Note 3. Virúkmatah must be an accusative plural. It occurs I, 127, 3, as an epithet of ógas; VI, 49, 5, as an epithet of the chariot of the Asvins. In our place, however, it must be taken as a substantive, signifying something which the Maruts wear, probably armour or weapons. This follows chiefly from X, 138, 4. sátrûn asrinât virúkmatâ, Indra tore his enemies with the bright weapon. In VIII, 20, 11, where rukmá occurs as a masculine plural, vi bhrâgante rukmâ´sah ádhi bâhúshu, their bright things shine on their arms, it seems likewise to be meant for weapons; according to Sâyana, for chains. In V, 55, 3; X, 78, 3, the Maruts are called vi-rokínah, bright like the rays of the sun or the tongues of fire.

Note 4. Observe the short syllable in the tenth syllable of this Pâda; Benfey, Vedica, p. 124; Lanman, Noun-Inflection, pp. 378, 543.

Verse 4.

Note 1. The sudden transition from the third to the second person is not unusual in the Vedic hymns, the fact

being that where we in a relative sentence should use the same person as that of the principal verb, the Vedic poets frequently use the third.

Note 2. Vrísha-vrâta is untranslatable for reasons stated p. 138 seq.; it means consisting of companies of vríshans, in whatever sense that word be taken. Wilson in his translation mistakes ákyutâ for ákyutâh, and vrâta for vrata. He translates the former by 'incapable of being overthrown,' the latter by 'entrusted with the duty of sending rain,' both against the authority of Sâyana. Vríshavrăta occurs twice in the Rig-veda as an epithet of Soma only, IX, 62, 11; 64, 1.

Verse 5.

Note 1. If we take ádri for cloud, then ramh might have the meaning of stirring up.

V, 32, 2. tvám útsân ritú-bhih badbadhânâ´n áramhah.

Thou madest the springs to run that had been shut up by the seasons.

VIII, 19, 6. tásya ít árvantah ramhayante âsávah. His horses only run quick.

But ádri often means stone, in the sense of weapon, or bolt (cf. adrivah, voc., wielder of the thunderbolt), and ramhayati would then have the meaning of hurling. This is the meaning adopted by Benfey and Ludwig.

Note 2. The red may be the dark red cloud, but arushá has almost become a proper name, and its original meaning of redness is forgotten. Nay, it is possible that arushá, as applied to the same power of darkness which is best known by the names of Vritra, Dasyu, &c., may never have had the sense of redness, but been formed straight from ar, to hurt, from which arvan, arus, &c. (see p. 65 seq.). It would then mean simply the hurter, the enemy. It is possible also to take arushá in the sense of the red horse, the leader between the two Haris, when we ought to remember that the Maruts pour forth the streams of the stallion, RV. V, 83, 6. prá pinvata vríshnah ásvasya dhâ´râh, and that they lead about the horse to make it rain, RV. I, 64, 6. átyam ná mihé ví nayanti vâgínam.