oder sein Gefolge. Oft vernimmt man auch eine liebliche Musik, der keine auf Erden gleich kommt (Müllenhof, 582). Das wird das Pfeifen and Heulen des Sturmes sein, nur in idealisirter Art.' Ibid. p. 158.

Note 2. Várshishtha, which is generally explained as the superlative of vriddha, old (Pân. VI, 4, 157), has in most passages of the Rig-veda the more general meaning of strong or excellent: VI, 47, 9. ísham â´ vakshi ishâ´m várshishthâm; III, 13, 7 (vásu); III, 26, 8 (rátna); III, 16, 3 (raí); IV, 31, 15; VIII, 46, 24 (srávah); IV, 22, 9 (nrimná); V, 67, 1 (kshatrá); VI, 45, 31 (mûrdhán). In some passages, however, it may be taken in the sense of oldest (I, 37, 6; V, 7, 1), though by no means necessarily. Várshishtha is derived in reality from vríshan, in the sense of strong, excellent. See note to I, 85, 12, page 144.

Note 3. Paptata, the second person plural of the imperative of what is commonly, though without much reason, called the aorist of the causative of pat. It is curiously like the Greek πίπτετε, but it has the meaning of flying rather than falling; see Curtius, Grundzüge, p. 190. Two other forms formed on the same principle occur in the Rig-veda, paptah and paptan:

II, 31, 1. prá yát váyah ná páptan.

That they may fly to us like birds.

VI, 63, 6. prá vâm váyah—ánu paptan.

May your birds fly after you.

X, 95, 15. púrûravah mâ´ mrithâh mâ´ prá paptah.

Purûravas, do not die, do not go away!

Verse 2.

Note 1. Though svadhiti-vân does not occur again, it can only mean he who holds the axe, or, it may be, the sword or the thunderbolt, the latter particularly, if Indra is here intended. Svadhiti signifies axe:

III, 2, 10. svá-dhitim ná tégase.

They adorned Agni like an axe to shine or to cut.

The svádhiti is used by the butcher, I, 162, 9; 18; 20; and by the wood-cutter or carpenter, III, 8, 6; 11; X, 89, 7, &c. Roth (s. v.) takes svadhiti as meaning also a tree,

possibly the oak, and he translates svadhitivân in our passage by a chariot made of the wood of the Svadhiti tree. In RV. IX, 96, 6, svádhitir vánânâm may well mean 'the strong axe among woods,' the axe being naturally made of the strongest wood. In V, 32, 10, a devî´ svádhitih is mentioned, possibly the lightning, the companion of Indra and the Maruts.

Note 2. The tire of the chariot of the Maruts is frequently mentioned. It was considered not only as an essential part of their chariot, but likewise as useful for crushing the enemy:

V, 52, 9. utá pavyâ´ ráthânâm ádrim bhindanti ógasâ.

They cut the mountain (cloud) with the tire of their chariots.

I, 166, 10. pavíshu kshurâ´h ádhi.

On their tires are sharp edges.