ऋभु [ ṛbhu ] [ ṛbhú ] m. f. n. (√ [ rabh ] ) , clever , skilful , inventive , prudent (said of Indra , Agni , and the Ādityas Lit. RV. ; also of property or wealth Lit. RV. iv , 37 , 5 ; viii , 93 , 34 ; of an arrow Lit. AV. i , 2 , 3)

[ ṛbhu ] m. an artist , one who works in iron , a smith , builder (of carriages ) , N. of three semi-divine beings ( Ṛibhu , 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 ( Lit. Ludwig Lit. RV. 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 Bṛihaspati ; 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 Tvashṭṛi , the artificer of the gods , bidding the Ṛibhus construct four cups from it ; when they had successfully executed this task , the gods received the Ṛibhus amongst themselves and allowed them to partake of their sacrifices ; cf. Kaegi Lit. RV. Lit. p.53 f.) Lit. RV. Lit. AV.

they appear generally as accompanying Indra , especially at the evening sacrifice

in later mythology Ṛibhu is a son of Brahman Lit. VP.

a deity Lit. L.

m. ( [ avas ] ) a class of deities

( ( cf. Gk. 1 ; Lat. (labor) ; Goth. (arb-aiths) ; Angl.Sax. $ ; Slav. (rab-u) . ) )