1384.  Suddhena manasa,—­with cleansed mind, i.e., with the aid of Sarvana (hearing), Manana (attention), Dhyana (contemplation), and Abhyasa (repeated meditation).  Two stages are indicated in this verse.  The first is the attention of the suddham and paramam gatim or the stainless and high end.  This is equivalent to Brahma-sakshatkara.  After this comes the second stage, which is the avayam sthanam or the spot which knows no deterioration, i.e., Emancipation.  This is identical with the attainment of Eternal Brahma which is dushprapyam or difficult of attainment.

1385.  The commentator says that the object of this verse is to inculcate the Impersonality of God.  God is at the Root of all things, i.e., (as the commentator supposes according to the teaching of the Vedanta philosophy).  He exists in His own unmodified nature, even as pure Chit.  Both Vidya (Knowledge) and Avidya (Ignorance or illusion) exist in Him.  In consequence of the latter he is Bhagavan, i.e., endued with the six grand attributes of puissance, etc.

1386.  In the form of all things,—­causes and effects-which constitute them.

1387.  A Pyakta-parsant is explained by the commentator in this way.  Vritra was a firm devotee of Vishnu.  He did not, therefore, deserve defeat and fall.  How, then, was he vanquished by Indra?  Avyaktam is equivalent to aspashtam.

1388.  The word used in verse 4 is vinihatah and that in verse 5 is nirjitah.  There can be no doubt that both imply the same idea.

1389.  Astha is efforts.

1390.  Rathantara is another name for certain Samans, which are so called because of men being able to cross the world with their aid as by a car.  (Ratha car, and tri to cross).

1391.  ‘Praising thee, for thy victory, etc.,’ i.e.. the Rishis are uttering hymns of praise for conferring victory on thee.

1392.  Raudrah may mean also ’appertaining to Rudra, which is another name of Mahadeva.’

1393.  This account of the encounter between Vritra and Indra is substantially different from what occurs in the Vana Parva.  Then again the part the Rishis are made to take in the slaughter of the Asura is certainly censurable.  The great Rishis, even for benefiting the three worlds, would not certainly injure any creature.  In the above account, Vasishtha and Vrihaspati and the others are very much represented as persons who have bet largely on Indra’s success.  In the account occurring in the Vana Parva, Indra is represented as standing in awful dread of Vritra and hurling his thunderbolt without even deliberate aim, and refusing to believe that his foe was dead till assured by all the deities.  The present account seems to be a much older than that in the Vana Parva.

1394.  Amanusham is literally inhuman.  The use of such words are due to temporary forgetfulness in such connections.  Like Homer, Vyasa also nods.