IX, 93, 4. rada índo (íti) rayím.

Give us, O Indra, wealth!

VII, 32, 18. rada-vaso (íti).

Indra, thou who givest wealth!

In many passages, however, this verb rad is connected with words meaning way or path, and it then becomes a question whether it simply means to grant a way, or to cut a way open for some one. In Zend, too, the same idiom occurs, and Professor Justi explains it by 'prepare a way.' I subjoin the principal passages:

VI, 30, 3. yát âbhyah áradah gâtúm indra.

That thou hast cut a way for them (the rivers). Cf. VII, 74, 4.

IV, 19, 2. prá vartanî´h aradah visvá-dhenâh.

Thou (Indra) hast cut open the paths for all the cows.

X, 75, 2. prá te aradat várunah yâ´tave patháh.

Varuna cut the paths for thee to go.

VII, 87, 1. rádat patháh várunah sû´ryâya.

Varuna cut paths for Sûrya.

V, 80, 3. patháh rádantî suvitâ´ya devî´.

She, the dawn, cutting open the paths for welfare.

VII, 60, 4. yásmai âdityâ´h ádhvanah rádanti.

For whom the Âdityas cut roads.

II, 30, 2. patháh rádantîh—dhûnayah yanti ártham.

Cutting their paths, the rivers go to their goal.

This last verse seems to show that the cutting open of a road is really the idea expressed by rad in all these passages. And thus we find the rivers themselves saying that Indra cut them out or delivered them:

III, 33, 6. índrah asmâ´n aradat vágra-bâhuh. Cf. X, 89, 7.

Note 5. Rinâ´ti, like the preceding expressions krívirdatî and rádati, is not chosen at random, for though it has the

general meaning of crushing or destroying, it is used by the Vedic poets with special reference to the chewing or crunching by means of the teeth. For instance,

I, 148, 4. purû´ni dasmáh ní rinâti gámbhaih.

Agni crunches many things with his jaws.

I, 127, 4. sthirâ´ kit ánnâ ní rinâti ógasâ.

Even tough morsels he (Agni) crunches fiercely. In a more general sense we find it used,

V, 41, 10. sokíh-kesah ní rinâti vánâ.

Agni with flaming hair swallows or destroys the forests.

IV, 19, 3. áhim vágrena ví rinâh.

Thou destroyedst Ahi with the thunderbolt.

X, 120, 1. sadyáh gagñânáh ní rinâti sátrûn.

As soon as born he destroys his enemies.