sutasya asya made Ahim Indro jaghāna); ii. 19, 2 (asya mandāno madhvo vajrahastaḥ ahim Indro arnovṛitam̃ vi vṛiśchat); vi. 47, 1, 2; x. 112, 1 (Indra piba pratikāmam sutasya.... | harshasva hantave śūra śatrün),— Indra hurries off, escorted by troops of Maruts, and sometimes attended by his faithful comrade Vishnu (i. 22, 19, Indrasya yujyo sakhā);

soma.

subhaspati Indram karmasu āvatam | 5. putram iva pitarā Aśvinā ubhā Indra āvathuḥ kāvyair damsanābhiḥ | yat surāmam vi apibaḥ s'achībhiḥ sarasvatī tvā maghavann abhishnak.) A story is told by the commentator on the Vāj. Sanh. x. 33, to explain these lines. Namuchi, it seems, was a friend of Indra; and taking advantage of his friend's confidence, he drank up Indra's strength along with a draught of wine and Indra then told the Asvins and Sarasvati that Namuchi had drunk up his strength. The Asvins and Sarasvati, in consequence, gave Indra a thunderbolt in the form of foam, with which he smote off the head of Namuchi. The Asvins then drank the soma, mixed with blood and wine, from the belly of Namuchi, and transferred it pure to Indra; and by transferring it they delivered Indra. The story is taken from the S'atapatha Brāhmaṇa xii. 7, 3, 1 ff. (p. 934 Weber's ed.) and is the original version of those adduced by me elsewhere (Vol. IV. 222 and 420). As given in the Brahmana, it runs thus: "The Asura Namuchi carried off Indra's strength (indriya), the essence of food, and the draught of soma, together with wine. He (Indra) hastened to the Asvins and Sarasvati, and said, 'I have sworn to Namuchi, I will neither slay thee by day or by night; neither with club, nor with bow; neither with the palm of my hand (prithena), nor with fist; neither with dry, nor with moist; and he has carried off that (strength, etc.) of mine; will ye recover it for me?' They answered: Let us have a share in it, and we will recover it.' Indra replied: 'It shall be common to us all; recover it therefore.' Then the Asvins and Sarasvatī anointed the thunderbolt with the foam of the waters, saying, 'It is neither dry nor moist." With that Indra struck off the head of Namuchi, when night was passing into dawn, and the sun had not yet risen, when (as he said) it was neither day nor night.' When his head had been cut off, the soma remained mixed with blood; and they loathed it. But having perceived this draught of the two somas, according to the text, 'King Soma, when poured out, is nectar,' they with this made the other mixed fluid palatable, and swallowed it" (Indrasya indriyam annasya rasam somasya bhaksham surayā āsuro Namuchir aharat, so 'svinau cha sarasvatim cha upādhāvat "sepāno śmi Namuchaye na tvā divā na naktam hanāni na danḍena na dhanvanā na pṛithena na mushținā na śushkena na ārdrena atha me idam ahārshīt | idam me ājihīrshatha" iti | te 'bruvann “astu no 'trāpy atha āharāma" iti | “saha na etad atha āharata" ity abravid iti | tāv as'vinau cha Sarasvati cha apām phenam vajram asinchan “na s'ushko na ārdraḥ” iti | tena Indro Namucher āsurasya vyushṭāyām rātrau anudite āditye “na divā na naktam” iti siraḥ udavāsayat |. tasya sirshamś chhinne lohita-miśraḥ somo 'tishṭhat | tasmād abībhatsanta | te etad andhasor vipānam apasyan "somo rājā 'mṛitam sutaḥ" iti tena enam svadayitvā ātmann adadhata | See also S'atap. Br. xii. 7, 1, 10, and xii. 8, 3, 1, quoted by the Commentator on Vaj. S. 19, 12, where it is said that "the gods instituted a remedial sacrifice; the Asvins were the physicians, and so also was Sarasvati with speech: they imparted strength to Indra" devāḥ yajnam atanvata bheshajam bhishajā’svinā | vācha sarasvati bhishag Indraya indriyāni dadhataḥ). See also verses 15, 18, 34, 80-83, 88-90, 93, 95; and section 20, 56-69, 73-76, 90.

....

i. 85, 7174 (Vishnur yad ha avad vṛishanam madachyutam; iv. 18, 11 (quoted above p. 78 f.); vi. 20, 2 (ahim yad vṛittram apo vavṛivām̃sam hann rijishin Vishṇunā sachānaḥ); viii. 89, 12 (Sakhe Vishno vitarām vikramasva Dyaur dehi lokam vajrāya vishkabhe | hanāva vṛittram ityādi).175 vii. 99, 4, 5 (Indrā-vishṇā dṛimhitaḥ S'ambarasya nava puro navatim cha śnathishtam), to encounter the hostile powers in the atmosphere who malevolently shut up the watery treasures in the clouds. These demons of drought, called by a variety of names, as Vrittra, 176 Ahi,

174 Benfey, however, refers this passage, i. 85, 7, not to Indra, but to the soma. 175 Compare i. 156, 5; vi. 17, 11; viii. 12, 27; viii. 66, 10; x. 113, 2, in which passages (as well as in separate hymns, i. 155; vi. 69), Indra and Vishnu are connected. The S'atapatha Brahmana has the following story about Indra and Vishnu, v. 5, 5, 1 ff:-" Formerly Vṛittra had within him all the Ṛik, Yajush and Saman verses. Indra was anxious to discharge a thunderbolt at him (2), and said to Vishnu: 'I will shoot a thunderbolt at Vṛittra; follow after me.' So be it,' said Vishnu, I will follow thee; smite him.' Indra then aimed a thunderbolt at Vṛittra, who was alarmed at it, and said (3), 'I have this (source of) strength; let me give it up to thee; but do not smite me.' So he gave him the Yajush verses. Indra then aimed a second thunderbolt at him (4), when he said, 'I have this (source of) strength; let me give it up to thee; but do not smite me.' So he gave the Rik verses. Indra then aimed a third thunderbolt at him (5), when he said, I have this (source of) strength; let me give it up to thee; but do not smite me.' So he gave him the Saman verses. . . . . (7) Indra lifted up the thunderbolt; Vishnu followed him." (Vrittre ha vai idam agre sarvam āsa yad ṛicho yad yajūmshi yat sāmāni | tasmai Indro vajram prājihīrshat | 2. sa ha Vishnum uvācha "Vṛittrāya vai vajram praharishyāmi | anu mā tishṭhasva" iti | "tatha" iti ha Vishnur uvācha “anu tva sthāsye prahara" iti | tasmai Indro vajram udyayāma | sa udyatād vajrād Vṛittro bibhayānchakāra | 3. sa ha uvācha “asti vai idam vīryam | tad nu te prayachhāni | mā tu me prahārshīr" iti | tasmai yajuñshi prāyachhat | tasmai dvitīyam udyayāma | 4. sa ha uvācha “asti vai idam vīryam tad nu te prayachhāni | mā tu me prahārshīr" iti | tasmai ṛichaḥ prāyachhat | tasmai tṛitīyam udyayāma | 5. [sa ha uvācha] “asti vai idam vīryam | tad nu te prayachhāni | mā tu me prahārshīr” iti | tasmai sāmāni prāyachhat | 7... Indro hi vajram udayachhad Vishnur anvatishthata.) There is a similar story in the Taitt. Sanh. vi. 5, 1, 1. Agni is in several places (i. 109, 5, 7, 8; iii. 12, 4, 6; x. 65, 2) associated with Indra as a thunderer, a destroyer of Vrittra, and an overthrower of cities. Varuna, too, is in one place

(iv. 41, 4) joined with Indra as a thunderer.

176 Vrittra's mother Dānu also was, along with her son, slain by Indra, and when slaughtered lay over him, like a cow over her calf (i. 32, 9, nīchāvayāḥ abhavad Vṛittraputrā Indro asyāḥ ava vadhar jabhāra | uttarā sūr adharaḥ puttraḥ āsīd Dānuḥ saye sahavatsā na dhenuḥ). Seven Danus are mentioned in R.V. x. 120, 6 (=Nirukta, xi. 21) ā darshate savasā sapta Dānūn | "He cleaves by his force the seven Dānus." Roth, in his illustrations of the Nirukta, p. 150, remarks on this passage: "Seven is an indefinite number applied to the demons of the air and clouds, who appear under the manifold names of Namuchi, Kuyava, S'ushna, S'ambara, Varchin, etc., the Dānus or Dānavas, to whom in i. 32, 9, a mother called Dānu is assigned." The

S'ushna, Namuchi, Pipru, S'ambara, Urana, etc., etc. (i. 121, 9, 10; ii. 14, 4 ff.; viii. 32, 2, 3), armed, on their side also, with every variety of celestial artillery (i. 32, 13, na asmai vidyud na tanyatuḥ sishedha na yām miham akirad hrādunīm̃ cha),1 attempt, but in vain, to resist the onset of the gods." 178 Heaven and earth quake with affright at the crash of Indra's thunder, i. 80, 11 (ime chit tava manyave vepete bhiyasā mahi | yad Indra vajrinn ojasā Vrittram marutvān avadhiḥ | 14. abhishṭane te adrivo yat sthāḥ jagāt cha rejate); ii. 11, 9 (arejetām rodasī bhiyāne kanikradato vṛishno asya vajrāt | 10. aroravīd vṛishno asya vajraḥ); vi. 17, 9 (adha dyauś chit te apa să nu vajrād dvitā 'namad bhiyasā svasya manyoḥ), and even Tvashṭṛi himself, who forged the bolts, trembles at the manifestation of their wielder's anger, i. 80, 14 (Tvashţă chit tava manyave Indra vevijyate bhiya). The enemies of Indra are speedily pierced and shattered by the discharge of his iron shafts, i. 32, 5 (ahan Vṛittram vṛittrataram vyamśam Indro vajrena mahatā vadhena | skandhāmsīva kulišena vivṛiknā ahiḥ śayate upapṛik prithivyāh), i. 57, 6; i. 61, 10; ii. 19, 3; x. 89, 7 (jaghāna Vṛittram svadhitir vaneva), and even by their very sound, vi. 27, 4 (etat tyat te indriyam acheti yenāvadhir varaśikhasya śeshaḥ | vajrasya yat te nihatasya śushmāt svanāt chid Indra paramo dadāra); viii. 6, 13 (yad asya manyur adhvanīd vi vṛittram parvaśo rujan | apaḥ samudram airayat). The waters, released from their imprisonment, descend in torrents to the earth, fill all the rivers, and roll along to the ocean, i. 32, 2 (vāśrāḥ iva dhenavaḥ syandamānāḥ anjaḥ samudram ava jagmur āpaḥ | 12. avāsṛijaḥ sarttave sapta sindhūn); i. 57, 6; i. 61, 10; i. 103, 2 (vajrena hatvā nir apaḥ sasarja); ii. 11, 2; ii. 12, 12; ii. 14, 2; ii. 15, 3 (vajrena khāni atṛinad nadīnām); ii. 19, 3 (Indro arno apām prairayad Ahihā 'chha samudram); iii. 32, 6; iv. 17, 1; v. 32, 1 (adardar utsam asṛijo vi khani tvam arnavān badbadhānān aramnāḥ | mahāntam Indra parvatam vi yad vaḥ sṛijo vi dhārāḥ ava Dānavam̃ han); vi. 30, 4; viii. 65, 3;

S'atap. Br. i. 6, 4, 18, says that Indra is the sun and Vṛittra the moon (tad vai esha eva Indro yaḥ esha tapati | atha esha eva vṛittro yat chandramāḥ).

177 Sayana understands this line of the lightnings, etc., fashioned by Vṛittra's magical power to destroy Indra (Indram nisheddhum Vṛittro yān vidyud-ādīn māyayā nirmitavān te sarve 'py enam nisheddhum aśaktāḥ).

178 Vrittra is said, in ii. 30, 3 (according to Sayana's explanation of the line), to have rushed upon Indra, clothed in a cloud, but to have been overcome (mikam vasānaḥ upa hi īm adudrot).

x. 133, 2. The gloom which had overspread the sky is dispersed, and the sun is restored to his position in the heavens (i. 32, 4; i. 51, 4, Vrittram yad Indra savasă avadhir Ahim ad it suryam divi ārohayo drise); 179 i. 52, 8 (ayachhathāḥ bāhvor vajram āyasam adharayo divi ā suryam dṛiśe); ii. 19, 3. Constant allusions to these elemental conflicts occur in nearly every part of the Rig-veda (i. 4, 8; i. 32, 1 ff.; i. 52, 2 ff.; i. 54, 4 ff.; i. 80, 1 ff.; i. 103, 2 ff.; ii. 11, 5 ff.; v. 32, 1 ff.; x. 89, 7; x. 113, 6), and the descriptions are sometimes embellished with a certain variety of imagery. The clouds are represented as mountains, or as cities or fortresses of the Asuras, ii. 14, 6 (yaḥ satam S'ambarasya puro bibheda aśmanā iva pūrvīḥ); viii. 17, 14 (bhetṭā purām śaśvatīnām); viii. 87, 6 (tvam hi śaśvatīnām Indra darttā puram asi), which are variously characterized as the autumnal (puraḥ śāradīḥ, i. 131, 4; vi. 20, 10), the moving (puram charishnvam, viii. 1, 28), and the iron (āyasīḥ, ii. 20, 8) or stone-built (iv. 30, 20, śatam aśmanmayīnām purām Indro vyāsyat | Divodāsāya daśushe) 190 cities of the Asuras (or atmospheric demons), which Indra overthrows (i. 51, 5; i. 63, 7; i. 103, 3; i. 130, 7; i. 174, 8; ii. 19, 6; ii. 20, 7; iii. 12, 6; iv. 26, 3; iv. 30, 13; viii. 82, 2; x. 89, 7). He casts down his enemies when he discovers them on the aerial mountains (i. 32, 2, ahann Ahim parvate śiśriyānam); i. 130, 7 (Atithigvāya S'ambaram girer ugro avatirat); ii. 12, 11 (Yaḥ S'ambaram parvateshu kshiyantam chatvārim̃śyāṁ śaradi anvavindat); iv. 30, 14 (uta dāsam kaulitaram brihataḥ parvatād adhi | avāhann Indraḥ S'ambaram); vi. 26, 5; or hurls them back when they attempt to scale the heavens (ii. 12, 12 yo Rauhinam asphurad vajra-bāhur dyām ārohantam); viii. 14, 14 (māyābhir utsisripsataḥ Indro dyām ārurukshataḥ | ava dasyūn adhūnuthāḥ). One of them he crushes under his foot, 1, 51, 6 (Arbudam ni kramīḥ pada), or pierces with ice, viii. 32, 26 (himena avidhyad Arbudam). He strikes off the head of Namuchi with the foam of the waters, 181

179 Sayana understands the last words to mean that Indra freed the sun which had been hidden by Vrittra (Vrittrena āvṛitam sūryam tasmād vṛittrād amūmuchaḥ). In i. 32, 4, and ii. 19, 3, Indra is said to have generated the sun; which may refer to an actual creation, and not to a mere bringing into view. In x. 89, 2, Indra seems to be identified with the sun (sa suryaḥ), and to have destroyed the black darkness by his light (krishnā tamām si tvishyā jaghāna).

180 Possibly these may be ordinary terrestrial cities; and the same may be the case in regard to the cities alluded to in some of the texts next to be cited.

181 See above, in a preceding note.

viii. 14, 13 (apām phenena namucheḥ śiraḥ Indra udavartayaḥ). One of his opponents, Urana, is described as a monster, with ninety-nine arms, ii. 14, 4 (yaḥ Uranam jaghāna nava chakhvām̃sam navatim̃ cha bāhūn); and another as having three heads and six eyes, x. 99, 6 (sa id dāsam tuviravam patir dan shalaksham triśirshānam damanyat).

The growth of much of the imagery thus described is perfectly natural, and easily intelligible, particularly to persons who have lived in India, and witnessed the phenomena of the seasons in that country. At the close of the long hot weather, when every one is longing for rain to moisten the earth and cool the atmosphere, it is often extremely tantalizing to see the clouds collecting and floating across the sky day after day without discharging their contents.182 And in the early ages when the Vedic hymns were composed, it was an idea quite in consonance with the other general conceptions which their authors entertained, to imagine that some malignant influence was at work in the atmosphere to prevent the fall of the showers, of which their parched fields stood so much in need. It was but a step further to personify both this hostile power and the beneficent agency by which it was at length overcome. Indra is thus at once a terrible warrior and a gracious friend, a god whose shafts deal destruction to his enemies, while they bring deliverance and prosperity to his worshippers. The phenomena of thunder and lightning almost inevitably suggest the idea of a conflict between opposing forces; even we ourselves, in our more prosaic age, often speak of the war or strife of the elements. The other appearances of the sky, too, would afford abundant materials for poetical imagery. The worshipper would at one time transform the fantastic shapes of the clouds into the chariots 153 and horses of his god, and at another time would seem to perceive in their piled-up masses the cities and castles which he was advancing to overthrow.

(5) Indra's greatness.

In numerous places of the Rig-veda, the highest divine functions and attributes are ascribed to Indra. A collection of the most striking

182 In viii. 6, 1, Indra is compared to, and therefore distinguished from, Parjanya, the rain-god (mahān Indro yaḥ ojasā Parjanyo vṛishțimān iva | stomair Vatsasya vavṛidhe). In viii. 82, 1, 4, he is identified with Surya, the Sun.

183 Compare Psalm 104, 3; Isaiah 19, 1; Daniel 7, 13; Matth. 24, 30; 26, 64; Habakkuk 3, 8; Bréal, Hercule et Cacus, 171 f.