[paragraph continues] Sterblichen hatten die Urvasis Mitleid.' But I do not think that krip means 'having compassion.' In my opinion we should, with Ludwig, supply ganima to martanam, so that deva'nam ganima in the second Pada corresponds with martanam (ganima) in the third. This ganima is an accusative which depends on akripran ('they pined after ...,' cf. IX, 85, 11. na'ke suparnam upapaptiva'msam girah vena'nam akripanta purvi'h; X, 74, 3. ye kripananta ratnam). Thus the meaning seems to be: When the cows had been conquered, and when Agni looked over the generations of the gods that were near him, the Urvasis, i. e. the Apsarases such as Urvasi, longed for the love of mortals such as Pururavas, and for the propagation of the human generations; they gave birth to children such as Ayu.

Note [4:2:18:5]5. Or 'of the indigent'? Or is aryah nom. plur. fem. referring to the Urvasis? Or nom. sing. masc. referring to Agni?

Note [4:2:18:6]6. On Ayu, see note 4. But I cannot tell why he is called the nearer Ayu. Is this nearer Ayu opposed, as a nearer or later (upara) ancestor, to the pitarah parasah pratna'sah, the Angiras, mentioned in verse 16? The same nearer Ayu (upara which stands there in opposition to pu'rvabhih) is mentioned also in I, 104, 4, connected, as it seems, with some Apsarases. I do not pretend to be able to interpret that very difficult verse, but I am convinced that it has been misinterpreted both by Roth (Siebenzig Lieder, p. vii) and by Bergaigne (I, 60).

Verse 19.

Note [4:2:19:1]1. I. e. the dawns have sent forth their shine, which is a visible manifestation of the eternal law of Rita.

Note [4:2:19:2]2. The construction is: we have been good workers, brightening &c. The words, 'the brilliant dawns have shone out Rita,' are a parenthesis.

Verse 20.

Note [4:2:20:1]1. The text is nearly identical with the first hemistich of I, 73, 10 (see above).