well as the reference in 187.25 to the three “states of the soul” (guna), probably indicates that this section of the dialogue was added later by a dualistic school of Samkhya. On early Samkhya thought, see note to 205.22.

187.28 A variant on this verse is found in the Katha Upanisad at 111.12.

189.2 The six acts are a brahmin’s duties, and consist of Vedic recitation, instructing others in the Veda, offering sacrifices, performing sacrifices for others, offering gifts and accepting gifts.

190.8 In Hindu mythology Rahu was a demon (daitya) who disguised himself as a god when the gods were churning the ocean for the nectar of immortality. Immediately after drinking a portion of this ambrosia, the sun and moon revealed his identity to Vishnu who then cut off Rahu’s head. Because Rahu had not swallowed the nectar, his head became immortal whereas the rest of his body did not. His head is thus thought to circulate in space, and a solar or lunar eclipse is explained as the swallowing of the sun and moon by Rahu’s head.

Shiva ... obliterated the love god Kama by depriving him of a body: according to Hindu mythology Parvati, daughter of the Himalayas, was in love with Shiva and served him as his attendant, despite Shiva’s disinterest and devotion to asceticism. But when Brahma predicted that the son of Shiva and Parvati would lead the gods to victory over the demons, Indra requested the help of Kama, god of love, to distract Shiva from his religious observations. Just as Kama was preparing to fire one of his arrows at Shiva, as Parvati approached him, Shiva became aware of the presence of Kama and incinerated him with a flame from his eye. Kama survived, but in a bodiless form.

191.8According to Olivelle (1993: 154), the following discourse on the four religious paths (191.9–192.6) is “undoubtedly a remnant of an old Dharmasutra.”

192.1 On bali oblations, see the note to 175.32.