of all living beings, and it is possible that this canto was appended to canto 207 to expand upon the latter’s Brahmaistic interpolations.

207.16Madhu·sudana means “slayer of Madhu” and is an epithet of Vishnu.

207.26This verse references the myth of Vishnu’s fifth incarnation as a dwarf (vamana). After Indra had been defeated by the demon Bali, Vishnu—disguised as a poor brahmin dwarf—requested a piece of land from him. When Bali assented to this request and allowed the dwarf as much land as he wished, the latter insisted on as much as could be covered in three steps but grew to gigantic proportions and in three steps crossed the universe. With the first step he traversed the earth, with his second he encompassed the heavens and with his third he stepped on Bali’s head and consigned him to the underworld.

207.34According to Hindu mythology there are usually seven divine mothers (occasionally eight, nine or sixteen), and they are closely connected with Shiva. Alternatively, the word gana in the compound bhuta/matr/gan’/adhyaksam could be read alone to refer to the demi-gods who are believed to attend Shiva.

208.4Marichi, Atri...: this list is slightly different from the list in the previous canto, in which the seven sons of Brahma are said to be Daksha, Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu (207.17). It seems that cantos 207 and 208 record different early Brahminic traditions.

208.10Aryaman belongs to a class of gods known as Adityas.

208.11Shasha·bindu is a name of the moon.

208.17Martanda and Vivasvat are both names of the sun.

208.19–20The text is most probably corrupt at this point. The twelve gods named in these verses are not Vasus, and the eight Vasus have not been named in this passage. Moreover, although most of the gods listed here are not traditionally classified as rudras, six of this list (Ajaikapad, Ahir·budhnya, Hara, Bahu·rupa, Tryambaka and Aparajita) are contained in the list of ________