See also VI, 19, 9, súshmah vrishabháh, used in the same sense.

VII. Vríshan, general and empty term of praise.

This constant play on the word vríshan, which we have observed in the passages hitherto examined, and which give by no means a full idea of the real frequency of its

occurrence in the Veda, has evidently had its influence on the Vedic Rishis, who occasionally seem to delight in the most silly and unmeaning repetitions of this word, and its compounds and derivatives. Here no language can supply any adequate translation; for though we may translate words which express thoughts, it is useless to attempt to render mere idle play with words. I shall give a few instances:

I, 177, 3. â´ tishtha rátham vríshanam vríshâ te sutáh sómah pári-siktâ mádhûni, yuktvâ´ vrísha-bhyâm vrishabha kshitînâ´m hári-bhyâm yâhi pra-vátâ úpa madrík.

Mount the strong car, the strong Soma is poured out for thee, sweets are sprinkled round; come down towards us, thou bull of men, with the strong bays, having yoked them.

But this is nothing yet compared to other passages, when the poet cannot get enough of vríshan and vrishabhá.

II, 16, 6. vríshâ te vágrah utá te vríshâ ráthah vríshanâ hárî (íti) vrishabhâ´ni â´yudhâ, vríshnah mádasya vrishabha tvám îsishe indra sómasya vrishabhásya tripnuhi.

Thy thunderbolt is strong, and thy car is strong, strong are the bays, the weapons are powerful, thou, bull, art lord of the strong draught, Indra rejoice in the powerful Soma!

V, 36, 5. vríshâ tvâ vríshanam vardhatu dyaúh vríshâ vrísha-bhyâm vahase hári-bhyâm, sáh nah vríshâ vrísharathah su-sipra vrísha-krato (iti) vríshâ vagrin bháre dhâh.

May the strong sky increase thee, the strong; a strong one thou art, carried by two strong bays; do thou who art strong, with a strong car, O thou of strong might, strong holder of the thunderbolt, keep us in battle!

V, 40, 2-3. vríshâ grâ´vâ vríshâ mádah vríshâ sómah ayám sutáh, vríshan indra vrísha-bhih vritrahan-tama, vríshâ tvâ vríshanam huve.

The stone is strong, the draught is strong, this Soma that has been poured out is strong, O thou strong Indra, who killest Vritra with the strong ones (the Maruts), I, the strong, call thee, the strong.

VIII, 13, 31-33. vríshâ ayám indra te ráthah utó (íti) te

vríshanâ hárî (íti), vríshâ tvám sata-krato (íti) vríshâ hávah. vríshâ grâ´vâ vríshâ mádah vríshâ sómah ayám sutáh, vríshâ yagñáh yám ínvasi vríshâ hávah. vríshâ tvâ vríshanam huve vágrin kitrâ´bhih ûtí-bhih, vavántha hí práti-stutim vríshâ hávah.