is known in regard to the play. The
dice are thrown on a board, 'odd and even' determine the
contest here (III. 34. 5) _ayuja and yuja_. At times speed
in counting is the way to win (Nala). Dicing is a regular
part of the _r[=a]jas[=u]ya_ sacrifice (Weber, p. 67), but
not, apparently, an ancient trait.]

[Footnote 62: The snakes belong to Varuna and his region, as
described in v. 98. It is on the head of the earth-upholding
snake Cesha that Vishnu muses, III. 203.12. The reverence
paid to serpents begins to be ritual in the Atharva Veda.
Even in the Rig Veda there is the deification of the
cloud-snake. In later times they answered to the Nymphs,
being tutelary guardians of streams and rivers (Buhler). In
i. 36, Cesha Ananta supports earth, and it is told why he
does so.]

[Footnote 63: These three are the witnesses for the soul at
the judgment, xii. 322. 55. V[=a]yu, Wind, is said to be
even mightier than Indra, Yama, Indra and Varuna, _ib._ 155.
9, 10.]

[Footnote 64: But (in a later account) not if he dies
ignobly; for if one is slain by a man of low caste he goes
to hell, xii. 298. 7.]

[Footnote 65: Demoniac Indras (_i.e._, demon-leaders) and
seers, xii. 166. 26.]

[Footnote 66: 'The god of gods,' who rains blood in i. 30.
36, is declared by the commentator to be--Parjanya! The gods
are here defending Soma from the heavenly bird, Garuda, and
nearly die of fright.]

[Footnote 67: xii. 313. 1-7, with the same watery finale as
is usual.]

[Footnote 68: The morning prayer, etc, to the sun is, of
course, still observed, _e.g._, vii. 186. 4. Indra is
thanked for victory and invoked for rain (iii. 117. 11; i.
25. 7; Holtzmann, _loc. cit._ p. 326) in an hymn that is
less fulsome than those to Agni and S[=u]rya.]

[Footnote 69: 111. 222, Atharvan's rediscovery of fire. As
to Crutis they are probably no more valuable than Smritis.
The one given in iii. 208. 11, _agnayo
in[=a]i[.n]sak[=a]m[=a]s_, seems to be adapted (_cf._
[=A]cv. Gs. iv. 1; the adjective, by the way, is still
starred in Pw.). So [=A]cv. Gs. i. 15. 9, is repeated
Mbh[=a]; i. 74. 63, as a "Vedic _mantragr[=a]ma_ "
_(ang[=a]d ang[=a]t sambhavasi_, etc.).]

[Footnote 70: The devils are on the Prince's side, and wish
to keep him fr