Vedic Mythology c7.s2.1

c7.s2.1

Besides the celestial horses which draw the cars of the gods, various individual divine steeds occur in Vedic mythology. One of the most notable of these is Dadhikrā, who is celebrated in four rather late² hymns of the RV. (4, 38—40; 7, 44). The name is mentioned there twelve times, interchanging with the extended form Dadhikrāvan, which is found ten times. The name hardly ever occurs in other Vedic texts. Dadhikrā is so characteristically a steed that the word is given in the Nighaṇṭuka (1, 14) as a synonym of horse. He is swift (4, 38²· ⁹. 39¹), being the first steed at the head of chariots (7, 44⁴) and a vanquisher of chariots (*rathatur*), who speeds like the wind (4, 38³). The people praise his swiftness and every Pūru praises him as he runs on a precipice as it were (ib. ⁹·³). He bounds along the curves of the paths (4, 40⁴). He is also conceived as winged. For he is called bird-like, his wing being compared with that of a bird and of a speeding eagle (4, 40²· ³). He is likened to a swooping eagle and even directly called an eagle (4, 38⁵· ²). In one passage (4, 40⁵) he is spoken of as the swan (*haṃsa*) dwelling in light, as well as the Vasu in the air, the priest at the altar, the guest in the house — all epithets appropriate to various forms of Agni.