Tvastar
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- For the volcanic region on Io, see Tvashtar Paterae.
In Vedic religion, Tvastr (Tvaṣṭṛ, also transliterated as Tvashtr, Tvastri or Tvashtri, nominative Tvaṣṭā) is the "heavenly builder", the maker of divine implements, especially Indra's vajra. He is the former of the bodies of men and animals, and therefore called "firstborn" and invoked when desiring offspring, called garbha-pati "lord of fetuses".
Tvastr is the Sanskrit term for "carpenter" and especially "chariot maker". Tvastr is mentioned in the Mitanni treaty, which establishes him as a Proto-Indo-Iranian divinity.
Tvastr is sometimes associated or identified with similar deities, such as Savitr, Prajapati or Pushan. He is the father of Saranyu, who twice bears twins to Vivasvat or Vayu (RV 8.26), Yama and Yami, also identified as the first humans, and the Asvins. He is also the father of Trisiras, who was killed by Indra. Tvashtri created Vrtra, a fearsome dragon, in revenge.
Tvastr is a solar deity in the Mahabharata and the Harivamsa. He is mentioned as the son of Surya and Aditi in Hinduism, and said to have made the three worlds with pieces of the sun (Surya is the solar deity).
Tvastr is often compared to Visvakarma.
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