Tvashtr
| Tvashtr | |
|---|---|
The Heavenly Builder The Maker of Divine Implements Lord of the Womb | |
| Affiliation | Deva |
| Weapon | Metal Axe |
| Texts | Purusha Sukta,Mahabharata,Puranas |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents | KasyapaandAditi(according to the epics andPuranas) |
| Consort | Rechana |
| Children | Children includingSaranyu,VisvarupaandVritra |
| Equivalents | |
| Greek equivalent | Hephaistos |
| Norse equivalent | Völund |
| Roman equivalent | Vulcanus |
| Slavic equivalent | Svarog |
| Part ofa serieson |
| Hinduism |
|---|
 |
Tvashtr(Sanskrit:त्वष्टृ,IAST:Tvaṣṭṛ) orTvashta(Sanskrit:त्वष्टा,IAST:Tvaṣṭā) is aVedicartisan god or fashioner. He is mentioned as anAditya(sons of goddessAditi) in later Hindu scriptures like theMahabharataandPuranas,though his significance gets reduced. Tvashtr is sometimes identified with another artisan deity namedVishvakarma.[1]
In Hindu Literature
[edit]In theRigveda,Tvashtr is stated to be a skillful craftsman who created many implements, includingIndra'sbolt, the axe ofBrihaspati,and a cup for divine food and drink. He is stated to be the creator of forms, and is often stated to be the crafter of living beings and wombs. He is also considered a universal father, and an ancestor of humans through his daughterSaranyu.[2][3]He is the father ofBṛhaspati,and likely Indra's father as well.[2][4][3]He wields a metal axe,[5][2]and rides a chariot pulled by two fallow baymares.[2][6]
He is the guardian ofSoma,and his son Vishvarupa is the guardian of cows. Indra has a conflict with his likely father Tvashtr, with him stealing Tvashtr's soma and trying to possess Vishvarupa’s cattle. Indra is consistently victorious in the conflict, and Tvashtr is stated to fear Indra. In theTaittiriya SamhitaandBrahmanas,Vishvarupa is killed by Indra, and so Tvashtr does not allow Indra to attend his Soma sacrifice. Indra however, steals and drinks the soma through his strength.[2][4]In order to have revenge for the murder of his son Vishvarupa, Tvashtr creates a demon calledVritra.However, when wishing him into existence, Tvashtr makes a mispronunciation in his incantation, which allows Indra to defeat Vritra.[7]In the Mānava Purana, he took rebirth as Arjuna's son,Babhruvahana.
Tvashtr is associated with many other deities,Pushan,Savitr,Dhatr,Prajapati,andVishvakarman,due to his role as a fashioner.[2]
See also
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^Dalal, Roshen (2014-04-15).The Vedas: An Introduction to Hinduism's Sacred Texts.Penguin UK.ISBN978-81-8475-763-7.
- ^abcdefMacdonell, Arthur Anthony (1897)."Abstract Gods".In Bühler, G. (ed.).Vedic Mythology.Oxford University Press. pp.116–118.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^abDe Witt Griswold, Harvey; Farquhar, J. N. (1923).The Religion of the Rigveda.Oxford University Press. p. 276.
- ^abStephanie Jamison (2015).The Rigveda –– Earliest Religious Poetry of India.Oxford University Press. p. 51.ISBN978-0190633394.
- ^Jamison, Stephanie; Brereton, Joel (2014).The Rigveda: The Earliest Religious Poetry of India.Oxford University Press. p. 1090.ISBN9780199370184.
- ^Jamison & Brereton 2014,p. 837.
- ^Jamison, S. W.; Witzel, M. (1992)."Vedic Hinduism"(PDF).
External links
[edit]
 | ThisHindu mythology–relatedarticle is astub.You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |