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Rig Veda · 20 of 1027
Mandala 1: HYMN XX. Ṛbhus.
1.FOR the Celestial Race this song of praise which gives wealth lavishly Was made by singers with their lips.
2.They who for Indra, with their mind, formed horses harnessed by a word, Attained by works to sacrifice.
3.They for the two Nāsatyas wrought a light car moving every way: They formed a nectar-yielding cow.
4.The Ṛbhus with effectual prayers, honest, with constant labour, made Their Sire and Mother young again.
5.Together came your gladdening drops with Indra by the Maruts girt, With the Ādityas, with the Kings.
6.The sacrificial ladle, wrought newly by the God Tvaṣṭar’s hand— Four ladles have ye made thereof.
7.Vouchsafe us wealth, to him who pours thrice seven libations, yea, to each Give wealth, pleased with our eulogies.
8.As ministering Priests they held, by pious acts they won themselves, A share in sacrifice with Gods.
Asked of Guide
Why do the Ṛbhus “make their Sire and Mother young again” in this hymn?
The hymn says the Ṛbhus, by “effectual prayers, honest, with constant labour,” renewed their Sire and Mother, which frames them as craftspersons whose rites and skill restore vitality. The image of making parents young speaks to the Ṛbhus’ role as divine artisans and ritual agents who reverse decay through sacrificial action and creative workmanship.
This theme fits the Rig Veda’s broader valuation of skilled ritual and crafted objects: like Tvaṣṭar fashioning the sacrificial ladle, the Ṛbhus’ labours produce tangible renewal. For a parallel on artisanship restoring order, compare the Ṛgveda with later myths collected in the Mahābhārata, where makers and priests similarly repair cosmic or familial disorder by skillful work.
Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.