Vedic Mythology c5.s4.2

c5.s4.2

A. Various Agent Gods. — The most important of the gods whose names denote an agent in *-tṛ*, is Savitṛ, who has already been treated among the solar deities (§ 15). Most of the others are of rare occurrence in the RV. Dhātṛ, found in a few passages as an appellative designating priests as 'establishers' of the sacrifice, occurs as the name of a deity about a dozen times and, with the exception of one indefinite mention in company with a number of other gods (7, 35³), only in the tenth book. In one of these passages the name is an epithet of Indra (10, 167³) and in another of Viśvakarman (10, 82²). The frequent ascription of the action of establishing (√*dhā*) the phenomena of the world to different gods, gradually led to the conception of a separate deity exercising this particular activity. Thus Dhātṛ generally has the independent character of a god who creates sun, moon, heaven, earth, and air (10, 190³), and is lord of the world (10, 128⁷). In a hymn to the Sun, Dhātṛ is invoked to grant a clear eye (10, 158³). He is besought with Viṣṇu, Tvaṣṭṛ, Prajāpati, to grant offspring (10, 184¹) and, by himself, to bestow length of days (10, 185). He is also prayed to indefinitely with Viṣṇu and Savitṛ (10, 181¹⁻³) or with Mātariśvan and Deṣṭrī (10, 85⁴⁷). In the Naighaṇṭuka (5, 5) Dhātṛ is enumerated among the gods of the middle region and by Yāska (Nir. 11, 10) explained as the 'ordainer of everything'. In the post-Vedic period, Dhātṛ is the Creator and Preserver of the world, being the equivalent of Prajāpati or Brahmā. The rare name Vidhātṛ, the 'Disposer' is in two passages an epithet, beside Dhātṛ, once of Indra (10, 167³) and once of Viśvakarman (10, 82²); but appears twice in enumerations of deities to have an independent character (6, 50¹²; 9, 81⁵). Dhartṛ, 'Supporter', frequently used (almost exclusively with the genitive of that which is supported) as an epithet of Indra and other gods, occurs once as an independent name along with Dhātṛ and other deities (7, 35³). Similarly, Trātṛ, the 'Protector', mostly employed as an epithet of Agni or Indra and, in the plural, of the Ādityas, occurs independently as 'the Protector God' in five passages along with other deities (1, 106⁷; 4, 55⁵· ⁷; 8, 18²⁰; 10, 128⁷). In ROTH's opinion, Savitṛ especially and also Bhaga are intended by this god². A 'Leader God' (*deva netṛ*) is invoked two or three times in one hymn (5, 50) as a guide to prosperity in life.