Note [1:96:3:3]3. Sripradanum. On da'nu, the meaning of which I consider to be 'rain' or the like, comp. the discussion of Prof. Max Muller, vol. xxxii, 113 seq. The exact meaning of sripra, which should not be compared with the Greek liparos, cannot be determined. The etymology is a very unsafe guide in such questions, and neither the connection with the root srip, 'to creep,' 'to crawl,' nor with the noun sarpis, 'butter,' seems to lead to a satisfactory result. The passages in which sripra or compounds of this adjective occur, point to a meaning like 'great,' 'mighty,' 'fine.' Thus sriprabhogas seems to be something like purubhogas or subhogas; Indra's arms (karasna) are called both sripra (VIII, 32, 10) and prithu (VI, 19, 3); finally sripradanu, which is used here as an epithet of Agni, and VIII, 25, 5 of Mitra and Varuna, does not seem to differ very much from suda'nu.

Verse 4.

Note [1:96:4:1]1. Matarisvan, the messenger of Vivasvat, who carried the fire from heaven to earth, was originally distinct from Agni, but is identified with him in several passages. See M. M., Physical Religion, p. 152; Bergaigne. Religion Vedique, I; 52 seq.; H. O., Religion des Veda, 122.

Verse 5.

Note [1:96:5:1]1. Comp. above, 95, 1, and I, 113, 2. rusadvatsa. The calf, of course, is Agni.

Note [1:96:5:2]2. Literally, 'turned towards each other.'

Note [1:96:5:3]3. The gold is again Agni.

Verse 6.

Note [1:96:6:1]1. The first Pada is identical with X, 139, 3.

Note [1:96:6:2]2. I prefer with Ludwig to take veh as a nominative (comp. Lanman, Noun-Inflection, 375) instead of a genitive.

Verse 7.

Note [1:96:7:1]1. Compare the very obscure verse X, 31, 5. iyam sa' bhuya ushasam iva ksha'h, 'may she be the earth, as it were, of the dawns.' 'She' may possibly be the earth, which would be designated here as a dwelling-place or support of the dawns.

Verse 8.

Note [1:96:8:1]1. Prof. Max Muller proposes another translation of sanara. He writes: 'One expects an opposition between tura and sanara. Sanara can hardly be the same as viravat in the next line. I should like to take sanara as a variety of sana and sanatana. Give us fleeting, i. e. daily wealth, and give us old, i. e. lasting wealth!'