If then we could write alâtrinâ´sah, we should have an appropriate epithet of the Maruts, in the sense of not assailing or not reviling, in fact, free from malevolence, as Wilson translated the word, or rather Sâyana's explanation of it, âtardanarahita. What gives me some confidence in this explanation is this, that it is equally applicable to the other passage where alâtrina occurs, III, 30, 10:

alâtrináh valáh indra vragáh góh purâ´ hántoh bháyamânah ví âra.

Without barking did Vala, the keeper of the cow, full of tear, open, before thou struckest him.

If it should be objected that vragá means always stable, and is not used again in the sense of keeper, one might reply that vragáh, in the nom. sing., occurs in this one single passage only, and that bháyamânah, fearing, clearly implies a personification. Otherwise, one might translate: 'Vala was quiet, O Indra, and the stable of the cow came open, full of fear, before thou struckest.' The meaning of alâtriná would remain the same, the not-barking being here used as a sign that Indra's enemy was cowed, and no longer inclined to revile or defy the power of Indra. Hom. hymn. in Merc. 145, οὐδὲ κύνες λελάκοντο.

Note 2. See I, 38, 15, note 1, page 95.

Verse 8.

Note 1. Abhí-hruti seems to have the meaning of assault, injury, insult. It occurs but once, but abhí-hrut, a feminine substantive with the same meaning, occurs several times. The verb hru, which is not mentioned in the Dhâtupâtha, but has been identified with hvar, occurs in our hymn, verse 12:

I, 128, 5. sáh nah trâsate duh-itâ´t abhi-hrútah sámsât aghâ´t abhi-hrútah.

He protects us from evil, from assault, from evil speaking, from assault.

X, 63, 11. trâ´yadhvam nah duh-évâyâh abhi-hrútah.

Protect us from mischievous injury!

I, 189, 6. abhi-hrútâm ási hí deva vishpát.

For thou, god, art the deliverer from all assaults. Vishpát, deliverer, from vi and spas, to bind.

Ví-hruta, which occurs twice, means evidently what has been injured or spoiled:

VIII, 1, 12. íshkartâ ví-hrutam púnar (iti).

He who sets right what has been injured. Cf. VIII, 20, 26.

Ávi-hruta again clearly means uninjured, intact, entire:

V, 66, 2. tâ´ hí kshatrám ávi-hrutam—â´sâte.

For they both have obtained uninjured power.

X, 170, 1. â´yuh dádhat yagñá-patau ávi-hrutam.

Giving uninjured life to the lord of the sacrifice.

Verse 9.