^Uhare, that is, with which rite, indeed, doaa the cooking, of the oblation, 95. 1.2.3.1. 96. KelJKion and Mytholof y of the Brahma^aa. 4* 97. kk 267-8. - 19 - 189 brought Into contact witn brahmen, become iuiiy accomiiliahed?^^ It becoBOfi fully accoopllshad xlth the rite whervin t,h« ff^yaryyk pours out heatea waeh-water for tha Ai^tyaa v»ith ^Katfjjrft yvft^it gvlrViyft pyj^h ^^^^ t'rltaya gvaha, ..no, indaad, is £«k£ita| who Dvltti, and wuo 'i'rita i ;>ome taachars say that thay ara respectively tiie father, tac gr^nd-fatUer ani the great-grand-father. J there say thijt tney repreeant res acti vely tn« earth, the mid-re^on, ana the £ky. Jtill oUit^rs aay thtt they are respectively uie fire, uie ..un, anu the lightning. Some, again, say that ti^^y were three seers with these names. «.hile there have thua been .^^ivcn various anav^ers to the above (;uoation, the ££J|£H3MS^&Q belont,in4, tw our aukha^*^ answers tn«> question as follows i *i 98. The sutrs reads : ^v^ ^ khal^ fafavi^i ^J[}&^ '^FRi^t^^f ? ^^r tyktam. the oubodhini reads pr&ttam. 99. Tht i:i.2.B. - 20 - i30 In rli;uaX, th« M1 pings (JkSLEft^ <^^* oifn |;)Ourea uut for th« Xptyas, "^ Most probsbly, tnis wfe«n-w«ter 1» Ui« riiuftllstle r«pr«8«ntiitlcn af sin or •YIX things associativa with ths /tptyss, In mythoXot^y • Of courss* orli^^lubi reXatlon bstvissn tostsrs etnc ths *ptyas» Is Inhsrsnt tn«r« toj. tHoraovsr, In ths pourlne out heatoci wash-watsr, ths Influsnoe of ths Brshna^le ayth which eonnsots Agnl with ths Xptyas* may bs sssn* It nay bs polntfidi out that, on account of ths unssrtalnty regarding tiis Idsntlfleatlon of Aptya ths position o£ Aptyas sseas to bs uncsrtaln also In ritual. Ihua, a kliiSA P.».C^^^ r..d. . "On. ahottld pour h.at.d w»h. vratsr for ths Aptyas along ths rsar of ths Oarhapatya-flrs. to says iiaudhayana* Sal£kl says that ons should pour It aXong the front of ths Garhapatya firs, leaving a XlttXs dlatanoa. Aupamanyava says th&t one ariOuXa poui^ It sltb^r aXon^ th« front or along ths rsar ai tns oarhapatya>fIra**. IJX. ^ 2«7. Xu2. Loo, s^. - 21 - c^* of, by far, th« moot isportttat of tho alnor gods in Vodio aqrthology it Tv«f|f • ^^'^flf ^' •ontionod •OB« 65 tlMO ia thm {X* "^^ oftto la tho so-oallod lato atrata of the JgTodie ooa^iXatloa, aaaalyt tho flrot and tho twUi Hai^alatt ho la alao la tho fanlly Manjali^, thoui^ raraly ia tho aovonth of tho Vaslf|ha foally aad la tho oiglith* Ho la uaually aald to havo faahloood tho bolt of ladm.^ Ho doTolopod tho gom la tho naah aad lo tho ahapor of aXl fBrao* huua aad aalaal. Ro fonwd a aoH oup for goda.^ Ho gOBoratod Moavaa aad Earth, aad, aoarlahod a groat varloty of eroaturoo.^ Tho Wf^ roforo to flavarupa, tho Tvaa|ra, «dM la aald to havo boon alala hf both Trlta aad Zadra* Ro lo aontloBOd alapXy by tho aaoo Tvaftra la two or thrao othor paaaagoa, la whloh ho la dooorlbod aa rloh la horaoa and eattlo, aad la aald to havo booa doUvorod ovor by ladra to Trlta*^ In tha ^, Vlavarupa, though rolatod to tho Aouraa, U Ri I.52.7. 2. im xa(td.9 ft e. 3. IbJLl 1.20.6. 4« J]M ^•XlO-9, ol«o ZV.42.3, VXll.lOZ.B. 5. X.d, d«9. 6. IX X.76.3. 7. Ibid IX.1U19. 6. II.9.X.X. • X - 1 Q9 ± t> hj !• •pekML •f M PttTohlta ^ th« gods* Za th« KaJubhSrata.^ th« thr*««>hMid«d son of TvA|ft|^ and ^ijtfm art IdoitiMX* Diff«r«Bt •xplaaatioo* hav* baaa effarad of TY«a|f *a original aatura. Tvaatf-Savitjf* Viavarupa - *tlia Oaaifom Makar and Vivlfiar* « waa, aeoordiag to iiggili»^ongiiially ona dlTiaci paraoo* Than tha aiagla but thraa^fold daaignatioa apXlt itaolf Isto throa aoparata oaaa* That aeholar aakat ''Majr not, at ao«a mtraeaabla tlaa, tha thraa naaaa togathar hava boan joint daaariptiva pradieotaa of tha prisaval akjr-fod, Dyaii^ ?** SiadXarly, HUf^tlBdl^ raaarka of Traf^f i tUl that ia 8«id of hi* warraata tha auppoaitioa that wo h«ra bafora ua tha ruina of a largo exola of aytha* whioh, h«riag origiaatod ootaldo of fH triboa, did aot groatly arouao thoir iatoroat** Ha ia atrongly of opiaioa that tho •ythioal eoBoaptioa ia tha ooaorota ono of tha ana* Tharo is ao objaotioa to auggaat that tha otyaology may ba roally froa aoaa aboriginal «c»rd| but, tharo ia ao adoquata roaaoa to ••• ia Tvaat]* aaothar oaaa of a god, who haa ooaa into aaparato axiatanea froa boiag at firat aoraly aa apithat of a aora ooaoroto diviaity,^' Tha poat«Yadia aythology iadood ragarda hia aa aa Aditya, but tbia faet ia of Tory littlo aonaaqawto* 9. V.22 f. 10. 21 2Va. 11. M ^» H^'* ^« c'* MSbt ££H ^^* • 2 • 19-3 MAl^^ ^*^— ^^K ^ ^« • eB*s action, sssa to be referred to by Sayana who renders that god with ths sxprsssionst *£{«tjir JUSSSL'^ »<) *XAjfil-ftil^&Bi-J^ld'^bi&bl^^^ Slallsrly, yumn rsadsrs ^Twarstar*, as *der indolranisohe Bildersott*. U. Rgveda. 111.333-$• lU. M^iiE& JlTfflyfR iXSJeldOliiffiBft* 120. IS. M, II* 237. 16. en |^ I.13.10. 17. gov 2l»0. 18. on R£ ZII.4.9. 19« en |:X X«ld^«9* Re also renders TTas|r with *tvag^ nSnakaagni* (1.13.10) or *22l:j2zS^ j^flsi* (Z.IIM^.IO). 20. **Dsr Indoiranlsehs Blldsnott Twarstar,** Aslatischs Stodijfi (1^), 1954, 79«e4. Cf. MUteMM* i£x£SL*l^l 27t **^.Qaus tasa Is the counterpart of Vedio Tvaf||*.** - 3 - 184 Th« •tjraologleal Moat of Tras^ ••«» olaar: it !• fonnd froD tht root tvaka,^ «hloh has a parallaX la ATita. aaA iihleh hat tha awiaa, *to faahlon*, Ilka tha nomaX taky. It is la thla rwf aansa that SM^ST •^l***^** ^^?H with *Craft8Baft8hlp*, itfiiah, aaeordlag to hlB| la tha flrat aaoog tha thraa aovaralgn ^rinolplaa of thla %iorXd« But thla la obvloualy meh laaa Ilkaly thaa tha ansgaatloa of TTaatr balng a graat araatlva powar. Thua Mm oooaldara *Tiraa^arS aa *aiii altindlaahar Sehopfargott* • Aftar having darlvad tha word tvaaty froa *taky. that aeholar uadaratanda Tvaa^ aa a fartlllty«ganlua« Aooordlag to hla, tha original aaturt of T^ftftr waa that of aky^god, raapoaaibla for tha eraatloa of tha ttorld. habw ha baoaaa a fartlllty-god aad god of handloraft* JMfV f^ithar polats out that tha paopXaa of Sataa*group had a alalXar vlaw ragardlng eraatloa aa a haad-araft aetlTlty, partleularly, tha ifood*«ork* At thla ataga, it nay ba polntad out that Traatr ia aoaatlaaa ragardad aa balag orlglaalXy a pra-Aryaa dlYlalty« Howarar, bafora dlaeuaalng Traatr la datalXt It %iould ba haXpfuX to tum to tha eoaaldaratloa of Tlavarupa who la cloaaXy eonaaetad with tvaatr* • •• 2x. UL mum isasA iSwHfgMVi ill tifmtfti»^nffrT§ 22, g£ X23-25. 23* "Tva8|ar, aln aXtiadlaohar iehopfargott**, £j^ Spraaha I, 6d.77. • 4 • 195 gjmijffgpjli^ «ho bold* that Visvarupa rcprMMts tiM •POB in its hoatilt «sp«et» !• unabl« to «xplaim MtisfMtorSljr tha Rgvadie rtfartoeM to Vitvarupa* Rogordliig tte aasa of VitTarupa, tfHjgMU ' rolatt out that, aa a fathar traaaaita hla q\ialltlfla to hia aon, hia aaaa ia alao oooaaieaaUy traaafarrad, aoaathiag Ilka a Bodani auraana* Thua, aooordias ^ filStffiiiUitf Viovarupai aa apithat of Tvaa|ry baeoata tha propar aaaa of hia aoa* Slallarly, j,tJU|^ alao aagrai *Aa Tva|t|r la hlaaalf ealXad aora oftaa than aay othar sad Vlavarupa, it la dlffleult aot to ouapaot that tha eoaaaxloa of TYaa|r with flavarupa la dua to tha alaHarity of naisa, aad it la parhapa h«ioa that th«ra arlaaa tha hoatllity hatwaaa Tvaatr oad Xadra** Howrrar, aalthar MjtjfltM^j aor |||||^ haa baaa abla to aatabXlah tha axaet eharaotar of Vlavampa* SagiSm ' haa aoatrlbutad aa iataraatlag artlela MI Vlavarupa* Aceordlag to hia, Tlavarupa waa origlBallT a aarpaat daity of tha elaaa latar atylad aa Magaa* Vlavarupa la aa appalativa aad alludao to hla poitftr ovor eattla aad Ita prooraativa aetivltlaa* Thua, aaeordiag to Iggggyt VlSTam^a aisaiflaa nothlag but *praaldlag orar, prooraatlag tha whoXa aainal craatioa, all aaiaal ahapaa** la ooeaactioa with tha origiaal 24. Qp.oit.. 531»§, 29. M ^2* 27. "VlaYarupa**, BSOS VI i^69«M| alap aaat hla Trlta IptTa. Dppaaala, 1927* - 5 - isg •IgBlfleans* of th« V«di« dlviaityi VlSTiirap«f « r«fMr«M« 1« soMtttiBM Mid* to th« throo-lioniod cod with throo faeos «ppo«rlng oa Znduo ooolo. |ftff||| ouggotto that tho doity •o roprooMitod lo, porhapo, T¥astr«| tbo throo«ho«dod l^jry^uMny^ prloot «iho WM klllod toy Indra and Trlta* Ma rafart to tha lagand of AYaatan Aal Dahaka daaapitatad bj Thraatona* In jftUll** oplalon, tha Avaataa oountarpart of tha Vadio agrth aay auggaat that TTaa|ra alao lika Ail TDahaka, had aaaa afflllatloiiai tha R^nradla atory pailiapa alliMiaa to tha atibjaetion of a pra«Aryaa euXt by Indra and Trita* Thla aatura of Viavarupa la, honarar, not raflaetad in Vadle aythology* (For, thara, tha Viavarupa*Iadra eonfliot haa baon glTan a dlffarant fom*) Bagardlag tha original natara of ViaYarupa, tha v&aM put forth by ^flMfiVt UtiSM* ^'^ JSliMlk **** ^ point to tha right diraation* Lika TTaatj*, Viavarupa alao waa a pr%m Aryan divinity of tha Kagaa. Whan the pra*Aryana ovaraoBO toy tha Aryaaa, thia hlatorieal faet eaaa to ba raflaetad in tha ayth of Yiavantpa hiiVing baan oTareoaa by Indra* At a further ataga in tha Trastr-Viavarupa mythology, Tiavnropa cane to ba regarded aa Tvaatr*a aon* and, later» waa identified with Vrtra. Thia waa followed by the etaga of 2«. I8IH a4-6. 29. SSH^^ ^ '• . 6 - 197 NaturaliMi* A« f«r «• th« stas* of RaturallM, la this eonttxt, it eoaetmod, SHSMJ^^ **7 ^* '*^<^ ^ ^'^^ brovglrtk out VisYarupaU eharMttr, as r«pr«i«it«d in th« V«di« aythology eorrsetly irtiin h« stiyat **iui to VioYarupa, a aoBStor with throo hoada, «hieh aro all atruok off by Ziidr«« ho eloarly roproaonta tho 'oaaifom* olotida, i4iieh nay woU bo tho offoprlng of tho aky rogardod aa a aallgnaiit boing, an oTil •agieiaa." Thua, lator on, «i\on Xndra boeaaa tho rain ed, and V|^ra tho eloud-daann, VloYarupa alao waa ooneolTod ao a doBon llko Vrtra. Ao polntod out aboiro, Traotr, tho dlYlno arehltoet, io eoneolTod aa tho ganorator of tho osnlfom anlaal world* Ria oapaoity to protfoeo vailod forao and eolouro la oxprooood with tw^ ¥ia¥arupa. In thla conaoetloo, iQSUm^ oayot "Tvaatr vat) origlaally a dolty of agrloultural trlboo, to whom waa attrlbutod ^o laportant funotlcui of aupor-lataadiag tho oroatlvo aetlYitlaa of tho horda." Thua •Ooalfora* la not only in aaaao of aaaiualng all foraa, but of giving thaa, boing» la KiHlf *• worda, tho aroh«typo of all fonw. "^Aftf ia aaid to bo tho firot^bom (ainra.1a) and ono who gooa boforo*^' Thia ia, aooordiag to IfMtfBBtMi^^ rathor iadoflalto < 30» QP*clt.2^0. 31. "Vlavarupa", BSOi> VI.l>.69«^. 52, osf, qootod by lilUtot oP'Cit*» ^M. 33. RI IX.5.9. 34. &£•£&&• ^^7. - 7 - 1S8 trait, ifhleh thipiit no light on TT«|t|**a ebaraetar. On tlia baakground of tha original natura of Tvaa^^, auggaatad abofa, hoiwvari it nay ba aaid that MJ^MM** I'*"*''!' oannot ba aeoaptad* Thua, baeauaa of Tvaa|f*a oraativa aganoy in tha noaib, ha la aaid to hava faahienad huaband and idfa for aaah oth«r from tha «arib«^* InoidantaXly, tha tiord viavarupa ocoura in tha ^£ in varioua eontaacta, Thna Brhaapati ia eaXlad Yiavarupa ]^ajbh§«' Thia apithat of 6| 35. RJ 1,10.5. 56. Ilsli 111.62,6. 37. fi!l, on tha aaid j^^. 3t. ^I III.56.3. 39. IMl VI.U.3» W>. fiE.Sli« ^9-<0. a. RV X.169. . d • 199 I3e) llk«^olour«d CaTttDfth). Tarlott«-4ni«d (vlrwih). «i4 tiagl^* coloured (•kTUMl|i) on«a u*« spolctn of in a tliigl* rj(« Th« *oeBifoni« tigwpf/ot tht Bull is d««erib«d In tb« «l»^^ Furtbar, th« •plth«t mm ui«d la ralatioa to ethor aniffiaXa tee* Thue, tht * dappled^ goat poaeeaead toy Indra aad P»aaD la rafarrad to aa HSZSSiBft* ^*A a eharlot la aald to be 3liZS£HCi« There alao oeeure a reference to tiaTarttoa •aia>^ Aa haa been aald already, the ereatlon of tbe aiii«al« world of Yaried eoloura la aaerlbed to TTa^|>. He la aaid to be the creator of vlaTarupa*belnga« At thla atage, hoifever, the tern Ylayarupa algBlfiad not only the varied eoloura, but the varied ferae alao* Aeeordlng to JMiiiffafCTif v|»varSpa Maana «the whole naalfeeted world of fom*. Zt la aald in the f£ that, *'Tvaatr, the God, the Vlavarupa Creator, begeta and feede offeprlnga*^'* Moreever, a paaaage readat "Sven in the woiib Ood Tvaa||', Vlavarupa Creator, aada up oonaorta."*^' It la aald that Indra proteeted the eattle of Vlevarupa Tvaft|^.^' Thla latter trait, of courae, refers to the Aryaniaed eharaeter of Tvaatr. 42. llU3$.k. 43. Ri 1.162.2. U. ^I X.85.20, I.35.4. 49. Ibid X.67.10. 46. TniTirltffii '*- ^7. ZZI.55.19* 4a. RT X.10.9. 49. 11 Z.0.9. • 9 - ha V 2-C C Th« word Tirae^i' la fn^oyad one* in tlit l^^ to d«Bot« « *eurp«it«r*, with • (l«Iieat« play on tha Q«ia of th* god Tvaat^* Ha la thara nantloaad aa ualog an axa (avadhiti) to faahioA (fron wood) *a ifall<-nada fona* (rupaa f^jtkytaa). Xneldantally, tha i^^ rafara to Yiavarttpj Dhanup which ia uadaratood hy filUtUft ** *^^* parfaet oo«*« i*o far aa tha praaantatioa of Tva||ra Viavarupa ia tha 22 ia eoaeamad, a rafaraaoa say firat of all ha aada to tha folloviiig ayth: **ViaTariipa, aon of Traatr, waa tha doaaatie priaat of tha 0oda, and tha aiatar*a aon of tha Aauraa. He had thraa haada, ona vhldi drank Soita, oaa Sm^. and ona whieh ata food. Ha promiaad opanly tha ahara to tha goda, aaeratly to tha Aauraa. Nan proniaa opanly tha ahara to ovary onat if thay pronlaa any ona aaoratly» hia shara la ladaad proniaad. Tharafora Zndra «aa afraid (thlakind)^ «Sueh a ona la divarting tha aotraraigaty (frea aa)*. Ra took hia holt and aaota off hia haada. (Iha haad) whleh drank Soaa haeaaa a haaalooek| (tho haad) whieh droak Sipaa a aparrowf (tha haad) whloh ata food a partridga.'^ 50. nz.3.33. of. IH9M, Tr%ftflfn 51. IV.H.d. 52. :^ ix.5.1-2, i;^, ni.io, i^ II.4.1. . XO - 2G Thi* X«s«ii^ Is foundtd on th« last thr— jflst o' ^* •Igfetli hyHi in th« ttath Maydlft of tho R£. Tho tttuaX rtndwiiig of tlio ||g^ oo&oomod to ao followsi **Through his wlso insight Trits in ths osTorn, sooking as srsr tho Chisf Sirs*s intsntion, earafully tsndsd in his HrsntU bosom, ealllag tho wsapoas kin, csss forth to eoMbat, i^aXl-akllXsd to uss tho wsapons of his Fathsr, Iptya, urgsd on hy Indra, fovilit ths battls« tho Trita slow tho fos 8ov«a<»raysd, thros hssdod, and frosd ths oattlo of ths Son of Tvasif, Lord of ths braTS, Xndra olsft his in pisoss who sought to gain MKh strsngth and dssnsd hin nii^ty. Rs snots his thrss hsads fros his body, ssiaing ths eattls of tho Onnifors Son of Tvaalf," Bsfors going to tho intsrin'statioa of thsss yjg. it n^r hs notsd that thsy havs nothing to do with ths sarli«r portion of tho hym which is dsdisatsd to Agni* Scholars, aeoordingly, find it diffieult to intsrprst ths |>js£ satisfaetorily* As 2KMU^ ^^ shown, Indra, originally a human horo, was dspietsd, latsr on, as ths rain-god* On this baskgrsund. It nay bs pointsd out that tht ^fist t>nd«^ eonsidsration prssupposs Indra as ths rain«god* Ssoondly, ssholars ars eonfussd as r^ards ths sxaet naturs of Trita* 53. 'nri^raha Indra", ABORI XXII, l-fj* . U - 9 09 QiMM*'^^ for 9xmpl9, sayst **S» atehtn sleh hl«r vl*Il«leht t««l Trlta g«g«iub«r*** It has baan shotooi that Trita Aptya was original rain-god of tha Rgvada and was latar auparaadad by Itttfra in tha ooursa of tha airolution of tha Indra-e^thology. Turning baek to tha r^ undar conaidaratlon, it nay ha Mtatf that thay spaak of tha phraomanon of rains. Tha *savanHrayad foa* danotas nothing but a big cloud acooapanlad by tha rain bow. As indieatad abova, in tha Mahabharata. tha thraa-haadad son of Tvss|r and Trtra ara raprasantad aa baing idantloal. Tha *thraa haads* nay ba aaid to suggaat tha thraa dinantlona of tha elottd* Tha cowa balonging to Viavarupa Traatr, nay raprasant aithar tha aarthly eows satiafiad with tha rains, or, tha sun-raya aftar tha rain ia ovar* Howarar, in TV, tha raaota eoneaption underlying tha word visvarupa %iaa obseurad, and, nythology was davalopad around tha r]£8 diaeusaad abova* On aeoouDt of sueh a forgottan *figura* of Viavarupa, tha Ty aaaMS to asariba an intansadlata poaition to bin, Thua, ha ia aaid to ba tha dosaatia priaat of tha goda, aa wall as, ths 8istar*s son of tha Aauraa« 4S SiOif" points out, tha idaa that a god dalivars fron a oonstar tha eows of tha clouda lAio ara lapriaonad in tha mountain gorga, ia found in tha B^tha of Indra and Visvarupa, Haraklaa and Caryonas, Harottlaa and Casus* '<»• S£: Rgvada III 131. 55. |& 192. - 12 « 90^ 2 t.'3 Zn th« X}^, ho«9v«r, tht word visyTupag «• an •plth«%, oeeatfionalXr p««p0 !&• For oxanplo, in any saeriflco tho offielatlng prlott la aajolnad to tcko olariflod tuttar alxod ifith aoiir ourda, wiUit ,tyffnyo»l n»^ySp««P ^i'^f^n SiSSsA •Mdt **Tou ara « light that woara all foxma and ficttratf aanrlag tha gaiiar«l hoat of Goda aa klndlar?^" Fuithar* tha aplthat irlavrupa ia alao i^>pliad to tha *Ha«van and lartb*'^ and to Idltya, tha Sua.'^ It la, Boraovar, iataraatiiic to aa« how, in tha fbllowlag paaaaga, tha raaota eoimaotioii batwaan tha word Tiavarupf and tha aalaala la aat In tha frasawork of Bythologjr: "Vlavarupa, tha aon of Traat^, voaltad tha anisalai tharafora, tha aalnala ara vl8vartt|>a*'.'^ Traatr appaara to ha a particular paraonallty la tha paathaoii of tha Brahwanaa. Rla aon, Vlavarupa, la aald to hava baan alaln hy ladra idio on that aeeeunt la axeludad hy 61 hla froa Soaa. Ha la alao raportad to hara praetlaad a 62 ayatle rlta on ladra* Elaawhara, aa polatad out above, ha la daaoribad aa a prlaat of tha goda, though originally a 56. la V.350. 57. JbJi 11.19.2. 59. D^ xiii.ua. 99. m, xn.10.3. ^0. cf. fimfitoiMt Mifiisft mSL nm^iftg 2! s^ yriliffiTiffTi ^71* 61. SS£ 1.5.1-10, lis V.4.6,2l«. 62. 0|£ 11.5.6. - 13 - 20 A relation of the ASUTM* R« IS ftlao said to mio ov«r all living eraaturaa and fashion couplas of aninals*^^ Hs is also daserlbsd as a haaXor and a dispansar of boons, tha first to hava faahionad tha shaap, and as tha divinity for «lion tha ran la slaughtarad.^ Tha Tiotin «nd tha ataka ara said to balong to his: ha haa also tha aitravinda oblation of farad to him along with aoMa othar daitias.^' AS poiatad out abova, tha BriJ^Mwaf r9t^ar to tha fact that Zadra killad tha thraa-haadad aon of Tvaa^r, nanaly, Viavarupa. Tha |B£ ' has tha folloifiog passagat ^^rita, Drita, and Bkata reaKod about with Indra* • •%fhan ha alaw Viavarupa, tha thraa-haadad aon of Traa^, thajr alao know of hia soing to ba killad; and straightway Trita slaw hia. Zndra, aSBuradly, was fraa froa that (ain)» for ha ia a god." thua, tha Braha^ haa davalopad furthar tha Yaiurvadic nqrth* Tha aaaa Brahyana. alaaahara, attaapta at atymologiaine tha word, YlsTarupa thust "traa^ had a thraa«haadad, aix-ayad son. Ha had tbraa aouths; and baaausa ha waa thiia ahapad, hia naaa 63, Igi: III,7.3.7. 6ii., iic VI.1.4.5. 65. n£ IIZ.7.3.7, ef. fiMiliM^f op.eit.,172. 66. SgE 1.6.3.2, i^ m.2d, Tan-Br XVII.5.1, ifiE V.5.4.3. 67* I.2.3.2. 6#« Z*6.3*l* aaq«V.5*4.2 aaq. - 14 • 203 was Visvarup* (UII-shapcM". MoraovM*, th« p«euliar eonnaetloB b«t«Mi«t th« tern *Tl«T«rup«* and the eow, or animals in ganiral, la rafarrad to la tha followliig aaerificial foraula: jJba i^J tjayiatu viavarSpl /. ^ Tha eosnantator axplaina tha fonnttla aat Itmlya Jaaaaai viiivarSyl abova, tha aaeond Atabar of tha oospound viaTarSpa la orlsiaa* llf eonoaetad idth Tvaa^* In tha alngla ^anyaka rafaranca to Tvastr, that god la eonnaetad with oha-goat. la thia eonnaetloa tha ilBgla rafaraaoa to ti^^flr oeeurlns in tlio DpaBi|ade, la algalfleant. Tha Br^ffp^^ aajai t?aa|a rSpanl plaaattt. In ritual also, Traat^r'a eonaaetlon with oraatloa la oftan rafarrad to. Thua it la aald that Tvaatr and Prajapati ara tha dlvinltlaa of an uneaatratad bull.' So, on tha ooatrary, (tha uneaatratad ona balBg praaidod ovar by Tvaati*,) an offering of old bull la aada to Tiraatr,'^ If a bull baeoaaa l^;>otaat in raspaet of eewa. Moraovar, la a aaerlfiea to ba offered to aeeure eattle'^ or progenyi'' a Yadaba la offered 69. IH: 1.2.1.21. 70. li III.10.3, 71. VI.4.21. 72. |K 8t6. 73 • IHl SS6. 74. IMd MB. 75. Ibil «d9. - 15 - 2oe to traetr* In thU eofui«ctloa, it nay bt aottd that vadaba it a horaa on IAOB, OYaa though it is a aala, another horao •ounta. This syabol of vadaba nay indicata tha original ^araotar of Tvaatr aa tha Craator, on tha linaa of prinordlal Puruaa or latar Ardha-narl«aataavara« In this eontaxt, it may also ba pointed out that in tha fatnlaaiiyaiaa. in tha •antraa «hieh aeeoapany tha offering to Tva8t|r, reference ia Bade to all (aarva or yjaya) rupaa. thua, f.a.i tvaatub ahaa 4fy«^y^.lT§yi UEmk ripi?i p#*¥i*f mssuB^n or. nastjih aanidh^ rupanan adhjpata^/. £;i«llarly, in Uia eeraMonial preparation of the Ottara*vedi, the AdhYaryu, atanding towarda the aaat of Uttara«vedi, ia enjoined to aprinkle it with the prokaaial-water idth: tjsata ^ fw^t^ MBi£lS|ii Battt •' Further, the eoneept behind the expreaaion •lava rypf aeewi to be underatood to be that of *all Uie aanae-organa* in a rite oeeurrins in the ratni«aa»yaiaa. in %dkieh the perfonaer ia enjoined to touch all the aenae-organa in the body witht !§£ ££SiSi mxm ilB IffUJ^^^fr ^fff^M eoiapound •iiYampa. hoMvert alao aeena to be rendered with *of variegated colour*, in ritual* For exanple, in an 76, 3;bi4 W9. ??• Ibfd U3. n. Ifeil 7«2. 79. Ibii k2k. - 16 - 207 •xpUtory rit« eonotrBliie the Tupa, wltht tw^jj at dalwait vacah. on« is «iJoiii«d to of far to Tvastr an aalaal of Yarlagatod eolour*^ Paivya •ao. howoTor, eoonoetod horo with Traatr, aoasia to bo arbitrary. Fuxthtr, to uadorataad proporljr a&othor ritualiatie eonaetatlon of tlio Tiavanipa^noaa. lot ua roeall the following Brahaa^o otyBologyt "Tvaatr bad a throo- hoadody aixooyod ooa* Ho had throo •outbai and boeanso ho nao thus shaped, hie naaw vas Vlavarupa.** On this baokground, it nay be tmderataadable lihy one ia enjoined to receive eaaele, as a sacrificial fee, %dthi tvaayro. further, in the ratnlea&ra.laf • the southern direction is found to be oonneeted with lYteftr.^' Taking into consideration the faet that that direction, ritualistieally, is suppossd to be Inaspidous, it Bay be said that its eonneeti«i with tvastr indicates the letter's noa^Aryaa origin* A siailar eleaentary trait ia the Tvastr-oyvhology, nanely, the eonetruetion of a new SoMa«ou|>, •ay be said to have been expressed, in ritual like the ra^[sa&ya,1fB. throuift the close ommeetiOB between Tvas^r and SoBa* ^ Regarding the stage ia the dofelopneat of the TYast|>«Biythology represented in the Srauta-sufras. it may be said that that god was considered in no way less iaportaat ^. Ay. Fray, cf• iji «6l. dl. See fn, 66 . a. iji 965. 43. Ibid 4U, U4, 416. 04. Ibid Ul, 4U, U6. - 17 • thaa other V«dio divlaltlM together with «lio« he reeeivee offerlnge, for exaaple, mong^ the offerings aade on Fanrea* days, by a %»ldo«« ' There m^ however, sose references to Tvas^r, in the Jr»iita«Stttras. nhioh are rather difficult to eaqplain, on the baek-grouid of the Tvastr-ogrthoioey developed earlier. Thus, if the saerifioial post falls down before the conelusioB of ths sacriflee, an oblation is nade with.., • • . aA tvastre svaha /, Poss the saerifioial post or its steady foundation refer to the artisaaship in iiood<-«orlc eonneeted earlier with TTas|r ? Siailar qusstioa aay bs asked about an expiatory rite, which is to be perforMod if the sainayya veesel leaks, and in which, tocether with ether divinities, Tvastr also is referred to in the nantra to be reeited in acoompanioent of the rite. Incidentally, it is interesting to note thtt Tva8t|p*s nssM is assoeiated with the Janadagnya Bhrgus, one of whose pravaras is said to be Tvastreya. A Ortiva-sutra signifieantly refers to the original connection of Tvas|r with fertility. There, in the ease of mis»earriage or abortion, the officiant is enjoined to rub off the stomach, fron tdie navel of the woaan upwards, thriee with: ^« 1^ 1069, «A6. 06. £L.TskL'4jk «6l. §7. || U6. . Ig . 9 0 Q 20 riWfffffXi ^ifW»ff^Tiiri^i/«^ "^hu* th« fixing up of th« fo«tu« —mm to bo aoeribodl to Tv««|r. kXtto tho lattor half 0^ ^« »a»trf BOOBS to bo Tory oignlfiooat in thio eontoxt* But, In tho oxpiatory rito to be porformod if a doughtor roeaino unaarriod oron aft or twolvo yoam of aco» tlioufb Tvaotr roGoivoo oblation, it ia iidthout aueh oignlfloaaeoi bocauao, in that rito, many othor divinitioe roeoivo oblations eido by sido«^ Tho 0|'^a'»sutras. oceaaionally, also rofor to tho omniforft eroation, nanely, viSYanitpa^noss of Tvastr. tho Par.G.,^^ tor oxanplo, spoaks of Trastf*s oTor-lordship in rolation to tho rnpas. In this oontoxt, it stay bo pointod out that according to tho Jan«0., tho offorings to Tvastr should be nado undor tho Citra eonstsllation,' Of eoureo, this suporiBposod eonnoeticm nay bo said to havo originatod in tho rond^ring of the ojcprossion visvarupa with oitry (variogatod, darpled, *all*form*, otc), and not in his so^callod^^ original naturo as tho prosiding divinity of tho Citra eonstollation. «9, lfe^,Q> 1.22. ^« Kath«G H2.7. 91. I.5.10. 92, Z.26a2. 93* Soo fn« !!»• - 19 - 210 lie IB g«B«r«Xa it may b« said that, lika tha irattta«atttraa> ^* Ort>y-«tttraa alae aaaa to kaap tha godhaad of Traatr la lhiet» inaaaiieh aa thoaa taxta ordain offariaga to T^aati* at da by aida with thoaa to othv Tadia deltiaa.^ Tha iMs^^ raf ara to Viavarupa in tha Sandhyo»pSTfmi rlta %fhleh la to ba parforaad daily. Tbara, tha parforaar ia Mjolnad to pray, faoing towarda tha north, withi rtaa •m3& Msm >rfffam mp^ak }^f^§s6imSLm I h^sms&m nilff&fglffi y^ff^«'r?P«yf Xil WP^ /• Tha apithat j^y^p^mlli •ay be cooparad with tha axpraaaion vJaYarupa rafarrad to abova* Tha apithat Tirupfikaa nay ba aaid to hava baan baaad on tha rafaranca to tha aix ayaa of Viavarupa, mantionad aarliar* 94. For axaapla, aaa Vaikh.G. (^ 1057)• Tha ralationahip ondarlying tha aantrat tvaatf t|p|^^^ fxtm tha paaca«^otr formula (Vaikh.O.-SK 1059)/howayar. aaama diffiouli to ba axplainad* 95. 11.6.8, • 20 • mtmasL Th« |lbhu8 artt ptrhapo the aost iaportnat anon^ th« Minor diTliiiti«0 of the Voda. Llttvon entire hymns in the ^^ are dedicated to the i.ubhue. They are s I.2u (Medhati^i Ka^va), I.Xlo-111 (Ku^a ^n^raea), I.X61 (ulrghatanaa), III. to {ViavMdtra}, XV.33-37 (Vaaadeva Ootamti), and VXI.46 (Vaaiffha). The Kbhus are also mentioned over a hvuidred timea iii that Vedfi imoetly in the fourth if^ffp^aXaJ. Tne vtord ubhukfan oocura in the nV (about 32 tisea) and atanda either for all the Rbhua eolleetively or for one among the three. AV mentions the igLbhua only eight times in seven byama, but adda very little to vdiat haa been aaid i»bout their eharaeter in the HV. In describing the deeds of the {Cbhua* the same phraaea are repeated in the Veda, aomtotimes %iith very minor verbal variations. The ij\ihM» are three in nuab«iir ana arc oiten referred to collectively. iiut attempts are also maae to dia;;iu£,ui8h taem from one another in various ways. For instance, they are regarded aa three brothers and arc then characterised as the eldest (Jyef^a). younger (jiftnixfit' ^'^^ ^''* youni^est (lya&if VMi •' 1. 1.111.4, I61.6i IV.33.3.9; 34.15 3t.3,6, 2. ^V IV.33.5 - 1 - 213 lh« thr«« ^jT th«m ara also giv«u inalvlaunl n«Bi«8 &6 ^ibhu or ^bhukfan, VSJA axKi Vibhu 3r Vibhvan.^ A^ the etme tia«, th« t>lurel form of aach of these thrca mmeik la aoitiloyttd to danota tha thraa nbhus collactivaly.^ Aoothar way in wnieh individual ^^bhus are distinguished frun one anothar la thair special aaaociation with diffarant Vauic 4,od0 -> of Vaja with ViavedaTas, of (ibhukfan with Xndra ana of Vithvan with Varuna.^ Howevar, coXIaotivaly, thay are aaaoeiatad with Xndra, both in mythology ana ritual» ao that Indra ia aometiaea rafarrad to aa ybhuaat. and ybfauathira. ubhua are tn« sona of ^udhanvan, and ara, tharefora, eallad baudiianvana^. At fiva placas, thay ara rafarrad to aa aavaaah naoata^i. ana, at ona placa,' aa manoh naoataH^. Tha noat coamonly etlabratad aehiavacent of tha ^tbhua ia that thay won laeBortality on account of thair 3* It Aay ba noted that only ttbhu and Vaja ara found nenti^Miad togathar In tan i^asaagaa, a.g., I,lXX.4,5i liX.tKii.&{ iv.34.3,4t>; 3S3} 3fc.2,4,7. 4* It may ba r&eaXled that tnt: two bavins are aonetinae individualXy rafarrad to aa Daara and Nasatya, whila tha dual foraa of thaaa names, namely, Daarau an«i Naaatyau will denote the two Aavina. 5. HI XV.33.9 } lij£ davanoaft^t^jyfi^ fy^^^n^e^i^c^^sy^ II^liyLfi 6. I.161.14; XV.34.6} 35.1,6j 37.4. ?• X11.6J.3. - 2 - 213 U 3 •xploltt relating to the horse> eharlot, and cow (^V. III. 6vj.3); relating to tne COM (IV .33.4} i reXatlnt^ to the cow ana. the GUi^ (IV.36.4if ancl rftlatinij, to the caamaft (1.16, I.16X.2^ IV.35.2,3). Their miracuXoua deeds are nentionea £t various places. There are only scanty reTeronces in the ^j^ to tiie physical features and other equijpient or tue ^bhua. All thixt we can gather is that tiiey are sunlike in appearance ana are driven in a chariot. The oorrespondenoe between the ^bhus and Asvinau is, however, unBietakeble. The most outstanding characteristic of the personality of the Kbhus is that they are skilful artisans. The following are soaie of their promint^int exploits : Having taken the Beaaureaent ^TftlHIiiflllt'* ^^ ^^* ^^^^ of Tvaf^f, the ^jibhus nade it foiurfold. However, it was not done out of aroganoe.^ Even Tva^^pf was plettaed with the aehievenent of the ^bhus. Secondly, rejuvinstion of parents also is an exploit of the ^ibhus. The parents, who were 12 lyin^ still like sseriiicial postf, were rejuvinated by the 8. ^^1.20.6} 1.110.3} i.i6i.2{ IV.35.3 i smajmama^ imja 9. ^V I .»»xte 161.1 : M JE^BA^^ S£!iSiB M M^^K^^ 10. ^V IV.33.6. 11. UV i.2>^.4{ i.110.6. 12. ^V IV .33.3*"*** tf. also IV.3^.3. t)21 4 4 /V 13 ^bbut, '' Of courft«, nothing mor« can be expecttd by par«nts froD sons. ^ Third aiiraeulous dsod of the libbus is that thsjr oreatad OOM out of hlda. ^ With tua halp of soaa eontrlvanea ilMfifixi^* ^^^^y >B«da (pjaiiati) tha hida (oaraa^J full with fX«ah (BI^ or fiSilifiJ* <>'* oovared tiia cow Mlth hiaa and re-unit«d tha mothar with oalf. ^ Furthar, tha iibhua, 'with thair Bind*, also fomod horsaa 'harnaasad by a v«ord*, for Indra. 17' Parhapa, thara was alraady ona horaa and aaothar was Ifi to ba fashiooad. Lastly* thoy wrou^t 'a li^ht ear aovin^ avary way* for tha two Naaatyas.^ Tha chariot saaea to ba that which is said to ba faahionad purhapa by Vibhva. It ia dascribad as horsalaea, rain-la as, ana thrae-whaalad rollina; 21 round thti firmaaant. It is claarly atatad that tha ^bhus 22 won ionortality on account of Uieaa ax^loita. 13. fi I.X1G.6 I ij^xii jQoi&ii £jLtji£i ss^^simk* 1$. ^V I.llO.S; Z.1617, 10} III.63.2{ IV.33.4; IV.30.4* 16. KV 1.11^.8. 17. ^i I.2J.2-3. 18. aa ia inaicatt»d by u^ 1.161.3 s aaudhanvanah aavat #8vaia atakyata. 19. ^V 1.20.2-3. 2-». 1^1 IV.30.5. 21. ij.V IV.36.1. 22. ^V iii.U).3; IV.33.4, 36.4J 1.16; 1.161.2; IV.35.2-3. - 4 - 215 ^li^*> ^^* <^^u&« glv«a to the thr«« eel««tlal urtiaanti, is traditionally dariveu front j^- * ^bhu. litarally, *(MI« vao canaa into baing through f^jr'* 1^ Is <^1*^ axplainad aa SiDi- • ^J2fei» lltarally, *ai»in6» widaly'.^ But aa Xnn^^ pointa out, thara ia no vocalic oorraspondanoa batwaan f and yrur in Old Indo-Aryan. Any way* thaaa two atyBolO|sia& givan in tha Mln^Vi ara farfatchad. QCiillifiB*^ •l^lUBk:;ft8^>^^ ate, hava darlvad tha word fron Vr&bh (•• to ^aap, to taka hold of). The word is thua rightly ralatad to tha Garaan word Arbait (« work; akilful work), ana tha charactar of tiia hbhua aa artiaans ia Uiaraby sought to be confis^Mid. It nay ba incidentally added th£it the word rbhu ia lini^uiatically conuac- tadi^® also with »Elbe», 'alf* (• a kind of inferior spiritual being). If not lint«,uiatieally, this ia mythologically important, for, it indicates a stage in the evolution of the character of the Kbhue« l^bh<^yfi« ie rendered as ybhuiniS^ ra.la. ^ which indicates that the word is to be understood as fbhu • i^tj^X. (* J&fA* *t^ rule»), V^i going back to Xndo-Luropean iiJMii)" *to acquire auUiority*, Or. ktaoctai *I acquire, X poaaaaa*. 23. Iji£ XI.16. 24. ML J-i.15. 25. iii^OY. 106. 2^. wofterbucfa. 27. h9nffr^u9<^> 26* Cf. Wacdoneli. M. ^34. 29. ijil XI.3. - 5 - 216 slfoj^,^^ following Tatka, IdantilTies the ^bhua >«ith i^t rays of tba Sun, ^tM^]|iC^ accapts this Identification and axplbins th« daada of tba Hbiiua aa f ollowa i Ona Q£ tha ^bhua broui^ht vratar from balotv to Uia crip^ad oun* Aaothar laada tha eloud full %dth it, or fillad it with watar %(ith the help of ecKse contrivanoa. The third ona avaouatad or aMptied tha contents of the cloud. This way thay aarvad tha haavan and tha aarth - tha parents. According to i^JlMji^JIftCi in the paaaa&a: niacaraaipa ybhavo gaaapinaata." wa aliould und^ratand the 5un by ;:he i^ord S2t anJ the cloud by the word carman. Further, the story of the creation of & horaa from horsa,^^ alludes to tha raya aapttclally of the morning Sun, wnich get multiplied swiftly, tha hbhua, on deification, took seats xith Indra and ware offered tha Soma. Naturally, four cupa of the Soma had to be kept ready. Thia la how, according to ^[)ilSilitCi ^^* niracle may ba explained. Another form of the thaory, according to Mhich the Kbhus are identified with Sun'a raya, is lut forth by some scholara. According to ^^§)|^ for instance, tha F,ibhue did not merely rajreaent the raya of Sun generally, but the three aaaaona, aa conneeted with them. On the other hand^ 30. OR ^ 1.161.11-13. 31. "The ilbhua" JSxihAS >.XU (11). 81. 32. av. I.11J.8. 33. I.tl 1.161.3. 34. Orion. 167. - 6 - H< J. t in conn«otion with th« •jtploit of th« ^bhue relating to U\% eh&riot, it is su^estttd^' that the ohftriot may be identilied with oloud, and iva three whetXa with li^a^ning, ixind, and irapour. Farther, the four cupa of the ^bhu-aytholoi^ are four ponde of the four Quarters, in which thti water is aeattered away by the Sun-raya. Similar interpretation of the |bhu«> aythology is offered by ^M&ftfi&iCXi* ^^ ^^^^ * ^^'^ e^rery atage of tranafomatioa (of water) in every arcn of the fima- ment, it i& the Saudhanvanaaf {ibhu, Vibbvan, and Vaja, i.e., in colour,tfound, and i^war, uuo n&tM^ ereation witn the renewala of the productivity of time aa tiie year ('aanvataara'- vataa^ rati vataaral^) out of the raya of li£^t with their inherent maveaent, colour, ami aound". T^e naturaliatic interpretation of tho ^bhua, however, cannot be accepted^ There are few references indicating their connection with Sun-rise,^' and as such, a naturalistic interpretation of their personality cannot have »uch aif r^ixi- eanoe, taking into account very large mass of other evluenoe, indicating some dear act of workmanship on their part, which poets aeem to be clearly visualising, there bein^ soee 35. cf. jiaxaii. "{^feto^ rhmr^ sm»foft"» ^* ^ «>),i65. 36. VedfilMkeif 12. 3?. Cf. £8)^ic, "i^bhi^y ^ ygvftdic Sjaofiiicy". i£.iii&.^fiil< j>XI.(2), 23« - 7 - ^10 2-iS app&rtntly good tradition for th« sama. The fact that tha KbhuB viara huoaan balnga, haa bean atreesed % Thty aro said to ba the offapring^ of Masu, and, nora claerly, aa mortal ain£;era.^ In about alf.ht placaa, thay ara aaid to ba tha sons of audhaoYan. bvan accorain^ to 5aya^,^ budhanvim waa tha aoc of Angiras* nbhuk^an, bain^ the aldaat, thay vrm atyled &a tha Kbhue. Aa haa baen alraady awntionad, thay ara soaatiaao rafarrad to saparataly, in vieM of eoaa dietinctiva eharaetariatica and aehiavananta of aaeh ona of thaoi. y^miliC doaa not aaoa to ba right in connactini^ the (Ibhua, aa the Sun-rays, with *raspkkdanoa*, * pervading*, and *«fealth* or *food*. Moraover, it is also found that special emf^aeis ia placed on the great skill poaaaeaed by the {Cbhus. They achieved iomortality due to good work; due to the sane, they won alliance with Indra.^ It say also be pointed out that their physical exertion ia referred to.^ Even thou^i th€y were Kortal singers, thay could bacons ieaaiortal on account of sone refluu*kable achieveaent. Therefore, the phrase savaao i.«^ jata^ m&y ba connaotcd with their physical exerticn, imd not with wealth as is done by y^ilJtllfiC* further, the miraculous deeda of the ^bhua are not explained satisfactorily on th<» baaia of 38. i}l 1.110.4. 39. ^tV III.60.1. 40. ^V 1.111.4. 41. i^ 1.110.5. - 8 - 219 th« naturalistic lnt«r9r*t«tloa of vaz ^.bhu«aytuolot^ • rancernlng the txplolt relating to cow, S«ya^i* says th«^t the abhu8 took eoDpaslon on oalf and as auch atiurtad thalr opara- tlon. Moreo^ar, It Is pointed out that ^ne reference to the fleah^ having been guarded from decaying i^lvea a realistic touch,^^ as o^poaed to the i&etaphorlc deacrlptlon, I^VCXJ by UbiDtl&ftC* ^l&ll'«i^ 1B the ea&e with regard to the exploit relating to the chariot. Kefo. ring to It, ii£^^&t| speaka of the car drawn by aaaeaa, that la, the ^ay clouds ol aomlng twlll4:;ht« This rendering also oay not be accepted. In this connection, the epithets meaninf; *ll^ht' and 'Uiree^wheeled*^ applied to the chariot are Inportant. It la aametlaiea euggeated that the chariot made by the ^bhue, must be a some kind of alrcraft.^^ Any how, the chariot made by Uie ^bhus cannot be explained aa denoting any natural phenomenon. LikeMlse, It la difficult to Identify the formation of horee wltti the multi plication of the raye of the morning :>\m. In this reapect, the j^rase nennine, 'with their mlnd'*^ Is significant. Aa has been Indicated above, the human character of the ^bhus can be jnroved satlafactorlly. Aa ii)|{)|||^j|ir obt'^z'V** 42. iiX IV.33.4* 43* Cf. la&daS* SM'Silk't 26. 44. iSlSii^(£S&'» ^41 lV.3b.l}, jjMSLT&m ft^ft^^Mft'xytViitf'l^^lrili manaaparl dayaye (IV.36.2). 45* Cf. j|j[gft^.-Cog.clt. 46. BAfiftsi U'l 1.20.2.) 47. SMii» 4'*-45. - 9 - 9 'I Z2^0 a ttytholoj^ical ttvolutiun fliail&r to that 9f Atvina »%&&% to have taken plac« also in raapact of the ^bnus. The aotii' of the ttytholo^aatioa of history which can he perceived, to a certain extent, in the ay&holo^;y reXatini, ta ivavine ia perceptible also ia the mythoXo^ reflating to the ^bhua. Indeed, there are aeveral comfiion {iointa in th^ twu mythologiea - a fact iMuich ia highly aignificant. It oay he pointed out, in tuia context, that Ui<» friend'OircXe aaUe up ^i. Indra, iiavina, axki vhtt 4jbbhua is nentioned in tae f oiloMint» p&^a - 10 - 22i nakmrm par •xcelltne«, lo th« ii^, 6A^» »nt the {ibhua ware admitted to the ^ona-ritual only at a later atage. Ihe ori(«4^nal huBUtn character of the ^bhua aeona to be au&is*st®d alao in their names, Uiat ia, their significance, itiua iSl&dSBSla derivea ybhu from rabh (to ^catch^, vala from jji^ (atroni;), and vibhvan from yiX * ^^^ (greut, akilful). Moreover, it ia artiaanahip that qualified Uie ijhhua for the ahare in ^ooa. iio, in the worda of 4)HkgbiUld8> ^^^y '^^V ^^ called 5J. V.11.7. n. IV.9.5. 52. V.11.7. 53. U^, Illf 54. 54. YE, 134. Accordini;^ to i^ftfiiSikSM ^M»y^^^» ^^^ nam&;> ^^bnu, Vichu, and Vaja may be rendered with xnventiveneaa, ^Kill and strength, reapectively. 55. Cf. i^^l,ltl.2, 5t. ))si the Vedj^. 351. - 11 - h0 ^j hj 2-^7- S7 as *th« Artlaana of lanortality*.'^' A aubaldlary point» which nay ba nantionad aa aupporting the huaan charactor of tha ^ibhua, i» indioated by gtliiKUl* ^* *^y^ * "^^ ^^ ^^*^ poaaible that alwig with their architaotural skill, thay may hava aXao baan idcilful artista in tha coBiiJoaition of tha hynna, on account of which thay came to ba atylaa aa Kavia**. Similarly, it ia vary aignifleant that, in a latar taxt, ^bhu la mantiunad aida by side with Saavartaka, Aru^pi, I»vatakatu, Dunraaa, Nidaffha, Ja^a, Bharata, Dattatraya and Kaivataka. Lat ua turn to tha varioua ax^oitti of the Kbhua. nhila axi>laining tha cup-miraela, £g({}iC taye that, whan, according to tha jfMTopoaal of tha aacooKi i^bhu, cup waa made into thraa, poaaibly Varu^a waa aocoomodatad in tha ritual ana the proposal of the third ona aaama to have brou^t in ^^oda in j^anaral in tha ritual. Ha further adda i ^ha r^mMon of makinc, tha cup fourfold may aithar hava baan tha eaaa with which the oupa could than be handled, QT^ parha^w, partly due to tha fact that aida by aida with Tvafff, tha thraa brothera ware to ba $7« Mao according to Hajaramahaatry g^|te)|i| (Phulamcl l^n, 16), i^bhua ware aoma carpentara. 53. Kavi and Kavya j^ t^ Atbarvavada. 3. 59. Jabalopaniyad. 1.6. 6iJ. 0£«StH*« ^^* - 12 - 223 2-^3 aeeoBmodatea". Th« ^hhuB took &hd ii«a«ur«o«^nt8 (vlaaau^) of the old cup, iodlOAtliig that tti«i four w«r« to b« laaclt in same proportion. This May indieat* that the uaa of the oup was aacia long time and aa such aotta aaeradnaaa waa attbchad to it. So, j^dM; thinka, the eh^nga was not likad by aooM 62 paople. Aa for the fashioning of four cups out of one, ha auggeeta that aa thara ia no queation of bodily breaking the oup into four aa ia popularly believed, the atateaent of naking into tMo, three, or four has to be understood aa ao oumy auggeationa on the part of three brothers. He pointa out that, in faet, there is nothing to indicate that cup waa actually broken by the ^bhus.^ On the other hand, £CijDMK2 ^^* ^^^^^ a different view, lie saya 1 **The j|tbhua, at that ranote age, When feiN knew artiaanship aaonj^iat Indo-iiryaua, took a big laddie, and out of that one piece, Made four anallar laaales". This was, according to him, considered very raarvelloua, and praiaei» were heaped on Uiea. Another sugESStion in this 61. Ibid. 3J. Tht! legend of the ^bhus, laay, accorain^^ to ^%%g JLsaai sur le mvthe de ^ibhavae. Faris, 1647), possibly refer merely to a change of ritual. ^2. Ibid. 28. 63. Ibi^i. 29. - 13 - 224 2^^ oonnectlan is that the ^bhuo ttitht huve |^lv«xi & uirftr&nt form to the QriginaX cup, so th&t four things couXci b« tioco- ooiodated In it, instead of only on* thing. Tiie caturvaya SiMimSM i» cooparsd with th« caturbila kalasa ocntiwncU in tha 65 - 4V,, '' Tho tarm SfiBftIA ^* uaad in the aanfea of wit. Xha idaa of dividing the soeiaty Into four var^a Bi^^t hava ooourrad 66 first to tha ^bnua.^^ But this is dafinitaly unaocaptabla. Hagardinc anothar daad of the ^bhusi JbCgdtoD aug^^asta that thay rajuvinatad their agad parents certainly by tha aoQinis- tratian of drugs* and also by tiiving them nourishing fowd. This appeared, according to him, very marvellous to the ancient 68 people. Similarly, according to ^i](|Hl4» ^^^* ^bhus aiscovered a herb with wiiioh aged persona could be rajuvinbtfed. aa, wnile explaininc;, the oowmiracle, equates tue cow witi^ the i«^.rth. According to him, one of tne t/bhua brought water with the help of me&ns such aa tha tube wells; another one ploughed the earth well} and Uie taird one invontad vi>rious fertilisera and usea them, lie adds that the calf of the cow o<»n be a<,uated with trees. According to the hltimanlarl. a ^ft, whose cow had died leaving a calf, asked the ^ibhus for assistance wnere- upon the ivbhus secured a living cow and covered it with Uie 65. iVIXX,4.3-^* 6C. Cf. tliJiJ^t SiM*SsJkk» t^^' 67. Op.cit.. 58» 68. iJsi.£ii»» 3-^5. 2 id J •kin of the d«ad on«, from which ealf Imagined it to be its own Bother, ue^arding tha axjdolt of the iibhua conct^ming Indra'a horaa, a vlavi la alraady rtfarraa to &bov«i, according to which, there waa alraady one horse and anoth^^r was to be fashioned. Further, in connection with the apeeiaXly fashioned chariot offered by the ^bhua to Aavins, a auggeatlon la recorded above, according to which, the chariot must be a ao«e kind of air-craft. Anyhow, these various explanations of the exploits of the {ibhus, take for granted their huaian character. The seml-dlvlne character of the ^ibhus, which has been eaijphasised by several scholars, denotes only a atage in the evolution of the chiaracter of the ^ibhus. ^ij^j^jig6 9 characterises tiie thLbhus aa th«> *Ben of the air*. They are described &a the clever-handed elv^s who usea to ^-^y^BV in th«^ evening.'^ kifilSCfiikfci reaarks that they arts ttie gods ol ttie so-called lower mythology and correspond witli tne elves. Ihey are said to be the aerial »elf »e.' JiS^ififi »*y* * *'^«^ ^^ ^^^ Hindu clever artisan t^wbhua our elves", similarly ^li^SfiijtgCi says ; ^lil% drei ^bhus, Varma Kaaien nach wahrschelnlich Id. Of. klasiCaid* ^..78. 71. History ^ Wlftp L3,tfri^>irf I {X) 67. Td. Cambridge History of India. I. 105. 73. fwit 169. - 15 - <1 The tiandency of nytholo^isation of history can also be seen in thit further stage in th«j evolution af th« character of the (tbhU3, in Mhich they were identified with three entitiea in h&tur^. Of course, auch identification may not be saia to refer to the original nature of the <^bhue. £i^ij{;'s theory that the i,iLbhu& represent the tnree seasons, has be«n alreaay referrea 74. iiV, 235. 75. Ibid. 125. 76. VM, 134. 'Xbe Hbhus are 8oa«tiaee explained as being stable guardiana of the aacrlfice.(cf• |£4&ifc^i» - 16 - 227 ^x7 to atiOV«. Sliallarly, ftilifliiA ''^y* ' "-^^ ^^ "^^^y yoatsitil9 tUat originally tharc was also only ona ubhu - tne ya&r, who than aaaily aplit biaaalf into thrac brothara - tha thraa aaaaona; for the Vadic Iryaa dividaci tha yaor into tl^urea aaaa^na - the rainy, tha hot ana the fall**. On the othar hand according to gt|fl{|§t tha thraafold division of tha ra/a i« in confAnaity with tha thraafold division of tha day for sacrificial purposss in tha forn of three savanaa. Ha adds t *^1hia divieion is also applicable to the polar tri^>la phano- nanon connected with ths Sun, nanaly, the ^un and his raye tit at the decline of winter, ttia Sun in suasaar, anu the 5un and li^^it gradually disappsarini^ in tha eve of winter". Tne loain proaotar of this theory - in n^lch esphaaia is given on tne conneeti 77. V^m iimA. 249. (1-2), 58. - 17 - 22 Z2-8 twelvt-days * •ItaoUter in th« ^bhu-story with th Art.ibus Asiaa, XXXI, XX3. 31. "^ mm ms^tm. scg^zsmr* ^* '^^^* w. 82. h^iJE^ Sll^tMkm* X, 328. - X8 - H* Z.-2-9 Purthor, the exjploita of the ^.ue, concerning horee, chariot, anci cow aro coxmaet<»d with plaaets iaagined to be vieualieeii by the {tbhu8« However, while interpreting, the horae ana tne chariot which figure in the ^bhu^myth, l^ifigg^fi »ays that it ie the aeasons Uiat fashion Indra's chariot and horses, for the great thunder at orBt cose only at certain ti&es of th« year. i&xt«nding the idea of tine, which constitutea the baala of the seaeona-theory, further, ]j[g||fy says that the nbhua are the geniueea of the paat, present and future. ^ 4t4&& rejects the auj^eation thj»t th<> cu^ of Tva^l-f is the moon, by saying that it is a aere conjecture. Moreover, he points out that the So«a*oupa connected with the Caturmaaya offeringa have nothing to do with tne |ibhua. Likewiae, the belief that Iranians and Osrmana preserve the tradition of twelve-days' rest of nature at winter aolstice la th« aoat improbable idea; and dvadasaha is obviously connected with the number of months. 4$^)^ further aska t "How by sleeping, the seasons would procure grass anu water in abundance (as described at {^ 1.161,11) t" «4. Jen* Bsitr. 1694, p.37. gU:&l4S6« (M. II 403-13) speaks of the diffusion of Sona-hidden in the mysterious sojourn bavitf- by three ^bhus, the three vtorlds. 65. nrvU. 178. 67. KPVU. 176. 66. &a ia said by U&&tl>,iiiM* 1915* 131 • - 19 - 9 *> 0 2- "3)0 with three •ntiti«a in Nature i« priaarlly baaed on the ntmibi^r three. The evolution of the character of the abhust m&y be traced aa foXlowa. tha ^bhua %#are originally tixman artisHiia. When, at a next atage, thay }n9r% a&lci to have aciiiaveci iomortality, the phenoManon of uythologiaation of history took place* Their character aa Elbe, indieatt^a the middle atage in the evolution} while, the laat atage ia inaicated ivaen (i.. the Catumaaya,) they were identified with three entities in Mature. Hegarding the original human character of the ^bhua, the emti^asia put on their oraftazBanahip haa been already shown above. In tula context, it ia aigniileant to note that in the US fBr. there ia inaerted a nivid which means : "^ibnu&, waen eating, got aware of the girla**. Of course, this ana such-like referenced have got aamu touch of hunan behaviour. Furthei, in reapect of the 'middle' atage in the evolution of the character of the ^bhus, the expreaalona 'aurfcakpaaai^*. 'antarikffBva nybhva^'. etc. may be observed, n^gurdiag the firat exireaaion, QfiBiifi^ aaya : "being usually and correctly, tranalated by 'whose eye ia tii^ sun, sun-eyed*, tne acijectiye 69.1^Vision of~Veaic Poets, 192. Uuraoakyatt^y muat bm r«garata as one oJf thos« w^rols whicn char«cteri2« a belni, as pocstssin^ sujira-nornaX or evan unlimitod power of sight and vision". From sucn a 06{&i*aivin« nature, the itbhus were further elevatea. Association with Xndra ie a way in v^ich nlnor divinities are elevated. It is said tht4t due to soofe special deeds, the hbhus beoe«e the friends of Indra. Xheir association with Xndra seems to be of particular interest froea the point of view of the poets.^ i^ven when they are nentioned with otlier i^ods, Indra ie always 01 nentioned in the beginning of the list.' The good relation ship betweon Tvaf^f and the ^bhus also &ay be said to indicate the elevated character of the |lbhu8. Thus the i>yhaddeYatfc says, in confomity with the uV,, that the Xkbhus were the pupils of Xva^Vr* 7hus, through various devices the ^^.bhus *were absorbed into the gods*.^ According to ^SXifi&iSiik* (ibhus are the three artists assigned to Indra, Varurii., una ^^* d®y» in general, respectively, iie points out that they are associated with nudra sv the Maruts, the '^ood-bjwed ones'. 90. ^ 1.111.4, IXI.6o.3-5*»*^' 91. ^1 X.20.5, 110.9, 111.4. 92. as is said by A. |^£jB[g|, log.cit. also FICO (iXVX), VI (A), 4^. - 21 - 232 However, Ui9 ^bhtts* atsltiMWiBt x,o godu is an aftftrthoi^ht I In th* Mfthabbarata.^^ th« ^bhua are exalted to Uie ix>ait,ion of higbeat gods. In that heaven of Brahmai which is auove the Vedlc goda* heaven, there are the holy aeers and the ^bhus, *the divinities of the goda*; who do not change with the change o^ JH^JaOLt as ^^ other Vedio goda, Proviaion la aade for then at the tytlva^aavana. ii^ieh takee place at the end oX a day. According to the MjCt Prajapati, the father, when tranaforaing the iithVLB who were aortala, into imortals, gave them a share in the evening libation. Moreover, in the lnjdi^^t ^* ^bhua, together with other goda, receive water. According to I^CilllliB* ^^* ^(bhua, after death, received the regular prayera in the aane aaorifioial hall in which god Savltf waa pi ayea to • og and invoked. Thus the expreaaion pano^ fig£i^ "^X •aphaaiae that, though originally aortals, the Kbhua aeeurea conipanionahip 99 with the goda and went to the sacrifice. 94* in.261.19-23* 95* VI.12. 96. ^ JL 97. Ug.fiii., 6J. 96. m, Ill.tO,}, 99. iMMmK ("^?ilWW»". ^ ^ <^-*^» ^7) has construc ted several atansaa which aus up che character of varioua Vedic divinities. He speaks of the nbhua as foilowe t - 22 -