In all these passages svadhâ´ may be rendered by manner, habit, usage, and ánu svadhâ´m would seem to correspond to the Greek ἐξ ἔθους. Yet the history of these words in Sanskrit and Greek has not been exactly the same. First of all we observe in Greek a division between ἔθος and ἦθος, and whereas the former comes very near in meaning to the Sanskrit svadhâ, the latter shows in Homer a much more primitive and material sense. It means in Homer, not a person's own nature, but the own place, for instance, of animals, the haunts of horses, lions, fish; in Hesiod, also of men. Hom. Il. XV, 268, μετά τ᾽ ἤθεα καὶ νομὸν ἵππων, loca consueta et pascua. Svadhâ´ in the Veda does not occur in that sense, although etymologically it might take the meaning of one's own place: cf. dhâ-man, familia, &c. Whether in Greek ἦθος, from meaning lair, haunt, home, came, like νομός and νόμος, to mean habit, manner, character, which would be quite possible, or whether ἦθος in that meaning represents a second start from the same point, which in Sanskrit was fixed in svadhâ´, is impossible to determine. In Sanskrit svadhâ´ clearly shows the meaning of one's own nature, power, disposition. It does not mean power or nature in general, but always the power of some one, the peculiarity, the individuality of a person. This will appear from the following passages:

II, 3, 8. tisráh devî´k svadháyâ barhíh â´ idám ákkhidram pântu.

May the three goddesses protect by their power the sacred pile unbroken.

IV, 13, 5. káyâ yâti svadháyâ.

By what inherent power does he (the Sun) move on?

IV, 26, 4. akakráyâ svadháyâ.

By a power which requires no chariot, i. e. by himself without a chariot.

The same expression occurs again X, 27, 19.

In some places the verb mad, to delight, joined with svadháyâ, seems to mean to revel in his strength, to be proud of his might.

V, 32, 4. svadháyâ mádantam.

Vritra who delights in his strength.

VII, 47, 3. svadháyâ mádantîh.

The waters who delight in their strength. See X, 124, 8.

In other passages, however, as we shall see, the same phrase (and this is rather unusual) requires to be taken in a different sense, so as to mean to rejoice in food.

I, 164, 38; III, 17, 5.

III, 35, 10. índra píba svadháyâ kit sutásya agnéh vâ pâhi gihváyâ yagatra.

Indra drink of the libation by thyself (by thy own power), or with the tongue of Agni, O worshipful.

To drink with the tongue of Agni is a bold but not unusual expression. V, 51, 2. agnéh pibata gihváyâ. X, 15, 3.

I, 165, 6. kvâ´ syâ´ vah marutah svadhâ´ âsît yát mâ´m ékam sam-ádhatta ahi-hátye.

Where was that custom of yours, O Maruts, when you left me alone in the killing of Ahi?

VII, 8, 3. káyâ nah agne ví vasah su-vriktím kâ´m ûm (íti) svadhâ´m rinavah sasyámânah.