O ye gracious goddesses, who are on the earth or in the realm of the waters, grant us your protection!

Here vratá is used like vrigána, see I, 165, 15, note 3, page 208.

X, 114, 2. tâ´sâm ní kikyuh kaváyah ni-dâ´nam páreshu yâ´h gúhyeshu vratéshu.

The poets discovered their (the Nirritis’) origin, who are in the far hidden chambers.

I, 163, 3. ási tritáh gúhyena vraténa.

Thou art Trita within the hidden place, or with the secret work.

Dr. Muir sent me another passage:

III, 54, 5. dádrisre eshâm avamâ´ sádâmsi páreshu yâ´ gúhyeshu vratéshu.

2. Vratá means what is fenced off or forbidden, what is determined, what is settled, and hence, like dhárman, law, ordinance. Vârayati means to prohibit. In this sense vratá occurs very frequently:

I, 25, 1. yát kit hí te vísah yathâ prá deva varuna vratám, minîmási dyávi-dyavi.

Whatever law of thine we break, O Varuna, day by day, men as we are.

II, 8, 3. yásya vratám ni mî´yate.

Whose law is not broken.

III, 32, 8. índrasya kárma sú-kritâ purû´ni vratâ´ni devâ´h ná minanti vísve.

The deeds of Indra are well done and many, all the gods do not break his laws, or do not injure his ordinances.

II, 24, 12. vísvam satyám maghavânâ yuvóh ít â´pah kaná prá minanti vratám vâm.

All that is yours, O powerful gods, is true; even the waters do not break your law.

II, 38, 7. nákih asya tâ´ni vratâ´ devásya savitúh minanti.

No one breaks these laws of this god Savitar. Cf. II, 38, 9.

I, 92, 12. áminatî daívyâni vratâ´ni.

Not injuring the divine ordinances. Cf. I, 124, 2.

X, 12, 5. kát asya áti vratám kakrima.

Which of his laws have we overstepped?

VIII, 25, 16. tásya vratâ´ni ánu vah karâmasi.

His ordinances we follow.

X, 33, 9. ná devâ´nâm áti vratám sati-âtmâ kaná gîvati.

No one lives beyond the statute of the gods, even if he had a hundred lives.

VII, 5, 4. táva tri-dhâ´tu prithivî´ utá dyaúh vaísvânara vratám agne sakanta.

The earth and the sky followed thy threefold law, O Agni Vaisvânara.

VII, 87, 7. yáh mriláyâti kakrúshe kit â´gah vayám syâma várune ánâgâh, ánu vratâ´ni áditeh ridhántah.

Let us be sinless before Varuna, who is gracious even to him who has committed sin, performing the laws of Aditi!

II, 28, 8. námah purâ´ te varuna utá nûnám utá aparám tuvi-gâta bravâma, tvé hí kam párvate ná sritâ´ni áprakyutâni duh-dabha vratâ´ni.

Formerly, and now, and also in future let us give praise to thee, O Varuna; for in thee, O unconquerable, all laws are grounded, immovable as on a rock.

A very frequent expression is ánu vratám, according to the command of a god, II, 38, 3; 6; VIII, 40, 8; or simply ánu vratám, according to law and order:

I, 136, 5. tám aryamâ´ abhí rakshati rigu-yántam ánu vratám.

Aryaman protects him who acts uprightly according to law.