Book I

. p. 39.

474 Indra.

475 Popularly supposed to cause death.

476 Garuḍ, the King of Birds, carried off the Amrit or drink of Paradise from Indra’s custody.

477 A demon, son of Kaśyap and Diti, slain by Rudra or Śiva when he attempted to carry off the tree of Paradise.

478 Namuchi and Vritra were two demons slain by Indra. Vritra personifies drought, the enemy of Indra, who imprisons the rain in the cloud.

479 Another demon slain by Indra.

480 The capital of the giant king Rávaṇ.

481 Kuvera, the God of gold.

482 In the great deluge.

483 The giant Márícha, son of Táḍaká. Táḍaká was slain by Ráma. See p. 39.

484 Indra’s elephant.

485 Bhogavatí, in Pátála in the regions under the earth, is the capital of the serpent race whose king is Vásuki.

486 the grove of Indra.

487 Pulastya is considered as the ancestor of the Rakshases or giants, as he is the father of Viśravas, the father of Rávaṇ and his brethren.

488 Beings with the body of a man and the head of a horse.

489 Ájas, Maríchipas, Vaikhánasas, Máshas, and Bálakhilyas are classes of supernatural beings who lead the lives of hermits.

490 “The younger brother of the giant Rávaṇ; when he and his brother had practiced austerities for a long series of years, Brahmá appeared to offer them boons: Vibhishaṇa asked that he might never meditate any unrighteousness.… On the death of Rávaṇ Vibhishaṇa was installed as Rája of Lanká.” GARRETT’S _Classical Dictionary of India_.

491 Serpent-gods.

492 See p. 33.

493 The Sanskrit words for car and jewels begin with _ra_.

494 A race of beings of human shape but with the heads of horses, like centaurs reversed.

495 The favourite wife of the Moon.

496 The planet Saturn.

497 Another favourite of the Moon; one of the lunar mansions.

498 The Rudras, agents in creation, are eight in number; they sprang from the forehead of Brahmá.

499 Maruts, the attendants of Indra.

500 Radiant demi-gods.

501 The mountain which was used by the Gods as a churning stick at the Churning of the Ocean.

502 The story will be found in GARRETT’S _Classical Dictionary_. See ADDITIONAL NOTES.

503 Mercury: to be carefully distinguished from Buddha.

504 The spirits of the good dwell in heaven until their store of accumulated merit is exhausted. Then they redescend to earth in the form of falling stars.

505 See The Descent of Gangá, Book I Canto XLIV.

506 See Book I Canto XXV.

_ 507 Aśoka_ is compounded of _a_ not and _śoka_ grief.

508 See Book I Canto XXXI.

509 An Asur or demon, king of Tripura, the modern Tipperah.

510 Śiva.

511 See