If, then, we know that vríshan by itself is used in the sense of Soma, haryatá vríshan can hardly be anything else. Vakasyate also is peculiar to Soma in the sense of murmuring, or as it were talking, .and never occurs as a passive. I therefore should prefer to assign the whole verse to Soma, and translate: He indeed, when in the wooden vessel, talks with his worshippers, proclaiming his fair power among men; the strong Soma is pleasing, the strong Soma is delicious, when the sacrificer safely brings the cow, i. e. the milk to be mixed with the Soma.

That Indra was thirsting for Soma had been said in the second verse, and he is again called the Soma-drinker in the seventh verse. A verse dedicated to Soma therefore seems to come in quite naturally, though the Anukramanî does not sanction it.

That the Maruts are called vríshan, without further explanations, will appear from the following passages:

I, 85, 12. rayím nah dhatta vrishanah su-vî´ram.

Give us wealth, ye heroes, consisting of good offspring.

VIII, 96, 14. íshyâmi vah vrishanah yúdhyata âgaú.

I wish for you, heroes (Maruts), fight in the race!

In all the passages which we have hitherto examined, vríshan was always applied to living beings, whether animals, men, or gods. But as, in Greek, ἄρσην means at last simply strong, and is applied, for instance, to the

crash of the sea, κτύπος ἄρσην πόντου, so in the Veda vríshan is applied to the roaring of the storms and similar objects.

V, 87, 5. svanáh vríshâ.

Your powerful sound (O Maruts).

X, 47, 1. gagribhmá te dákshinam indra hástam vasuyávah vasu-pate vásûnâm, vidmá hí tvâ gó-patim sûra gónâm asmábhyam kitrám vríshanam rayím dâh.

We have taken thy right hand, O Indra, wishing for treasures, treasurer of treasures, for we know thee, O hero, to be the lord of cattle; give us bright and strong wealth.

Should kitrá here refer to treasures, and vríshan to cattle?

X, 89, 9. ní amítreshu vadhám indra túmram vríshan vríshanam arushám sisîhi.

Whet, O hero, the heavy strong red weapon against the enemies.

The long â in vríshanam is certainly startling, but it occurs once more, IX, 34, 3, where there can be no doubt that it is the accusative of vríshan. Professor Roth takes vríshan here in the sense of bull (s. v. tumra), but he does not translate the whole passage.

III, 29, 9. krinóta dhûmám vríshanam sakhâyah.

Make a mighty smoke, O friends!

Strength itself is called vríshan, if I am right in translating the phrase vríshanam súshmam by manly strength. It occurs,

IV, 24, 7. tásmin dadhat vríshanam súshmam índrah.

Indra may give to him manly strength.

VI, 19, 8. â´ nah bhara vríshanam súshmam indra.

Bring to us, O Indra, manly strength.

VII, 24, 4. asmé (íti) dádhat vríshanam súshmam indra.

Giving to us, O Indra, manly strength.