authority to guide him in the determination of the accent of dânú. Several words in nu have the accent on the first syllable. But one might go even a step further, and find a more appropriate meaning for sudâ´nu by identifying it with the Zend hudânu, which means, not a good giver, but a good knower, wise. True, this root dâ, to know, does not occur in the ordinary Sanskrit; and Hübschmann (Ein Zoroastrisches Lied, 1872, p. 48) tries to prove that the root dâ, to know, does not exist in Zend either. But even thus we might have the derivation in Sanskrit and Zend, while the root was kept alive in Greek only (δάημι, δάεις). This, however, is only a conjecture; what is certain is this, that apart from the passages where sudâ´nu is thus applied to various deities, in the sense of bounteous or wise, it also occurs as applied to the sacrificer, where it can only mean giver. This is clear from the following passages:

I, 47, 8. su-kríte su-dâ´nave.

To him who acts well and gives well.

VII, 96, 4. gani-yántah nú ágravah putri-yántah su-dâ´navah, sárasvantam havâmahe.

We, being unmarried, and wishing for wives and wishing for sons, offering sacrifices, call now upon Sarasvat.

VIII, 103, 7. su-dâ´navah deva-yávah.

Offering sacrifices, and longing for the gods. Cf. X, 172, 2; 3; VI, 16, 8.

IV, 4, 7. sáh ít agne astu su-bhágah su-dâ´nuh yáh tvâ nítyena havíshâ yáh ukthaíh píprîshati.

O Agni, let the liberal sacrificer be happy, who wishes to please thee by perpetual offerings and hymns. See also VI, 16, 8; 68, 5; X, 172, 2, 3.

It must be confessed that even the meaning of dâ´nu is by no means quite clear. It is clear enough where it means demon, II, 11, 18; 12, 11; IV, 30, 7; X, 120, 6, the seven demons. In I, 32, 9; III, 30, 8, dâ´nu, demon, is applied to the mother of Vritra, the dark cloud. From this dâ´nu we have the derivative dânavá, meaning again demon. Why the demons, conquered by Indra, were called dâ´nu, is not clear, unless they were conceived originally as dark clouds, like Dânu, the mother of Indra. Dânu might mean wise,

or even powerful, for this meaning also is ascribed to dânú by the author of the Unâdi-sûtras. If the latter meaning is authentic, and not only deduced ex post from the name of Dânu and Dânava, it might throw light on the Celtic dána, fortis, from which Zeuss derives the name of the Danube.

Sometimes dâ´nu, as a neuter, is explained as Soma:

X, 43, 7. â´pah ná síndhum abhí yát sam-áksharan sómâsah índram kulyâ´h-iva hradám, várdhanti víprâh máhah asya sádane yávam ná vrishtíh divyéna dâ´nunâ.

When the Somas run together to Indra, like water to the river, like channels to the lake, then the priests increase his greatness in the sanctuary, as rain the corn, by the heavenly Soma-juice, or by heavenly moisture.

In the next verse gîrádânu is explained as the sacrificer whose Soma is always alive, always ready.