The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v1.c19.s1.5

v1.c19.s1.5

Five great feats of skill are enumerated as performed by the Ṛbhus, the making of a car which, horseless, reinless, with three wheels, travels space, for the Açvins; the fashioning for Indra of two bay steeds; the making out of a hide of a cow, seemingly for Bṛhaspati, to milk nectar, of which a variant seems to be the uniting of the mother with her calf; the rejuvenating of their ancient and frail parents, doubtless heaven and earth; and, last but not least, the making of Tvaṣṭṛ’s one cup into four. This they did on the bidding of the gods through Agni, and the promise of immortality was the bait: Tvaṣṭṛ seems to have approved the proposal,¹ but in one place² he is said to have been fain to slay them for this desecration of the cup of the gods, while they deny the desecration. Other feats are more commonplace: they fashion the sacrifice or the two worlds.