Ribhu, Ṛbhu, Rbhu: 14 definitions
Introduction:
Ribhu means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit term Ṛbhu can be transliterated into English as Rbhu or Ribhu, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaṚbhu (ऋभु).—An ancient sage. He was the son of Brahmā. He was an extraordinary scholar who became the preceptor of Nidāgha who was the son of Pulastya and the grandson of Brahmā. Ṛbhu conveyed all knowledge to Nidāgha. But he saw that although he taught Nidāgha all branches of knowledge, the latter did not take any interest in "Advaita". So he left him in disappointment but later got him interested in Advaita. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Aṃśa 2. Chapters 15-16).
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationṚbhu (ऋभु) refers to a group of deities (asuras) that came into existence after sage Bhṛgu was pouring the offerings at Dakṣa’s sacrifice, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.30. Accordingly as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“[...] On seeing the force of their onslaught, O sages, the holy sage Bhṛgu poured offering in the Dakṣiṇa fire with the Yajur mantra to quell the obstructors of sacrifice. While the sage Bhṛgu was pouring the offerings, thousands of powerful demons—Ṛbhus rose up. O excellent sage, a terrible fight ensued between Śiva’s attendants and the demons who had firebrands for their weapons. Their hair stood on end when people heard the uproar. The attendants were killed by the Ṛbhus of powerful valour and favoured with Brahminical splendour. They were forced to run without difficulty”.
Note: Ṛbhus are the sons of Sudhanvan, a descendant of Aṅgiras, severally named Ṛbhu, Vibhu and Vāja. Through their assiduous performance of good works they obtained superhuman powers and became entitled to receive praise and adoration.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Ṛbhu (ऋभु).—A son of Brahmā; one of the first two created, the other Sanatkumāra; a siddha who knows the māyā of Hari.1 A resident of Tapoloka;2 teacher of Nidāgha; imparted to him the essence of true knowledge after partaking of meals with him; once again met Nidāgha after 1000 years; initiated him into the mysteries of advaita and disappeared.3
- 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa II. 7. 43; IV. 8. 1; VI. 15. 12; Vāyu-purāṇa 9. 106; 24. 79.
- 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 36. 6; IV. 2. 24, 35 and 214; Vāyu-purāṇa 101. 26, 37 and 212; Vāyu-purāṇa 25. 92.
- 3) Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 15. 2-34; 16 (whole).
1b) Heard the viṣṇu purāṇa from Brahmā; communicated to Priyavrata.*
- * Viṣṇu-purāṇa VI. 8. 43.
1c) A class of gods resident in Bhuvarloka1 specially created by Bhṛgu to put down the pramatha and other gaṇas in the sacrifice of Dakṣa. Followers of Indra;2 of Cākṣuṣa epoch.3
1d) Gods of the Vaivasvata epoch, came to Dvārakā with other gods to ask Kṛṣṇa to go back to Vaikunṭḥa.*
- * Bhāgavata-purāṇa VIII. 13. 4; XI. 6. 2.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
Source: Shodhganga: Siva Gita A Critical StudyṚbhu (ऋभु) or Ṛbhugītā refers to one of the sixty-four Gītās commonly referred to in Hindu scriptures.—Gītā is the name given to certain sacred writings in verse (often in the form of a dialogue) which are devoted to the exposition of particular religious and theosophical doctrines. Most of these Gītās [i.e., Ṛbhu-gītā] originate from the Mahābhārata or the various Purāṇas.
Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: Apam Napat: Indian MythologyIn the Rig Veda, the Rbhus (Rbhu, Vibhavan, and Vaja) are a trio of skilled, divine artisans. They are the sons of heaven (Dyaus) and earth. They performed many feats of skill, the greatest being the transformation of the bowl of Tvashta into four shining cups for the Gods.
Their other feats include: renewing the youth of their parents, making a cow from a hide, and shape tawny steeds for Indra. They are demi-gods, and are invoked to bring prosperity to the worshiper.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryṚbhu (ऋभु).—a. Ved.
1) Skilful, clever, prudent (as an epithet of Indra, Agni, Ādityas, property and wealth) ऋभुमृभुक्षणो रयिम् (ṛbhumṛbhukṣaṇo rayim) Ṛgveda 4.37.5.
2) Handly (as a weapon).
3) Shining far.
-bhuḥ 1 A deity, divinity; a god (dwelling in heaven).
2) The god who is worshipped by the gods; ऋभवो नाम तत्रान्ये देवानामपि देवताः (ṛbhavo nāma tatrānye devānāmapi devatāḥ) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 3.261.19.
3) A class of the attendants of gods.
4) An artist, smith, especially a coach-builder (rathakāra).
5) Name of three semi-divine beings called Ṛibhu, Vibhvan and Vāja, sons of Sudhanvan, a descendant of Aṅgiras, who were so called from the name of the eldest son. [Through their performance of good works they obtained divinity, exercised superhuman powers, and became entitled to worship. They are supposed to dwell in the Solar sphere, and are the artists who formed the horses of Indra, the carriage of the Aśvins, and the miraculous cow of Bṛhaspati. They made their aged parents young, and constructed four cups at a sacrifice from the one cup of Tvaṣṭṛ, who as the proper artificer of the gods, was in this respect their rival. They appear generally as accompanying Indra at the evening sacrifices. M. W.].
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryṚbhu (ऋभु).—m.
(-bhuḥ) 1. A deity. 2. A divinity of a particular order. E. ṛ the mother of the gods, bhū to be, ḍu affix; also ribhu.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryṚbhu (ऋभु).—i. e. rabh + u, m. The name of certain deities, Mahābhārata 3, 15459.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryṚbhu (ऋभु).—[adjective] skilful, clever; [masculine] artist, builder, [Name] of three myth. beings, the Ribhus, [especially] the first of them.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Ṛbhu (ऋभु):—mfn. (√rabh), clever, skilful, inventive, prudent (said of Indra, Agni, and the Ādityas, [Ṛg-veda]; also of property or wealth, [Ṛg-veda iv, 37, 5; viii, 93, 34]; of an arrow, [Atharva-veda i, 2, 3])
2) m. an artist, one who works in iron, a smith, builder (of carriages etc.), Name of three semi-divine beings (Ṛbhu, Vāja, and Vibhvan, the name of the first being applied to all of them; thought by some to represent the three seasons of the year [Ludwig; Ṛg-veda vol.iii, p.187], and celebrated for their skill as artists; they are supposed to dwell in the solar sphere, and are the artists who formed the horses of Indra, the carriage of the Aśvins, and the miraculous cow of Bṛhaspati; they made their parents young, and performed other wonderful works [Sv-apas]; they are supposed to take their ease and remain idle for twelve days [the twelve intercalary days of the winter solstice] every year in the house of the Sun [Agohya]; after which they recommence working; when the gods heard of their skill, they sent Agni to them with the one cup of their rival Tvaṣṭṛ, the artificer of the gods, bidding the Ṛbhus construct four cups from it; when they had successfully executed this task, the gods received the Ṛbhus amongst themselves and allowed them to partake of their sacrifices etc.; cf. Kaegi, [Ṛg-veda; p.53 f.]), [Ṛg-veda; Atharva-veda] etc.
3) they appear generally as accompanying Indra, especially at the evening sacrifice
4) in later mythology Ṛbhu is a son of Brahman, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]
5) a deity, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
6) m. (avas) a class of deities
7) cf. [Greek] ἀλφεῖν; [Latin] labor; [Gothic] arb-aiths; [Anglo-Saxon] earfoð; [Slavonic or Slavonian] rab-ŭ.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryṚbhu (ऋभु):—(bhuḥ) 2. m. A deity.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusṚbhu (ಋಭು):—
1) [noun] a deity; a divinity.
2) [noun] a class of the attendants of gods.
--- OR ---
Ribhu (ರಿಭು):—[noun] = ರಿಬು [ribu].
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Ribhugita, Ribhuksha, Ribhukshan, Ribhukshin, Ribhukshina, Ribhumant, Ribhumat, Ribhupala, Ribhus, Ribhushthira, Ribhuvimana.
Ends with (+35): Adharibhu, Adribhu, Amaribhu, Anusvaribhu, Apanduribhu, Apatribhu, Asthiribhu, Cakribhu, Daribhu, Duribhu, Giribhu, Kathoribhu, Kharibhu, Kimkaribhu, Kricchribhu, Kshiribhu, Marmaribhu, Mayuribhu, Mishribhu, Mitribhu.
Full-text (+38): Ribhushthira, Arbhava, Aindrarbhava, Saudhanvana, Vaja, Ribhuksha, Ribhukshan, Nidagha, Shamishtha, Ribhumant, Vibhvan, Orpheus, Ribhumat, Ribhva, Vajaratna, Ribhukshin, Ribhus, Vajavant, Svapas, Vajashruta.
Relevant text
Search found 40 books and stories containing Ribhu, Ṛbhu, Rbhu; (plurals include: Ribhus, Ṛbhus, Rbhus). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 5.20.58 < [Chapter 20 - The Liberation of Ṛbhu Muni During the Rāsa-dance Festival]
Chapter 20 - The Liberation of Ṛbhu Muni During the Rāsa-dance Festival < [Canto 5 - Mathurā-khaṇḍa]
Verse 5.20.45 < [Chapter 20 - The Liberation of Ṛbhu Muni During the Rāsa-dance Festival]
The Shiva Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 30 - Satī’s casting off of her body and the subsequent disorder < [Section 2.2 - Rudra-saṃhitā (2): Satī-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 8 - The incarnations of Vyāsa < [Section 7.2 - Vāyavīya-saṃhitā (2)]
The Vishnu Purana (by Horace Hayman Wilson)
Chapter XVI - Ribhu returns to his disciple, and perfects him in divine knowledge < [Book II]
Chapter XV - Bharata relates the story of Ribhu and Nidagha < [Book II]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
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