III. Vríshan, strong.

I, 80, 2. sáh tvâ amadat vríshâ mádah, sómah—sutáh.

This strong draught inspirited thee, the poured out Soma-juice.

I, 91, 2. tvám vríshâ vrisha-tvébhih.

Thou, Soma, art strong by strength.

I, 175, 1. vríshâ te vríshne índuh vâgî´ sahasra-sâ´tamah.

For thee, the strong one, there is strong drink, powerful, omnipotent.

In the ninth Mandala, specially dedicated to the praises of Soma, the inspiriting beverage of gods and men, the repetition of vríshan, as applied to the juice and to the god who drinks it, is constant. Indo vríshâ or vríshâ indo are incessant invocations, and become at last perfectly meaningless.

IV. Vríshan, epitheton ornans.

There can be no doubt, in fact, that already in the hymns of the Veda, vríshan had dwindled away to a mere epitheton ornans, and that in order to understand it correctly, we must, as much as possible, forget its etymological

colouring, and render it by hero or strong. Indra, Agni, the Asvins, Vishnu, the Ribhus (IV, 35, 6), all are vríshan, which means no longer male, but manly, strong.

In the following passages vríshan is thus applied to Indra:

I, 54, 2. yáh dhrishnúnâ sávasâ ródasî (íti) ubhé (íti) vríshâ vrisha-tvâ´ vrishabháh ni-riñgáte.

(Praise Indra) who by his daring strength conquers both heaven and earth, a bull, strong in strength.

I, 100, 1. sáh yáh vríshâ vríshnyebhih sám-okâh maháh diváh prithivyâ´h ka sam-râ´t satîná-satvâ hávyah bháreshu marûtvân nah bhavatu índrah ûtî´.

He who is strong, wedded to strength, who is the king of the great sky and the earth, of mighty might, to be invoked in battles,—may Indra with the Maruts come to our help!

I, 16, 1. â´ tvâ vahantu hárayah vríshanam sóma-pîtaye, Indra tvâ sû´ra-kakshasah.

May the bays bring thee hither, the strong one, to the Soma-draught, may the sunny-eyed horses (bring) thee, O Indra!

IV, 16, 20. evá ít índrâya vrishabhâ´ya vríshne bráhma akarma bhrígavah ná rátham.

Thus we have made a hymn for Indra, the strong bull, as the Bhrigus make a chariot.

X, 153, 2. tvám vrishan vríshâ ít asi.

Thou, O hero, art indeed a hero; and not, Thou, O male, art indeed a male; still less, Thou, O bull, art indeed a bull.

I, 101, 1. avasyávah vríshanam vágra-dakshinam marútvantam sakhyâ´ya havâmahe.

Longing for help we call as our friend the hero who wields the thunderbolt, who is accompanied by the Maruts.

VIII, 6, 14. ní súshne indra dharnasím vágram gaghantha dásyavi, vríshâ hí ugra srinvishé.

Thou, O Indra, hast struck the strong thunderbolt against Sushna, the fiend; for, terrible one, thou art called hero!

VIII, 6, 40. vavridhânáh ûpa dyávi vríshâ vagrî´ aroravît, vritra-hâ´ soma-pâ´tamah.

Growing up by day, the hero with the thunderbolt has roared, the Vritra-killer, the great Soma-drinker.