The Ṛg Vedic Myth of the Craftsmen (The Ṛbhus)

Author(s): Stella Kramrisch

Source: Artibus Asiae, Vol. 22, No. 1/2 (1959), pp. 113-120
Published by: Artibus Asiae Publishers
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 STELLA KRAMRISCH

THE RG VEDIC MYTH OF THE CRAFTSMEN (THE RBHUS)

T Theywerecalledaftertheirfather,
he Rbhuswerethreebrothers. theSkilled
Sudhanvan,
Archer,Saudhanvana"sons of the SkilledArcher."It was onlylaterthattheybecame
knownbytheirnames,Rbhu,Vibhvan,andVdja.The Rbhuswereartisans. Thatis whatRbhu
to
seems imply(fromrabh, to be It be
skilled)'. may thatthey inheritedtheirskillfromtheir
theSkilledArcher.It is saidthattheyweremortals,
father, sonsofman(manornapatah,3.6o.3),
althoughthenameof theirfatherevokestheconnection withone who does not misshisaim.
God Rudrais calledSudhanvan,theSkilledArcher(5.42.11).
The ArcheraimedwellwhenhisarrowhittheFather(1.71.5) atthedawnofcreation, at the
momentwhentheFatherspenthimself intocreationbyembracing theVirgin,hisdaughter, the
Dawn (io. 6 . 3; 5-6). Whenthishappened, thegodsin theirconcern(svadhi)fashioned, outof
a numinouspotency(brahman), Vdstospati, theLord of theExistent, theProtector oftheLaw
(vratapd;1o.61.7). Vdstospati is Rudra (Taitt.S. 3.4. 10.4), the SkilledArcher,Sudhanvan .
As soonas born3,theArcherperformed histask.His arrowhittheFatherinthemidstofthe
embrace.The FatherwithdrewfromtheDaughter.His seed fellon thehighestpeak of the
Earth,on theplaceoftheSacrifice (io. 6i. 6).
the
Agni, Fire, had prepared seminalfluid(rasa)fortheGreatFatherHeaven (i.7 . 5).
the
From the pure seed thatHeaven had shed,Agni broughtto birththe Afigirases, the First
Sacrificers
and archetypal godmen(1. 71.8).
LaterVedictexts4see incestin theprimalembraceoftheFatherandtheDaughter,butthe
Rg Vedaappliesno moralcode to an ontologicalsymbol.The imagesof thissymbolreferto
self-contained Wholenessand to its spendingitselfintocreation.Agni,thecreativeFire,had

I Cf.M. Mayerhofer, Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wd'rterbuchdesAltindischen,

1953,s.V.
2 Cf. AitareyaBrdhmana, 5.14; 3.34. 3 ; T. S. 3. I.9. 6. The identityof Rudraand Vdstospatihas hithertobeen overlooked
by Westernscholars.K.F.Geldner, Der Rig Veda,Vol. III, p. 226, findsit difficult to saywhythe hymnio. 61 begins
by sayingthatit is a "Raudra Brahman,"sacredempoweredword and an enigmaconcerningRudra [takingherethe
wordBrahmanin the sense interpreted by L. Renou,"Sur la nationde Brahman,"Journal Asiatique,237, 1949,p. 71
and, on the otherhand,by J. Gonda, NotesonBrahman, Utrecht,1950o.
E.Arbman,Rudra,Uppsala Universitets Arsskrift, 1922, altogetheroverlookstheidentity of Rudra,thearcher,and
VSstospatiwhich is establishedin RV. 1.71 and io. 61; see A.A.Macdonell, VedicMythology, 1997,pp. 74-77. The
key to the understanding of Rudra is his action "as soon as born." Geldner, c.
1. senses thiswhen he remarksthatthe
nameof Rudrais "anirukta,"thatis remainsunexpressedin io. 6i.
3 "As soon as born,"Indradrinksthe Soma (3-48. ; as soon as born,he seizeshis bow; as soon as born,he surpasses
i)
the gods (8.45.4); as soon as born,he makespanickyheavenand earth(1.63. i).
As soon as born,a god shows his power and fulfills his mission."As soon as born he is an adultso as to go at
once the greatway of his message,"it is said of Agni, 10.I 15-.I.
4 atapatha Brdhmana 1.7.4. 3 ; M.S. 4, p. 35, 15; Ait. Br. 3.33.

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madereadythe'sap' fortheFather.In hisheat(i. i 1.8), theFathersoughtfora second.He re-
mainedcloseto hisidentity by seekingthenearestaffinity, theVirgin-Daughter.
Rudra-Vdstospati is a "brahman,"a numinouspowerwho oweshisexistence to thecelestial
intelligence- thegods- operativeat themomentof theprimordial Wholenessof theFather
spendingitselfintogeneration. The comingintoexistenceof Vastospatiis motivatedby the
wisdomandbenevolence(svddhiio. 6i. 7) ofthegodss.Butthefirst actoftheArcheris one of
wrath.
At thebeginningof things,all thishappenedsimultaneously: thedesireof theFather,the
and
embrace, thefalling the of seed to Earth on the one hand; and on theotherthewisdomof
thegods bringing Vistospati-Rudra intoexistence, and Rudra,theSkilledArcher,discharging
thearrowandwoundingtheFather.
Rudra,theSkilledArcher,theterrible andnuminouspowerofExistence, resentsthefactof
existenceapartfromBeing.He has to existin orderto protectthedivineordinances(vrata-pd;
So.61.7),fortheseed of creationalreadyhas fallenon thesummitof theearth.In theconflict
of thissituation,Rudra dischargesthe arrow.The conflictis in the factitselfof conscious
existencewhichhas to hitits target,pureBeing- theFather- thoughno longerpureand
whole,butself-infringed by desire.
The Rbhus,sons of the SkilledArcherSudhanvan,werebornas mortalsand as artists6.
Theirmasterworks and featsare fivein number.Theycreatedthechariotof theAsvinsthat
traversesspace on three wheelsandis horselessandreinless(4. 36.I; Io. 39.i2). Theyfashioned
thebaysteedsofIndra(3.6o.2; i. 20. 2, etc.)7;theyproducedforBrhaspatithecow Visvaripa
(4.33.8; 4.34.9; . 16 . 3), theomniform, all-vivifyingone (vi'vajiiva),fromtheskinofan old
cow (I. 0o.8) whichtheyhad tended(i. i6i. io) to its end; and theyrejuvenated theancient
parents(3.35.5; 36.3; 4. 33.3, etc.).The most astounding oftheirmasterworks was themaking
offourcupsoutofone cup8. This once"newanduniquecup" (i. 2o. 6, . 1o.0.3) hadbeenmade
by Tvastar.

s Re. Brahmanas a numinouspower or "Zauberwesen" (cf.also J. Charpentier, Brahman, Uppsala, 1932, p. I34). It is
generatedby the gods (ajanayan)in the shape of Vistospatiwhom thegods carvedout of thebrahman(nirataksan).
VZstospatihoweveris also Soma (indu,7. 54. 2).
6 The Rbhus are manornapita (3.6o.2), sons of man, and theyare savaso napita, sons of strength(4. 35. 118). The
"parents"- of the are also and ultimately - Heaven and Earth,the ancientparents,whom theyrejuvenate
(1.20.4; .Rbhus 1.161.3, 7; 4.33.2, 3; 4.35.5; 4.36.3). Paternity in the RV. is not restricted to one
i.iiI.I;
1.iio.8;
"father.""Dyaus (Heaven) was consideredthe father(generator)of Indra.His maker(kartS)was the greatartistwho
generatedhim" (4. 17-.4).The greatartistis Tvastar.In 4. 37.4,theRbhuscollectively or Rbhu,(1Rbhuksan) areaddressed
as "Son of Indra,childrenof strength (Indrasya s ino savaso napdto)- Indra is also calledRbhu or Rbhukgan(3.36.2 ;
cf. 10.93.8 ; 1.110. 7) inasmuch as the serve him as theirchief. A. W.Ryder, Die Rbhusim Rg Veda, 1901, pp. 21'
22 discussesthe Parentageof the Rbhus,but,followingYdska, Nir. i. 16 he sees no connectionbetweenSudhanvan
.Rbhus
Rudraand theRbhus.
The Maruts, similarly,are the sons of Rudra (1. 85. I ; 5.42.15 ; 52. 16; 6.50.4 ; 66. 3 ; 8. 20. 17). Rudra is theirFather
(1.114.6; 5.6o. 5) - and Viyu has generated them (1.134.14).
7 The chariotof theAsvinsand thebay steedsof Indraare themeansby whichthesepowersmove in the cosmos. The
Rbhus effecttheirmovement(cf. 1.161.14; p. 10).
The artistry themas sacrificers.
of the Rbhus distinguishes Their craftsmanshipsuppliesthe drivingpower to the
gods, the vehiclesin whichthey move. These vehiclesare the hymns and the sacrificial
offerings(as shownby A. Ber-
gaigne, La ReligionVe'dique,passim).
8
5.42. ii praisesRudra, thegood Archerand it is not by accidentthat5.42. 12 invokes"the artistts withskilledhands"
(the lRbhus) of whom Vibhvan particularlyis named in this stanza. See I.20. 6; I10.3.5 ; 161.2, 4 9 ; 4. 33.5 ; 4. 3 5. 2, 3 ;
5.36.4, 8.

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 Tvastaris thefirst,
form-giving
Principle,theShaperof all thatis to be (cf. Io.11o. 9). He
had madethenew cup (camasamnavam)out of whichhe,theGodhead,theAsuradrinks(i.
10 3) andwhichholdsthedrinkofthegods (camasamdevapanam; 161.5,4.35. 5),thedrink
o. i.
of immortality. fortheAsuraand the gods to
Now its uniqueness,its wholeness,its fitness
drinkfromhad beenprofaned(i. 161.5). Therewerenow fourcupsinsteadof one.
TvastarfirstwatchedtheRbhus,thengrewjealous (avenat;4. 33.6) as he saw themmake
one cup afteranother(433- 5), and finallyin his resentment, he wantedto kill the Rbhus
(i.i6i. 5)9.
The newcup madebyTvastarforthegodsto drinktheelixirofimmortality, theamrta,the
Soma,thisone cup is theMoon. It is notthemoonas mortalssee it,buttheMoon in itsbeing
in timeless, undiminished in thepristine
fullness, secretofitssubstance(cf.1.84.I5). Soma,the
meadof Tvastar(I. 117.22), theheavenlySoma (io. i16. 3) is in theMoon (1. 84.15) o. Tvastar
carriesitsbowl (10. 53.9). WhenthegodsdrinktheSoma,thisuniquecup becomesreplenished
(cf. io. 85.5). The moonis thenew and uniquecup whichTvastarmadeforhis elixirof im-
mortality. The cup was newwhenthegods becameimmortal (9. io6. 8; 9. io8. 3; cf.also o10.53.
Io; 0o.63.4). Tvastarmadethe Moon - the chaliceoftheHolyGrail- beforethebeginning of
timewhenimmortality cameto be", whenthegods cameto be, fortheycoulddrinkfromthe
newand everfullcup thedrinkofimmortality.
This miraculouscup, this"yawningchalice,"the Rbhus"measuredwiththeirrod like a
field"(. Io10.5). TheymadetheOne cup intofourcups,one aftertheother.By refashioning
thecup ofthepristine Moon,theypartitioned itswholenessintothefourcupsor aspectsofthe
moon,seenbytheeyesofmortalswhenthemoonreplenishes itscontents, notinstantly, butin
time."The moonis theprototypal form(akrti)oftheyears"(io. 85. 5).
The one cup of Tvastarwas of timelessMoon substancethroughout. This substanceis
Soma,theelixiroflifeand immortality. None had it butTvastar,who is calledthegreatestof
all artists(i.i6o. 2; io. 53.9) forhe madethecup beforethebeginningof things.It held the
originofForm.Thus,Tvastarmadetheformto hold it. The formwas new (i. I61.5). There
had beenno formbeforeit. It was shiningin itsfullness. Its contentsremained undiminished;
it was theeternalsourcewhenceTvastar"adornedwithform(rfipa),heavenand earth,and all
theworlds"(0o. o. 9).
The Moon-cupof Tvastar,thesourceof theprincipleof form,is his workand like Soma
itselfit is his secret(ndmaapicyam;1.84. 5). Tvastaris themastercraftsman of creativeform.
Its secretmustnotbe divulged,foritspowerwouldthenbe depletedandwouldnotbe thesame.
Whenthe contentswereappropriated by Indra,theymadeof thatgod the creatorof a new
9 A. Bergaigne,op. cit. III, p. 55, sees ambiguityin Tvastar'snatureas representedin 4.33.6 and In 4.33.5,
I.161.5.
TvastartakesthelRbhusby theirword (panayadvaco) whentheoldestof themsaid he would maketwo cups,and the
otheryoungerone thathe would makethree,whilethe youngestproposedto makefour.Then whenTvastarsees the
shiningcups (4. 33.6), he becomesjealous (avenat).Bergaignetranslates avenatas "was charmed."
10 The heavenly Soma is in the "house of the Moon" (1.84. 15), or it is the Moon (io. 85.3-5). The receptacleand its
contentsare thesame.
I Thisrefersto thefirstactofcreation.Beyondand beforeitthereis neithertime(= death)norimmortality (cf. io. 129.2).
Withthehelp of Soma whichIndradrankin thehouse of theFather(i.e. Tvastar,4.18.3) and whichhe took from
Tvastar(io.48. io), he opened therock in whichthe cows (= light)werehiddenand releasedthem(4.28. 5). He dis-
coveredthelost lightand let thesun risein thesky (i. 51.4) forall to see.
Indra,the creatorof thiscosmos,discoveredthesun by meansof Soma ("Indra-Somabrokeopen thehidingplace
of thecows"; 4. 28. 5), by meansof thecreativeMoon-substance whichis thesecretof Tvastar.

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worldorder.In Indra,the "drop" (indu)I2of Soma, theelixirof lifeand immortality, when
imbibedagainand againin inexhaustible quantity, swelledthestrength of thecreatorof this
new worldof ours.It was thenthattheone cup was madeintofour,and thesunarosein the
firmament formento behold(3.39. ; 2. 17.4).
The Rbhuswerecraftsmen, and theyweremortal.Whenbytheirworktheygave proofof
theirskill,theywereraisedto thegods and becameimmortal (.i10o. 3, 4; 3.6o.2). The Rbhus
as mortalartists gavea foretoken oftheirdivinenaturewhentheymadebloomtheold parents,
Heaven and Earth(4. 36.1). They exertedthemselves in the serviceof theseancientparents
(4. 33. ). Theirservice(vesana;parivisti) to Heavenand Earth,theparents, theirskillin serving
them won forthe Rbhusthefriendship of the gods (4.33.2). They worked withpenetrating
perseverance (taranitva;I. 10.4, 6; 4.33.I), withthesamepenetrating perseverance by which
Tvastarhad carvedhis one cup (i. i io.6). Theyworkedwithapplicationand willingness to
serveby theirwork (Srusti;4. 36-4). Theirformingenergy(sacibhisapinsata;3.60o.2) made
come truetheirintuition(dhi 3.60o.2; 4. 36.2, 4) and mentalconception(manasanirataksata;
3.60o.2). Theytook thehardway to immortality. Only aftermuchwandering - in theyears'
course- did these"journey-men" reachthe housein theBeyondof Savitar,the "Impeller"
(i. I o. 2), thePrimusMovens,andwinthefriendship ofthegods (4.33.2). "Not withouteffort
does one makethegods one's friends"
(4. 33.11).
They made the gods their friends.Savitargave themimmortality. For twelvedaysthey
sleptin hishospitable house.Butbytheirmasterwork, theyhadestranged Tvastar,fortheyhad
brokenthesecretof thecup and damagedits wholeness.They had profanedthecup forthe
drinkofthegods (i. i6i. 5) by makingfourcupsout of it. Tvastarmeantto killthemforthis
(i. 6i. 5), so greatly was he outraged.Instead,he hidamongsttheGnas (i. 161.4),thewomen
ofthegods- to practicecreation pergenerationem as a substitute forcreation perartem.
Tvastar, the creator
of all Form,being the creator of theformative principle itself,foundthe
secretof his artbetrayedand profaned,vulgarizedby repetition and partition, and brought
withinthereachofman'seffort andpurview.Now it couldbe seenhereon earth,in theatmos-
phereandthesky,thetripleworldofman'sperception, whichtheRbhusrepresent inasmuchas
theirnumberis three.
Theyactunitedly. Not one oftheirfeatsis theworkofanyone ofthemin particular. They
areoneworkingenergyon thethreelevelson whichthecreativefireburns.In thisconcentrated
endeavouroftheirs, theysee andconfront themselves as Agni,thecreativeFire.AwareofAgni
who is themessenger of thegods, theyspeakto him.Theyconfront theirown creativecon-
scienceby askingAgni,"Has theoldest,has theyoungestcometo us?" (. 161I.I). The oldest,
themostancientis thedivineFireinheaven,theyoungest is thefirethatburnson earth(3. . 20;
1.95.3). They confront theirown innercreativefire.What will it create,and whatwill it
destroy?Does it burnin themhereon earthor illuminethemfromheaven?Whichis it that
burnsin themand drivesthemto changethecup ofTvastar?Theyreply:"We didnotcriticize
(nindima)thecup of transcendental stuff(mahikula)'3.We onlyspokeofthenature(bhiti) of
thewood" (i. i6i. 1)14.
I2 Cf. the mythsof Indra and of Dadhyafic.The nameIndra is traditionally, derivedfrom"indu."
if not etymologically,
'3 Kula in thesenseof familyor community as well as nestrefershereto thecontentsand thecontainer.
'4 Wood (dru)is herean equivalentof theGreekhyle.It is askedin anothercontext(R V. 10. 81.4) "What was thewood
of whichtheyfashionedHeaven and Earth?" The answeris: Brahmanwas thewood (TaittiriyaBrdhmaana II. 8.9.6).

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 It is the nature(bhati) of thewood whichprovokesand excitesthesecraftsmen as they
proceed to carvethecups."Water is [its]mostessential
nature thus
(bh-yistha;I. 16i1.9), spoke
one of them.Fire is [its]mostessentialnature,said the other.One [thethird]spokeof the
'Death-bringer' (Vadharyanti)'sratherthanof anyother"(i. 161.9).
As craftsmen, theRbhusare concernedwiththe"material"of thecup,withthesubstance
theysee and feelwhenworkingon it. Fireand Wateraretheessentialnatureofthecup which
is thevesselof Soma,theelixir,thefiery wateroflifeandimmortality. The Rbhusworkon the
cup of Tvastar,thepristine Moon beforeall time,beheldbythemin thefullnessofitscontent
fortheyarecreativeartists.Butbeingmortals, as theygo to workon it,andcarvethecups,the
Rbhussee it wane. Thereis less and less ofit,as theygo on withtheirwork.Whentheylook
at it,theysee the "Death-bringer's" work,as out of theuniquecup theymakeone cup after
another, untilthereare four cups,thefourphasesofthemoonwhichmortalssee.
Thus theRbhus spoketruth(I. 161.9)I6 whentheycarvedand discussedthenatureof the
cup andmadethefourcups,thefourphasesofthemoonthatshineson thissublunary world.It
is contingent truththattheyspoke about the orderof the phenomenalworld.Tvastar,the
greatestartist,thecreatorand preserver of theone cup,of theunspentwholenessof creative
form,was outragedby and shrunkawayfromthe"hybris" oftheRbhus.He becameabsorbed
bythecrowdofthewomenofthegods,who generatein thewaters.
WhenTvastarhad threatened to killtheRbhus,theywere"broughtintosafety bytheVir-
gin" (kanyd,I. I61. 5). The is
Virgin17here Suryd,the sun to
maidenwho was becomethe
brideof Soma. She was to leave thehouse of theFatherwhenherbridalcortegehad taken
leave of Savitar(10. 85.13).
At themomentwhentheVirginbroughttheRbhusintosafety, theRbhushad madetheir
namesby accomplishing thefourcups."As 1Rbhu, Vibhvan, Vdja,theywentto thegods;
and
as artists,theyattainedtheirshareof the sacrifie"(i. 16i. 5-6). Theycameto thehospitable
house of Savitar,theImpeller.He allowedthemto rest.Theyslepttwelvedays,andwhenthey
awoke,theearthwas greenoncemore.Theyhad sleptthecreativesleepin thefullnessoftime,
occursin thispassageonly.Sdyanathinksofthecloudsor oftheearthdesirousoflightning.
'5 Vadharyanti Grassmanns. v.
translatesvadharywith "to hurlweapons" (vadhar) and suggests"Lightning"forVadharyanti, but equates vadhar
withvadhawhichmeanskilling,mortaland killer,deathand destruction. translates
Geldner,Vol. i, p. 220o, "Gewitter-
zeit" and suggests(ib., note 9) followingSdyanatheearthas thethirdelementof whichthecup was made.
Vadharyanti, the deathbringer,thoughhe or she is not mentionedin any othercontextas an embodimentof the
darkmoon,is an evilpowerwhichcausesthedwindlingof themoon. This powerfoundno personification whereasthe
auspiciousphasesof themoon,thefullmoon and thenew moon,are represented in laterVedic textsby thegoddesses
Sinivdll,Riki, and Kuh-i(Macdonell,VedicMythology, p. 125 ;. Cf. also Anumati;L. Renou, VedicIndia,Calcutta,1957,
p. 74). Cf. RV. 2.32.8, Gufigu,Sinivdli,and Rdka.
10.55.5 howeverspeaks of the hoaryone (palita)who devoursthe moon. The Hoary one is the Death bringer.
Vadharyanti, the Death bringerin the moon, is the power whichmakesCyavdnaaged and decrepit.Cyavdnais the
Soma substance(BergaigneII, p. 482) of theMoon.
16 The truthwhichtheRbhus spoke is the "truthutterance" of hymn4.33. 5-6. W.NormanBrown,"The Basis forthe
Hindu Act of Truth,"ReviewofReligion, Vol. V, 1940,pp. 42ff.reconstructs the "satyamantra"(4-33.5) in thisway,
"As so and so is truelet thiscup becometwo; as so and so is true,let thiscup becomethree..." The satyamantra,it
appears,would have foritsbase the assertionsof I. 161.9 concerningthenatureof thesubstance(drunabhiiti,1.161.1)
of thecup. The mantracould thenbe completed:If it is truethatwateris the essentialnatureof the cup, let thiscup
becometwo; ifit is truethatfireis theessentialnatureof thecup,letthiscup becomethree;ifit is truethatthe "Death
bringer"determines its nature,let thiscup becomefour.
'7 The Virginis theDaughterof theFather(io. 61. 5 ; cf.p. i). As daughter oftheFathershe is Dawn. As daughterof the
Fatherin his aspectof Tvastarshe is Saranyu.As daughterof theFatherin his aspectof Savitar-S-irya she is Sairyd,
the
sun-maiden.

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thesametimeduringwhichtheyhad servedtheancientparents,Heaven and Earth,and had
madethemyoungagain,thesametimeduringwhichtheyhad ministered to thecow,theyear,
andproduced a new one from theold, worn-out hide.Twelve daysin thehouse ofthefountain-
head aretwelvemonthsin themanifest cosmos.
Beforetheyhad reachedthehouse of Savitar,the had ministered withunrelenting
effortto theold parents, Heavenand Earth,bycreating theorderofthemonthsandtheyears-
.Rbhus
theorderoftime- ofwhichthemoonis themeasure(io. 85.5).
As soon as theycreatethedivisionoftime,thesonsof Sudhanvanare giventheirseparate
namesI8.Theybecomeimmortal as artistsand receivetheirsharein theeveningsacrifices. By
theircreativework,theyhaveearnedthehospitality of Savitarwho receivesthem in his house
whichis atthecreativesourcebeyondcreation.UnlikeTvastartheFormer,SavitartheImpeller
doesnotshuntheRbhus.He receivesatthesourcethethreegod-men, theworkmenofcreative
ingenuity and perseverance. Savitaris theImpellerwhoseimpulsionreverberates fromtheun-
createthroughout creation.Tvastar,who is theMaker of Form, of thepreestablishedmouldof
all thatis to be, is theessentialartistwho cannottoleratean infringement ofthewholenessof
hisworkwhichis hisverysubstance, thegerminal, form-holding powerofthefiery wateroflife.
WhentheRbhushad slepttwelvedays,whentheydreamedwithclosedeyes thatthey"had
movedaroundtheworlds"(1.I61. I2-I3), theywere awakenedfromtheirdreamand sleep.
Who awakenedthem?TheyaskedSavitar,fromwhomnothingis hidden(agohya).He saidit
was thedog who had takenhold of theirarm.The Rbhuscursedhimwho had takenhold of
theirarmI9.
Savitar,whomtheRbhussee whenrudelyarousedfromtheirsleep,speaksto themin the
shapeoftheRam (i. i61. I3). Ram and goat are cognatesymbols.As Ram,Savitaris thegoat
Aja Ekapad,theone-footed Uncreate,at thefountainhead, beyondthecosmos20.In manifesta-
tion,theone-footed goatis the fiery axialpillarbetween the peak ofmanifestation and thepit.
The fiery pillartraverses thethreeworlds.In eachofthem,Agniis active,in theflameon earth,
the lightning in theatmosphere, thesunin thesky.WhenSavitar,in his house,speaksas the
Ram to theawakening1Rbhus, theyfacehimas thecreativeFireat itssourceand speakto him
(I.I61.2).
theyspeakto theFire,thattheyaccountto themselves
It is not forthefirsttimethat for
theirmission.Agnihad cometo themas themessenger ofthegods (i. i6i. i) whenthenature
and promptedthem- forthustheywerebid by
of Tvastar'scup firstarousedtheirinterest
Agni,theFire,themessenger ofthegods- to makefourcups out oftheone (i.I66I. 2). When
theyhad completedtheirfeat,themessenger had gone (i. i61.4)21.
s8 The sons of Sudhanvanare spokenof as Saudhanvana.
If Sudhanvanis indeedRudra- who lateron was to becomeMahdkdla- thisGod of "Transcendental Time" had
forhis sons themakersof contingent time.
Bergaigne,op.cit.,III, p. 54, speaksof thediffusionof Soma - hiddenin themysterious sojournof Savitar- by
thethreeRbhus,in thethreeworlds.
I9 RV. 1. i6i. 12-13 only namesAhohyawhom theRbhus ask "who had awakenedthem.The Ram named the Dog as
awakener."The ramultimately refersto Savitar.This was recognizedby Bergaigne,op.cit.,III, p. 54, as also the fact
thatthedog refersto Tvastar.Cf.also p. 6o.
The had no reasonto be afraidof thedog fortheirjaws are of iron (4. 37-.4).
20 Ram and goat are closelylinkedas the symbolsof thefierycosmicaxis. The ramstandsforSavitar,thefountainhead,
.Rbhus
beyondthe cosmos. The ramis the vehicleof Agni in laterIndian myths.
2I Cf. 3.5.6. Agni acquiredthedearnameiRbhu.

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 Tvastarawakenedthe Rbhus,takingthemby theirarm.He did it in the shapeof a dog
(i. i 6. i 3)2. He tookhold of theirarm,thecreativelimbofthecraftsman, oftheRbhuswith
theirable hands (4. 33.8). As a dog, and followinghis instinctas shaperof Form,Tvastar
awakenstheseartiststo thepracticeof theirskilldown in thetripleworldwhose activity in
timetheyregulate.
Tvastar'sinstinctive "vengeance"is to shaketheRbhusout of theircreativesleepand the
dream-vision of theirworkintorenewedactivity. This activity is theirproperdomainwhich
theyhavecreatedforthemselves in thistime-world ofchangeand movement, downbelowthe
changeless, quiet source ofundivided Form and Wholeness. From their creativevisionin which
they have dreamed and slept at thesource, in the house of Savitar,theymustgo downto work
in thismovingtime-world, where"theMarutsmoveinthesky,thewindmovesintheairspace,
and Varunamovesin theWaters,seeking[theRbhus],thesons of Strength"
(i.I61. 14).
Tvastar,theDog whotakesholdofthearmofthesleeping is instinctivecreativeness,
theitchofthecraftsman to put hishandto hiswork. .Rbhus,
The threeRbhusare immortal as are thegods,fortheyhave provedtheirvaloras artists.
Theirgreatest is the
patron Indra, Creatorof thiscosmos.He is theirfriend(3.6o. 3; 4. 3.7),
and as theirpatronhe is theirfatherand carriestheirname(4. 37.4; I. 111.4; 10. 23.2) 1Rbhu or
Rbhuksan.The namesoftheSaudhanvana's, thesonsoftheSkilledArcherbywhichtheyhave
becomegods,1Rbhuor Rbhuksan,Vibhvanand Vdja (4-33.3,4), signify theSkill,Distinction
and Power of the artist.These artistsmadetheirnamewhentheybuiltintothe cosmosthe
orderof time.
Theyhad broughttimeintotheworldand to thegods,and so earnedtheloathingof the
Godhead Asura,of Tvastar,the greaterartist,who had createdthe Wholenessof form,on
whichis basedtheuniquenessof each organism.Because,however,Tvastarhad prefigured all
formand had givento it his verysubstance, he finally cameto see thefeatof theRbhus,no
longeras an effrontery and interference withhis own work,but as itselfforming partof the
pattern whosegerm was his secret.SeeingtheRbhusasleepatthecreativesource,aftertheyhad
donetheirworkand provedtheirimmortal calling,it was Tvastarhimself who,unseenbythe
Rbhus,hadto awakenthesegodliketechnicians oftheclockworkoftime.Theywereneededto
proceedwiththeirwork,so as to fitandkeepgoingthisworldbelowsunand moon,according
to theFormlaid down by him.In takingtheshapeof theDog, Tvastarfollowedhis instinct
whichallowedthisgreatestof all artiststo teasetheartistsbornas sonsof man.
The Rbhusarethreein number, fortheycreatetherhythms andfigureoftimein thistriple
and triunecosmos.Theyperform theirworkas one team,as thesonsof Sudhanvan.The three
of themare also spokenof in the pluraleitheras Rbhus,or also as the Vibhvasor Vdjasz3.
Althoughtheyarethree,theyact as one. Theyare thecreativeenergywhichkeepson making
therhythmical sequenceson thefaceofthemoonand ofthisearth.In theirmasterwork ofthe
fourcups,theRbhusshapethefigureofa fourfold rhythm. By itsnumerical value,theirwork
provesthatit was seenby the eyesof thesons of man. Theirmentalperspective belongsto
thosewho live on thisfour-concerned (caturbhrsti; Io. 58. 3) earth.The completeness of the
22 In themythofIndra,it is theentrailsof Tvastar- thedog - whichIndracooksin thehourof greatestneed (4.18. 13).
See Bergaigne,II, p. 270.
The connectionof the symbolsof the dog and themoon persistsin Hinduismin theirassociationwithSiva.
23 Bergaigne,II, p. 405.

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 numberfour,itsveryform,is thatofthepairofthepairsofopposites.The fourcornersofthe
eartharemarkedbythecourseofthesun,bythefourorients, eastandwest,sunriseandsunset;
and by thenorthand southwhichstandforsummerand winter.These cornersimpressthe
squareofpolarities, inthecourseofthedailyandannualmovement ofthesunonthiscircular earth.
The poweroftheoppositeswas intuited bytheRbhuswhentheyponderedoverthenature
(bhuiti)ofthesubstance(dru,i. I6 . I) ofthecup ofTvastar.Fire-and-Water wereitssubstance
underone aspectand Vadharyanti, theirvisibleDestruction, underthe other.Togetherthey
formedtherhythm ofthephasesof themoonin thepatternoffour.
The moonas moduleof theyearin thistripleworldof timemeasurestimeout in twelve
months.The twelvemonthsdo not existin thebeyond,at the sourcewheretheRbhusare
allowedto sleepand dreamtwelvedays24,twelveunitsoftheirworkingtimeduringwhichthe
year,thatold Cow, and theold parents,Heavenand Earth,are madeyoungby them.
The numberthreewhichis thenumberof theverticalstructure of thecosmosin itstriple
divisionof earth,atmosphere, and sky,operatesthroughthefiery-creative activityof thethree
Rbhus in the dimension of time. The number as
four, thenumber of the horizontal extentof
manifestation, is seen by the in the succeedingchangesof thefaceof themoon. The
transfer .Rbhus
ofthenumbersthreeand four,denotingcosmicextentin theverticaland in thehori-
zontalbytheagencyoftheRbhusintothedimension oftime,operatesbeyondevenspaceandtime
inthenumber twelveas numberoftimeirrespective ofdurationZs. Thisnumber denotesthesleep
and dreamoftheRbhusas subsisting intherealmbeyondtimeduringtheiractive,creative work.
-
The favourof theSun Maidenshineson them.The Father as Savitar givesthemim- -
mortality; as Tvastar- in theshapeofthedog - he awakensthemto activework.In his own
form,as thegreatestartist,his dismayat theirskillin carvingout of the secretand timeless
wholenessof formthechangingfaceof themoonand thetime-world, threatens to killthem.
Although the Sun Maiden smileson the Rbhusand theirwork of creation,the taintof
Sudhanvan's, their father's,shot adheres to theiractivity.In the attitudeof the Existentas
againstBeingthereis resentment and assertiveness.
The dartof Existencehad to pierceBeing
in theshapeof theFatherwho had already throughtheact of creation- ceasedto be pure
-
being.The shotof Existenceinfuseditsnuminouspowerintoa particleofthecreatorhimself.
The sonsof theSkilledArcher,sons of man,in theirmasterwork of thefourcups,create
visibleformbyviolatingthewholenessofthesupremeFormas itis in thebeyond,priorto the
beginning ofthings.
Ironically,theirgreatest masterwork, themakingoffourcups out of one,is an act of sepa-
rationoftheoriginalWholeness.Fromthemetaphysical pointofviewwhichis thatofTvastar-
and also of Rudra- disruption of theoriginalWholenessis "originalsin." Fromthepointof
view of creation per artem, however,thewholenessis restoredby the creativeact whenthe
artist,on thelevelofhis competence, producestheself-contained completeness oftheworkof
as dog, awakens the
artz6. Tvasar, therefore, to theirwork in progress.
24 Cf. the latermythicalmeasuresof timecountedin years .Rbhus
of the gods and in yearsof man; Visnupurina,I, chapter3.
25 Cf. I. 164.12 and therespectiveallocationof timeand space thatside and thisside of heaven.
26 Readersfamiliarwiththelegendof the Buddhawill recognizean adaptationof thecup themein thestoryof thefour
alms-bowlsgivento thenewly-enlightened S'kyamuniby theLokapilas, therulersof thefourquarters.His miraculous
joiningofthefourintoone - explainedin thesatrasas a meregestureof tacttowardthegivers- maywell have had
to Buddhistinitiatesthe deepersignificance of a new restorationof Wholeness.See A. Foucher,L'art greco-bouddhique
du Gandhdra, I, Paris,1905,Pp. 2i15-220.

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