44 E. IV. Hopkins, 



also represents the twelve-month year, it is clear that Vrtra is a 

 divinity like Varuna. Conversely, among the sacrificial offerings is 

 a load of barley fib. 7 and 17), given expressly nirvarunatvaya, 

 •' to escape from Varmia," that is from ill cavised by his demoniac 

 power. 1 



Indra slays Vrtra in the Rig Veda Ijy casting the thunderbolt at 

 him ; but at this time he does so only with the help of holy syl- 

 lables iaiyaha Hi, aiyado-lw ve 'ti, 11. 11. 12 j; or with the Saman 

 praiuaiiliisfhjya, 12. 6. 6 ; or with the abhinidhana, 14. 4. 5; and his 

 thunderbolt is now the Vasatkura, 8. 1. 1—2. The "fifteen-night" 

 rite is the bolt with which Indra won his victory, for " not without 

 a bolt does one overthrow power," 19. 16. 2; 23. 10. 2-3. By the 

 " seven-night " rite and by the Paficada.sa he overcame other divin- 

 ities, 22. 8. 2; 25. 1. 9. His heirlooms are from Prajapati, the 

 " iidbhid of Indra " is the iidbliid with which, 16. 16. 2 (abo\e) Praja- 

 pati was the splitter- up of the worlds. He recovers strength by 

 means of recuperative Samans, 18. 11. 1—3. He kills his '• evil rival '"' 

 by the Vighana ceremony, 19. 18. 2 (TB. 2. 7. 18. 1 1. Other similar 

 means are recorded in 12. 13. 23, and ib. 14 and 16, as well as in 

 8. 5. 1 ; 8. 8. 6 (here he is supported b}' Varuna i ; and in conjunction 

 with Agni, 19. 17. 1; 24. 17. 2, where the two, as in 25. 11. 2, are 

 said to be the " strongest two of the divinities." B}' the same 

 Vighana, Indra also slew " the ungodly magical powers which pursued 

 him," 19. 19. 1. Indra himself is par excellence the magician, as in 

 13. 6. 9 he exerts in vain all the magic at his command.'- In RV. 

 7. 98. 5, Indra himself overcomes " ungodh" magical powers '" ; but 

 here he first runs to Prajapati. In 14. 8. 6, before he kills " the 

 evil one," he is strengthened by other gods. He practices austerity 

 to obtain glory and power ; his strength is increased by sacrifice ; 

 his whole joy is in praise ; metres are his steeds, and " where they 



^ Varuna was not at first acknowledged as king ; barley was not at 

 first agreeable to him, ib. and cf. SB. 3. 8. 5. 10 and 5 2. 5. l'^} ; also 

 PB. 13. 9. 23; 15. 3. 30. TS. 6. 6. 5. 2: 7. 3 ; SB. 4. 4. 5. 10; 5. 1. G. 

 In the dispute recorded at 7. 8. 1 f.. between Prajapati. Agni. Indra, 

 the All-gods, and Mitra- Varuna, Indra says " I am. the best among you," 

 but the Father-god makes them share (in the vaniadevyain, snrvadi'-.-atyam). 

 He lias a sava and praghasa, 19. 13. 1 and 17. 13. 7—10, and curses the 

 Vratyas in 12. 18. 2. who. under Budha as sthapati. liad illegally lield 

 a sacrifice ; but the popular verses appended show that the curse was to 

 little effect. Tlie most important sacrificial function of Varuna is in 

 taking (disposing of) all that is ill-sacrificed, 13. 2. 4; 45. 1. 3; 2. 4 ; 7. 7. 



2 In KV. 8, 14. 14, the mayas ai-e not the denions' but Indra's. 



