Devalok
God · All traditions · Pan-India

Trita Aptya

Also called: Trita, Aptya, The Third

An ancient god of the Rigveda with no hymn of his own, mentioned about forty times. With his father's weapons he kills the three-headed son of Tvashtri and frees the cattle, deeds also given to Indra; he rends Vritra and breaks Vala's fences; he presses Soma; bad dreams and hidden faults are sent away to him; and one hymn (1.105) shows him calling from a well until Brihaspati frees him. The Shatapatha Brahmana makes him one of three Aptya brothers born from the waters Agni spat upon, on whom the guilt of Vishvarupa's killing is wiped. In the Mahabharata he is a human sage, son of Gautama, left in a well by his brothers.

dragon slaying soma scapegoat well

Sources: Hymns of the Rigveda, tr. R. T. H. Griffith (1896), hymns read for the Vedic layer; The Satapatha-Brahmana, tr. Julius Eggeling (Sacred Books of the East 12, 41); The Mahabharata, tr. K. M. Ganguli (1883-96), sections read for the Vedic layer; Vedic Mythology, A. A. Macdonell (1897) · see Trita Aptya's web

Relations 10

Trita Aptya child of

  • Agni (God)
    The Brahmanas make Trita, with Ekata and Dvita, a son of Agni born from the waters (Shatapatha 1.2.3.1-2; Taittiriya Brahmana 3.2.8.10-11).
  • Gautama (Sage) · Trita in the well
    Only in the Mahabharata, where Trita is a human sage; the Shatapatha has the three rise from the waters Agni spat upon.

Trita Aptya cursed

  • Ekata (Sage) · Trita in the well
    Mahabharata: cursed to become a wolf. Jaiminiya Brahmana: turned into a bear or an ape.
  • Dvita (Sage) · Trita in the well
    Mahabharata: cursed to become a wolf. Jaiminiya Brahmana: turned into a bear or an ape.

Trita Aptya sibling of

Trita Aptya blessed by

Trita Aptya dwells at

Trita Aptya received a boon from

Trita Aptya slew

Stories 2

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