In other passages the feminine sámî seems to mean work, sacrificial work, but, as far as we can see, not simply sacrifice. Thus the Ribhus and others are said to have acquired immortality by their work or works, sámî or sámîbhih, I, 20, 2; 110, 4; III, 60, 3; IV, 33, 4. Cf. IV, 22, 8; 17, 18; V, 42, 10; 77, 4; VI, 52, 1; VIII, 75, 14; IX, 74, 7; X, 28, 12. In VI, 3, 2, we read:

îgé yagñébhih sasamé sámîbhih.

I have sacrificed with sacrifices, I have worked with pious works.

Here the verb sam must be taken in the sense of working, or performing ceremonial worship, while in other places (III, 29, 16; V, 2, 7) it may be perhaps taken in the more special sense of singing songs of praise. The Greek κάμ-νω, to work, to labour, to tire (Sanskrit sâmyati), the Greek κομιδή and κομίζω, to labour for or take care of a person, and possibly even the Greek κῶμος a song or a festival (not a village song), may all find their explanation in the Sanskrit root sam.

The idea that the Maruts did not originally enjoy divine

honours will occur again and again: cf. I, 6, 4; 72, 3. A similar expression is used of the Ribhus, I, 20, 8, &c. But while originally the expression of obtaining sacred names meant no more than obtaining a sacred or divine character, it was soon taken literally, and a number of names were invented for the Maruts which even in the Vâgasan. Samhitâ XVII, 80-85 amount to 49, i. e. 7 × 7. Yagñíya, properly 'worthy of sacrifice,' has the meaning of divine or sacred. The Greek ἅγιος has been compared with yâgya, sacrificio colendus, which is not a Vedic word.

Verse 6.

Note 1. Sriyáse kám seems to be the same as the more frequent sriyé kám. Sriyáse only occurs twice more, V, 59, 3. The chief irregularity consists in the absence of Guna, which is provided for by Pânini's kasen (III, 4, 9). Similar infinitives, if they may so be called, are bhiyáse, V, 29, 4; vridháse, V, 64, 5; dhruváse, VII, 70, 1; tugáse, IV, 23, 7; riñgáse, VIII, 4, 17; vriñgáse, VIII, 76, 1; rikáse, VII, 61, 6. In VI, 39, 5, rikáse may be a dat. sing. of the masculine, to the praiser.

Note 2. Mimikshire from myaksh, to be united with. Rasmí, rays, after bhânú, splendour, may seem weak. It might be possible to assign to rasmí the meaning of reins, and take rikvabhir in the sense of sounding or tinkling. In V, 79, 8, arkí is used in juxtaposition with rasmí.