These verses are very peculiar, and may refer to historical events, for Dâlbhya or Dârbhya and Rathavîti sound like real names. Of course the Indian commentators are never at a loss to tell us what it all refers to, but we can never say how little they knew, and how much they invented. The invocation of Ûrmyâ, if it is meant for the Night, and the request that she may convey the hymn to Dârbhya, is different from the usual style of the hymns. See, however, VIII, 24, 28, and Oldenberg, Z. D. M. G. XXXIX, 89.

The following names, occurring in our hymn, have the sanction of the Anukramanî: Sasîyasî Tarantamahishî (V, 61, 5; 8), Purumîlha Vaidadasvi (V, 61, 9), Taranta Vaidadasvi (V, 61, 10), Rathavîti Dâlbhya (V, 61, 17-19). There is another Purumîlha, a Sauhotra, in IV, 43, and a Purumîlha Âṅgirasa in VIII, 71.

Verse 19.

Note 1. See Oldenberg, Z. D. M. G. XXXIX, 89. He corrects gómatîh to gómatîm, the name of a river, mentioned in a very similar way in VIII, 24, 30.

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