Vedic Mythology c5.s8.t1.3

c5.s8.t1.3

They are very frequently invoked to come to the sacrifice (4, 34¹·³, 37¹) and to drink the Soma juice (4, 34⁴. 36²; 7, 48¹). Being high in heaven they are besought to come to the Soma in the lower abodes (4, 37³). In this they are generally associated with Indra (3, 60⁴⁻⁶; 4, 33³. 34⁶. 35⁷), a few times with the Maruts (1, 20⁵. 111⁴; 4, 34¹¹), and once with the Ādityas, Savitṛ, Mountains, and Rivers (4, 34⁸). In other respects also they are closely connected with Indra. They are Indra-like (4, 37⁵) and Ṛbhu is like a new Indra (1, 110⁷). With Indra they help mortals to victory (4, 37⁶) and are invoked with him to crush foes (7, 48³). They are said to have obtained the friendship of Indra by their skilful work (3, 60³; 4, 35⁷·⁹); for it is they who fashioned his steeds. In the hymns devoted to their praise, they are rarely invoked with gods other than Indra, there being only one such passage (4, 34⁸) in which Indra is not mentioned as well. Indra's connexion with them is indeed so characteristic, that he is, like the eldest of the triad, called 'chief of the Ṛbhus' (*ṛbhukṣan*), a term also two or three times applied to Indra's associates, the Maruts. In some of the Viśvedeva hymns they are brought into connexion with a few other gods, chiefly Tvaṣṭṛ.