^219:* This and what follows form answers to so me of the questions put by the sages to the Teacher.

^219:+ i.e.. "I am identical with S'iva."

^221:* The figure refers to the process of producing fire by attrition for sacrificial purposes.

^222:+ This is one of the many instances where a minor Upanishad affords an esoteric interpretation of a Puranic allegory, The Purana says that the sage Markandeya was first destined to live a very short life; but that, by devotion to God--to Siva according to some puranas, to Vishnu according to others--he overcame Yama, god of death, who came on the appointed day to take away his life and began to drag him by means of his bands of rope. Here, according to the Upanishad, Markandeya takes the place of Viveka or wisdom; Yama, of moha or delusion; ropes, of the absence of enquiry; and fear, of the duality.