50 E. IV. Hopkins, 



Kuruksetra, and the Naimisa (25. 6. 4j and Khandava (forests.) i 

 Kuruksetra is the whole earth, for Indra once made a bet (aitsam 

 prasya) with Rusama that whichever of them should first run round 

 the earth should be the winner, and " Indra ran around the earth. 

 Rusama ran around Kuruksetra. She said, ' I have conquered 30U ' 

 and he said, 'It is I have conquered you.' They asked among 

 the gods, and the gods said, ' Kuruksetra is as great as the altar 

 of Prajapati,' so neither of the two won " [for, adds the Commen- 

 tator, it is said (in the TS. 2. 6. 4. 1), " as great as is the altar of 

 Prajapati, so great is the earth."] The reader is supposed to know 

 the logical connection (cf. JUB. 5. 1. 5). 



Another case of the " inauspicious voice," aslJla vac, is found in 

 the well-known story of Indra's dealings with certain saints, ascetics, 

 whom he " gave over to the hyenas " (house-dogs ? cf. sahinirga). 

 In 14. 11. 28 and 18. 1. 9, this voice reproaches him for the act 

 and he considers himself impure, till recalled by the iipaJiavya cknha 

 given by Prajapati. So in 19. 4. 7 (with another expiation). The 

 account in 8. 1.4 says that three ascetics were left and that Indra 

 supported them with cattle created by uttering a Vedic verse, RV. 

 1. 84. 19; while another account, in 13. 4. 17, gives the same names, 

 but in other order, as representing warrior, priest, and agriculturist, 

 each getting a boon from Indra, power, holiness, and cattle. ^ 



All the "Seven Seers," Bharadvaja, Ka.syapa, Gotama, Atri^ 

 Vasistha, Visvamitra, Jamadagni, are at least noticed in the Great 

 Brahmana, as they are recognized as a group in 1. 5. 5 (seven 

 seers and seven priests) ; 22. 4. 2 and 7. More often than any of these, 

 however, are mentioned the Bhargavas, the various sons of Bhrgu, 

 some of whom are known only from this work.^ 



1 Besides the Vaidehan, cf. 22. 15. 1 and 10. Knsurubiiida [dasarCitra)., 

 s. of Uddalaka (TS. 7. 2. 2. 1), of nortlierii Kosala, Mbh. 9. 08. 22.-24. 

 "Whether Aruiii (with Aryala) at 23. 1. 5, is the same man is nnrertain. 

 A sacrifice on the Sndaman river by Ksemadhrtvan Paiiiidarika is men- 

 tioned, 22. J 8. 7 f 



* For the latest discussion of this story, with the parallel at JB. 1. 185,. 

 see Oertel, JAOS. 19. 123 (cf. TS. 2. 4. 9. 2 ; 6. 2. 7. 5 ; AB. 7. 28, etc.). 

 Prthurasmi is here identified with Prtliu Vainya, who in PB., as Prthi 

 Vainya, " obtained the mastery (overlordship) of both (domestic^ and wild) 

 animals," 13. 5. 20; TB. 1. 7. 7. 3, Prthi Vainj-a ("got a realm"'). The 

 act of Indra in killing Vrtra is put on a par with his treatment of the 

 as(;etics at TS. 3. 3. 7. 3, each is ajni'dhyam., an " unholy '' act. Compare 

 the amcdhya passages cited by Oertel, JAOS. 18. 48. 



^ One of these, 14. 9. 32, had the unique experience of getting to 

 lieaven twice by means of his cliaunt, the Dvaigata Saman, which is 



