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SECTION XIV.

TVASHTRI.

This god, who in the later mythology is regarded as one of the Adityas,347 but as we have seen (in the section on those deities) does not bear that character in the hymns of the Rig-veda, is the Hephaistos, or Vulcan, of the Indian pantheon, the ideal artist, the divine artizan, the most skilful of workmen, who is versed in all wonderful and admirable contrivances, x. 53, 9 (Trashṭā māyāḥ ved apasām apastamaḥ). He sharpens the iron axe of Brahmanaspati, ibid. (śiśite nūnam paraśum svāyasam yena vriśchad etaśo Brahmanaspatiḥ); and forges the thunderbolts of Indra,349 i 32, 2 (Tvashṭā asmai vajram svaryam tataksha); i. 52, 7; i. 61, 6; i. 85, 9; v. 31, 4; vi. 17, 10; x. 48, 3; which are described as golden (hiranyaya) i. 85, 9, or of iron (ayasa) x. 48, 3, with a thousand points (sahasrabhṛishți) and a hundred edges (śatāśri), i. 85, 9; vi. 17, 10 (see above, p. 86). He is styled supāni, sugabhasti, the beautiful-, or skilful-handed, iii. 54, 12; vi. 49, 9; svapas, sukṛit, the skilful worker, i. 85, 9; iii. 54, 12; viśvarupa,349 the omniform, or archetype, of all forms, i. 13, 10; iii. 55, 19; 350 x. 10, 5; and savitṛi, the vivifier, iii. 55, 19; x. 10, 5. He imparts generative power and bestows offspring,351 i. 142, 10 (tan nas turīpam adbhutam puru vā

347 See the 4th vol. of this work, pp. 103 ff.

348 According to R.V. i. 121, 3, Indra himself (?) is said to have fashioned the thunderbolt (takshad vajram).

349 In iii. 38, 4, the epithet visvarupa is applied to another god,-Indra according to Sayana.

3:0 Quoted in Nirukta x. 34. See Roth's illustrations of that work, p. 144, where the word savitri is said to be an epithet of Tvashtṛi.

351 In A.V. vi. 81, 3, Tvashtri is said to have bound the amulet which Aditi wore when she was desirous of offspring, on the arm of a female, in order that she might bear a son (yam parihastam abibhar Aditiḥ putrakāmyā | Tvashļā tam asyāḥ ā badhnād yathā putram janād iti). In A.V. xi. 1, 1, Aditi is said to have cooked a brahmaudana oblation when desirous of sons (Aditir nāthitā iyam brahmaudanam pachati putrakāmā). See the 1st vol. of this work, p. 26.

=

aram puru tmanā | Tvashṭā poshāya vi syatu rāye nābhā no asmayuḥ); iii. 4, 9 – vii. 2, 9 (tan nas turipam adha poshayitnu deva Tvashṭar vi rarānaḥ syasva | yato viraḥ karmanyaḥ sudaksho yuktagrāvā jāyate devakāmaḥ); vii. 34, 20 (a yan naḥ patnir gamanti achha Trashṭā supānir dadhātu vīrān); compare Vāj. Sanh. xxi. 20; xxii. 20; xxvii. 20; and A.V. ii. 29, 2. He forms husband and wife for each other, even from the womb, R.V. x. 10, 5 (garbhe nu nau janită dampati kar devas Tvashṭā savitā viśvarūpaḥ); A.V. vi. 78, 3 (Tvashṭā jāyām ajanayat Tvashļā asyai tvām patim). He developes the seminal germ in the womb, and is the shaper of all forms, human and animal, R.V. i. 188, 9 (Tvashṭā rūpāni hi prabhuḥ paśūn viśvān samānaje); viii. 91, 8 (Tvashṭā rūpeva takshyā); x. 184, 1 (Vishnur yonim kalpayatu Tvashṭā rūpāṇi pim̃śatu); A.V. ii. 26, 1; v. 26, 8; ix. 4, 6 (Tvashṭā rūpāṇām janitā paśūnām); Vāj. S. xxxi. 17; Taitt. Samh. i. 5, 9, 1, 2; i. 6, 4, 4; vi. p. 65a (of India Office MS. Tvashṭā vai retasaḥ siktasya rūpāni vikaroti | tam eva vrishanam patnishv apisṛijate so 'smai rūpāṇi vikaroti); Satapatha Br. i. 9, 2, 10 (Tvashṭā vai siktam reto vikaroti); xiii. 1, 8, 7. Compare ii. 2, 3, 4; iii. 7, 3, 11. He has produced and nourishes a great variety of creatures; all worlds (or beings) are his, and are known to him; he has given to the heaven and earth and to all things their forms, iii. 55, 19 (devas Tvashța savitā viśvarūpaḥ puposha prajāḥ purudhā jajāna | imā cha viśvā bhuvanāni asya); iv. 42, 3 (Tvashṭeva viśvā bhuvanāni vidvān); x. 110, 9 (yaḥ ime dyāvāpṛithivi janitrī rūpair apimśad bhuvanāni viśvā). The Vāj. S. xxix. 9, says: Trashṭā vīram devakāmam (comp. R.V. iii. 4, 9, quoted above) jajāna Trashṭur arvā jāyate āśur aśvaḥ | Tvashṭedam viśvam bhuvanam jajāna | "Tvashtri has generated a strong man, a lover of the gods. From Tvashtri is produced a swift horse. Tvashtri has created the whole world." He bestows long life, R.V. x. 18, 6 (iha Trashṭā sujanimā sajoshāḥ dīrgham āyuḥ karati jīvase vaḥ); A.V. vi. 78, 3 (Tvashṭā sahasram āyūmshi dīrgham ayur karotu vām). He puts speed into the legs of a horse, Vāj. S. ix. 8 = A.V. vi. 92, 1 (ā te Tvashṭā patsu javam dadhātu). In ii. 23, 17, he is said to be skilled in all Sama-texts and to have created Brahmanaspati above all creatures (viśvebhyo hi tvā bhuvanebhyas pari Trashṭā 'janat sāmnaḥ sāmnaḥ kaviḥ), and is said, along with heaven and earth, the waters, and the Bhrigus, to have generated Agni, x. 2,

7; x. 46, 9 (Dyāvā yam Agnim privithī janishṭām āpas Trashṭā Bhrigavo yam sahobhiḥ); compare i. 95, 2.352 He is master of the universe (bhuvanasya sakshani), ii. 31, 4; a first-born protector and leader, ix. 5, 9 (Tvashṭāram agrajām̃ gopām puroyāvānam ā huve); compare i. 13, 10. He is a companion of the Angirases, x. 70, 9 (yad Angirasām abhavaḥ sachābhūḥ), and knows the region of the gods (devānām pāthaḥ upa pra vidvan usan yakshi). He is supplicated to nourish the worshipper and protect his sacrifice. He is dravinodas, the bestower of blessings, and suratna, possessed of abundant wealth, x. 70, 9, and x. 92, 11; and is asked, like other gods, to take pleasure in the hymns of his worshippers, and to grant them riches, vii. 34, 21 f. (prati naḥ stomam Trashṭā jusheta | Tvashṭā sudātro vi dadhātu rāyaḥ).

Tvashtri is in several passages connected with the Ribhus, who, like him, are celebrated as skilful workmen (see Böhtlingk and Roth's Lexicon, 8 v.), who fashioned Indra's chariot and horses, made their own parents young, etc., i. 111, 1 (takshan ratham suvṛitam vidmanā 'pasas takshan hari Indravāhā vṛishanvasu | takshan pitṛibhyam Ṛibhavo yuvad vayaḥ), i. 161, 7; iv. 33, 3; iv. 35, 5; iv. 36, 3; and are spoken of by Sayana (on i. 20, 6) as Tvashtri's pupils (takshana-vyāpārakusalasya Trashtuḥ śishyaḥ Ribhavaḥ). These Ribhus are said to have made into four a single new sacrificial cup which Tvashṭri had formed (i. 20, 6. uta tyam chamasam navam Tvashtur devasya nishkritam | akartta chaturaḥ punaḥ | i. 110, 3). This exhibition of skill is said to have been performed by command of the gods, and in consequence of a promise that its accomplishment should be rewarded by their exaltation to divine honours, i. 161, 1-5, (verse 2, yadi eva karishyatha sākam derair yajniyāso bhavishyatha). Tvashtri is in this passage represented as becoming ashamed and hiding himself among the goddesses when he saw this alteration of his work, verse 4 (yadā 'vākhyat chamasān chaturaḥ kṛiṭān ād it Trashṭā gnāsu antar ni ānaje), and as resenting this change in his own manufacture as a slight to himself, and as having in consequence sought to slay his rivals, verse 5 (hanāma enăn iti Trashfa yad abravit chamasam ye devapānam anindishuḥ). In another place (iv. 33, 5, 6), on the contrary, he is said to have applauded

352 Who is the being who claims, in x. 125, 1 f. to sustain Tvashtri and other gods (aham somam āhanasam bibharmi aham Tvashṭāram)?

their design, and admired the brilliant results of their skill (vibhrājamānāms chamasān ahā iva avenat Trashța chaturo dadṛiśvān).353

In x. 66, 10, the Ribhus are spoken of as the supporters of the sky (dhartaro divaḥ Ribhavaḥ suhastāḥ).

In ii. 1, 5, Agni is identified with Tvashtri, as he is also, however, with many other gods in other verses of the same hymn. In i. 95, 5, Agni appears to be designated by the word Tvashtri. In vi. 47, 19, where Tvashtri is spoken of as yoking his horses and shining resplendently (yunjāno harită rathe bhūri Tvashṭeha rājati), the commentator supposes that Indra is referred to.354

(2) Trashtri's daughter and her wedding.

In x. 17, 1 f. Tvashtri is said to have given his daughter Saranyū in marriage to Vivasvat: "Trashṭā duhitre vahatum kṛinoti” iti idam viśvam bhuvanam sameti | Yamasya mātā paryuhyamānā maho jāyā Vivasvato nanāsa | apāgūhann amṛitām martyebhyaḥ kritvi savarnām adadur Vivasvate | utāśvināv abharad yat tad āsīd ajahād u dvā mithunā Saranyuḥ "Tvashṭri makes a wedding for his daughter. (Hearing) this the whole world assembles. The mother of Yama, the wedded wife of the great Vivasvat, disappeared. 2. They concealed the immortal (bride) from mortals. Making (another) of like appearance, they gave her to Vivasvat. Saranyu bore the two Aśvins, and when she had done so, she deserted the two twins." These two verses are quoted in the Nirukta, xii. 10 f., where the following illustrative story is told: Tatra itihasam achakshate | Tvāshtri Saranyur Vivasvataḥ Ādityād yamau mithunau janayānchakāra

su savarṇām anyām pratinidhāya

353 See the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, iii. 30, pp. 210 f. of Professor Haug's translation. The Ribhus had by their austere fervour, it is there said, conquered for themselves a right to partake in the soma libations among the gods (Ṛibhavo vai deveshu tapasā somapitham abhyajayan), which, however, they were only allowed to do along with Savi ri (=Tvashtri ?), to whom Prajapati had said, These are thy pupils; do thou alone drink with them; tava vai ime antevāsās tvam eva ebhiḥ sampibasva); and with Prajapati. The gods, however, it is said, loathed these deified mortals on account of their human smell (tebhyo vai devāḥ apa eva ab bhatsanta manushya-gandhāt; and accordingly placed two Dhayyas (particular verses) between themselves and the Ribhus. 3:4 On the obscure passage, i. 84, 15, where the name of Tvashtri is mentioned, the reader may consult Wilson's translation and note, Professor Roth's exp anation in his Illustrations of the Nirukta, p. 49, and Professor Benfey's version in his Orient and Occident, ii. 245 f.

āśvam̃ rupam̃ kṛitvā pradadrāva | sa Vivasvān Ādityaḥ āśvam̃ eva rūpam̃ kṛitvā tām anusṛitya sambabhūra | tato 'śvinau jajnāte savarṇāyām Manuḥ "Saranyū, the daughter of Tvashtri, bore twins to Vivasvat, the son of Aditi. She then substituted for herself another female of similar appearance, and fled in the form of a mare. Vivasvat in like manner assumed the shape of a horse, and followed her. From their intercourse sprang two Aśvins, while Manu was the offspring of Savarṇā (or the female of like appearance)." See Roth's interpretation of R.V. x. 17, 1 ff. and remarks thereon, in the Journal of the German Oriental Society, iv. 424 f.; and the same writer's translation, in his Illustrations of the Nirukta, p. 161, of a passage of the Brihaddevată, quoted by Sayana on R.V. vii. 72, 2, relating the same story about Vivasvat and Saranyū which is given in the Nirukta. That passage is as follows: Abhavad mithunam Tvashtuḥ Saranyus Triśirāḥ saha | sa vai Saranyūm prāyachhat svayam eva Vivasvate | tataḥ Saranyvām jāte te Yamayamyau Vivasvataḥ | tāv apy ubhau yamāv eva hy āstām Yamyā cha vai Yamaḥ | Srishṭvà bharttuḥ paroksham tu Saranyūḥ sadṛiśīm striyam | nikshipya mithunau tasyām aśvā bhūtvā prachakrame | avijnānād Vivasvāms tu tasyām ajanayad Manum | rājarshir āsīt sa Manur Vivasvān iva tejasā | sa vijnāya apakrāntām Saranyūm ātmarūpinīm | Tvāshtrim prati jagāmāśu vājī bhūtvā salakshaṇaḥ | Saranyūs tu Vivasvantam vijnāya hayarūpinam | maithunāyopachakrāma tām sa taṭṭrāruroha saḥ tatas tayos tu vegena sukram tad apatad bhuvi | upājīghrat cha sa tv aśvà tat sukram garbha-kāmyayā | āghrāṇa-mātrāt śukram tat kumārau sambabhūvatuḥ | Nāsatyaś chaiva Dasraś cha yau stutāv aśvināv api | "Tvashtri had twin children, (a daughter) Saranyū, and (a son) Triśiras. He gave Saranyū in marriage to Vivasvat, to whom she bore Yama and Yami, who also were twins. Creating a female like herself without her husband's knowledge, and making the twins over in charge to her, Saranyu took the form of a mare, and departed. Vivasvat, in ignorance, begot, on the female who was left, Manu, a royal rishi, who resembled his father in glory. But discovering that the real Saranyū, Tvashtri's daughter, had gone away, Vivasvat followed her quickly, taking the shape of a horse of the same species as she. Recognizing him in that form she approached him with the desire of sexual connection, which he gratified. In their haste his seed fell on the ground, and she, being desirous of offspring, smelled it. From