Vedic Mythology c5.s2.t1.13

c5.s2.t1.13

The above evidence may perhaps justify the conclusion that Trita was a god of lightning, the third or aerial form of fire, originally the middle member of the triad Agni, Vāyu or Indra, Sūrya. By a process of natural selection Indra seems to have ousted this god originally almost identical in character with himself, with the result that Trita occupies but an obscure position even in the RV. If this interpretation be correct, Trita's original connexion with Soma would signify the bringing of Soma from heaven by lightning (as in the Soma-eagle myth: § 37). The paucity of the evidence has led to many divergent views⁹. Only some of these need be mentioned here. Roth (ZDMG. 2, 224) considered Trita a water and wind god. Hillebrandt¹⁰ regards him as a deity of the bright sky. Perry believes him to be a god of the storm, older than Indra¹¹. Pischel who formerly (PVS. 1, 186) thought him to be 'a god of the sea and of the waters' has recently (GGA. 1894, p. 428) expressed the opinion that Trita was originally a human healer who was later deified. Hardy thinks Trita is a moon god¹².