of the whole work, so that, with its simple language, it must have seemed, as a literary production, very wearisome to the minds that delighted in the artificial compounds and romantic episodes of the drama and lyric.  But even to-day it is recited at great fetes, and listened to with rapt attention, as the rhapsodes with more or less dramatic power recite its holy verses.]

[Footnote 9:  The later law-books say expressly that women and slaves have a right to use mantra, mantr[=a]dhik[=a]ri[n.]as. But the later legal Smritis are no more than disguised sectarian Pur[=a]nas.]

[Footnote 10:  Compare the visit of the old Muni on the prince in iii. 262. 8.  He is paramakopana, ’extremely irritable’; calls for food only to reject it; growls at the service, etc.  Everything must be done ‘quickly’ for him.  “I am hungry, give me food, quick,” is his way of speaking, etc. (12).  The adjective is one applied to the All-gods, paramakrodhinas.]

[Footnote 11:  Each spiritual teacher instructed high-caste boys, in classes of four or five at most.  In xii. 328. 41 the four students of a priest go on a strike because the latter wants to take another pupil besides themselves and his own son.]

[Footnote 12:  The saints in the sky praise the combatants (vii. 188. 41; viii. 15. 27); and the gods roar approval of prowess “with roars like a lion’s” (viii. 15. 33).  Indra and S[=u]rya and the Apsarasas cool off the heroes with heavenly fans (ib. 90. 18).  For the last divinities, see Holtzmann’s essays, ZDMG. xxxii. 290; xxxiii. 631.]

[Footnote 13:  The original author of the Mah[=a]bh[=a]rata is reputed to be of low caste, but the writers of the text as it is to-day were sectarian priests.  It was written down, it is said, by Ganeca, ‘lord of the troops’ of Civa, i. 1. 79, and some historic truth lies in the tale.  The priests of Civa were the last to retouch the poem, as we think.]

[Footnote 14:  Agni-worship is partly affected by the doctrine that the Samvartaka fire (which destroys the world at the cycle’s end) is a form of Vishnu.  In Stambamitra’s hymn it is said:  “Thou, O Agni, art the all, in thee rests the universe ...  Sages know thee as single yet manifold.  At the expiration of time thou burnest up the three worlds, after having created them.  Thou art the originator and support of all beings” (i. 232. 12).  Elsewhere more Vedic epithets are given, such as ‘mouth of the gods’ (ii. 31. 42), though here ‘the Vedas are produced for Agni’s sake.’  In this same prayer one reads, ’may Agni give me energy; wind, give me breath; earth, give me strength; and water, give me health’ (45).  Agni, as well as Civa, is the father of Kum[=a]ra K[=a]rtikeya, i.e., Skanda (ib. 44).]

[Footnote 15:  But the Acvins are C[=u]dras In the ’cast-hood of gods’