Rathakara

Rathakāra or the Chariot maker is mentioned in several Hindu scriptures such as Rigveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda, Saṃhitas etc. There are various types of Rathakāras mentioned in the texts, whose social status was not uniform,some enjoyed a very high status and some were degraded.

Ratha or the chariot occupied a very important position in Vedic civilization. Many hymns are found in the Vedas praising the Ratha and the creator of the Ratha or the Rathakāra, who occupied an important role in the sacrifices or even day today life.

Ṛgveda(10.85.20), Ṛgveda(3.53.19) consist of hymns praising and describing Rathas. Even various deities are compared with Rathas and the deities riding them are also praised e.g. Ṛgveda(6.61.13)

The Rathakāra mentioned in Ṛgveda (1.6.32) indicates high status, and is associated with the formulae of placing the holy sacrificial fire in the Yajñakuṇḍa. According to the Śrautasūtras, Rathakāra is entitled to perform all the sacrifices. In many sacrifices like the Rājasuya,Rathakāra played a role of recipient of the offerings, e.g. Ratninaḥ in Rājasuya. Some sacrifices like Agnihotra,Darśapurṇamāsa are obligatory to them as they are entitled to place the holy fire in the sacrificial fire-altar.

Indra praises them in Ṛgveda(1.7.32), and are also praised for their dexterity. They are also identified with Tvaṣṭr and Rbhus (Ṛgveda(1.6.32).

The progeny of this Tvaṣṭr is called Rathakāra in the Medini Koṣa Ṛgveda(1.6.32) and seems to have stand as an industrial population, and are associated with worship of the celestial beings like Ṛbhus and Tvaṣṭr. Their origins could be found in the ancient Rigvedic tribes Anu. The Ṛbhus are mentioned as belonging to the race of Aṅgiras, it seems that Anus and Aṅgiras are the same.

The term Rathakāra also implies to Bhṛgus,some Ṛṣis belonging to the race of Bhṛgus who in the Ṛgveda are twice referred to as building chariots. As per Ṛgveda Tvaṣṭr known as Rathakāra belongs to clan of the Bhṛgus, similarly as mentioned in the epic Mahabharata Tvaṣṭr or the Rathakāra is Śukrācārya's son, Śukrācārya is Bhṛgu's grandson and Vāruṇibhṛgu's son.

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Wikipedia