[paragraph continues] (comp. below, 96, 5). The calf is Agni whose bright appearance by night is contrasted here with his paler splendour by day (comp. below, 127, 5). The explanation of Professor Hillebrandt (Vedische Mythologie, I, 331) that 'das von ihnen wechselnd gesaugte Kalb der bald als Sonne bald als Mond erscheinende Lichtgott, d. h. Agni ist,' does not seem convincing to me.

Note [1:95:1:2]2. I cannot follow Hillebrandt (loc. cit. 335) in translating svadha'van 'an Labung reich.'

Verse 2.

Note [1:95:2:1]1. On feminine nominatives in -asah like atandrasah, see Lanman, Noun-Inflection, 362.

Note [1:95:2:2]2. The ten young women are the fingers which produce the fire by the attrition of woods.

Note [1:95:2:3]3. On Tvashtri as the father of Agni, see Hillebrandt, Vedische Mythologie, I, 522 seq.; Bergaigne, Rel. Ved., III, 47 seq.

Note [1:95:2:4]4. Hillebrandt (loc. cit.) takes the ten fingers as the subject of pari nayanti, which does not seem probable.

Verse 3.

Note [1:95:3:1]1. It is surprising that Agni's birth in the sea and his birth in the waters are distinguished. The poet's meaning is not quite clear. Prof. Max Muller thinks of the rising sun and the lightning in the clouds. Comp. H. O., Religion des Veda, 107.

Note [1:95:3:2]2. We ought to read pradisam; comp. IV, 29, 3; IX. IX. 111, 3.

Note [1:95:3:3]3. Comp. X, 85, 18, where it is said of the moon that she 'is born again, determining the seasons.' Thus it is possible that the poet understands here Agni as dwelling in the moon as light. Comp. on this identification Bergaigne, I, 159, and Hillebrandt, Ved. Mythologie, I, 330 seq. But this interpretation of our passage is by no means certain.

Verse 4.

Note [1:95:4:1]1. Possibly we should correct kah idam vah ninyam; comp. VII, 56, 4; 61, 5. The translation would be: 'Who

among you has understood this secret?'--the secret that a calf should give birth to cows.

Note [1:95:4:2]2. In my opinion the mothers are the waters; the calf is Agni. The meaning must be, consequently, that, as Agni is born from the waters thus the waters are born from Agni. Agni--we may try to interpret the poet's meaning--sends his smoke to the sky. The smoke is charged to clouds; the clouds send forth water. Exactly the same meaning seems to be expressed in I, 164, 51. Comp. also Manu III, 76. agnau prastahutih samyag adityam upatishthate, adityag gayate vrishtir vrishter annam tatah pragah.--Prof. Max Muller observes: 'The mothers are day and night, or heaven and earth. The calf, the son, Agni, being born of the night gives birth to the day, and beings born of the day (in the evening) gives birth to the night. Or it may be that Agni, light, makes Dyaus and Prithivi to be visible.'--Prof. Hillebrandt's interpretation of our verse is quite different; see Vedische Mythologie, I, 33.5.