If after this we look at the passage translated by Professor Geldner, I, 180, 5. apáh kshonî´ sakate mâ´hinâ vâm, we see at once that apáh and kshonî´ cannot be separated, and that we must translate, your Mâhinâ reaches heaven and earth and the sky. Mâhinâ, according to Professor Geldner, means the magnificent woman, namely Sûryâ, but it is possible that it may have been meant for 'mahimâ, your greatness reaches heaven and earth and the sky.' Apáh, which Professor Geldner translates 'from the water,' is the acc. plural, meaning the waters between heaven and earth, or the sky. It occurs again in connection with heaven and earth, the sun, heaven, and generally without any copula. Thus, VIII, 7, 22. apáh, kshonî´, sû´ryam, i. e. the waters (the sky), heaven and earth, the sun. I, 36, 8. ródasî apáh, heaven and earth and the waters; cf. V, 31, 6. Likewise I, 52, 12. apáh svãh paribhû´h eshi â´ dívam; V, 14, 4. ávindat gâ´h apáh svãh; VI, 47, 14. apáh gâ´h; cf. VI, 60, 2. VII, 44, 1. dyâ´vâprithivî´ apáh svãh, cf. X, 36, 1; IX. 90, 4; 91, 6.

There remain five passages where kshonîh occurs, and where Professor Geldner's conjecture that it means women

holds good. In I, 54, 1, it may mean real women, or the women of the clouds. In I, 57, 4; 173, 7; VIII, 3, 10; 13, 17; also in X, 22, 9, women seems the most plausible translation.

Note 2. Rítasya sádanâni is almost impossible to translate. It may be the places in heaven where the Maruts are supposed to be, or the places where sacrifices are offered to them.

Note 3. Átyena pâ´gasâ has been explained in different ways. Sâyana renders it by always moving power; Grassmann by 'mit schnell erregtem Schimmer;' Ludwig, 'mit eilender kraft,' though he is no longer satisfied with this meaning, and suggests 'net for catching.' Roth has touched several times on this word. In the Allgemeine Monatsschrift of 1851, p. 87, he suggested for pâ´gas the meaning of 'impression of a foot or of a carriage, perhaps also reflection.' In his Notes on the Nirukta, p. 78 seq., he is very hard on the Indian commentators who explain the word by strength, but who never go conscientiously through all the passages in which a word occurs. He then still maintained that the word ought to be translated by track.

It seems, however, that the most appropriate meaning in the passages in which pâ´gas occurs is splendour, though of course a stream of light may be conceived as a bright train or path. In some the meaning of light seems quite inevitable, for instance, III, 15, I. ví pâ´gasâ prithúnâ sósukânah. Agni, shining with broad light.

VIII, 46, 25. â´ … yâhí makhâ´ya pâ´gase. Come hither, Vâyu, for strong light.

III, 14, 1. (agníh) prithivyâ´m pâ´gah asret. Agni assumed (or spread) splendour on earth.