Vedic Mythology c8.s1.3

c8.s1.3

Vṛtra’s mother is called Dānu and is compared with a cow (1, 32⁹). This name seems to be identical with the word *dānu*, which is several times used as a neuter meaning ‘stream’ and once as a feminine to designate the waters of heaven³. The same term is applied as a masculine, apparently in the sense of a metronymic, to Vṛtra or the dragon (2, 12¹¹; 4, 30⁷), as well as to the demon Aurṇavābha (2, 11¹⁸), and to seven demons slain by Indra (10, 120⁶). The regular metronymic Dānava is used five times to designate a demon combated by Indra and doubtless identical with Vṛtra. Indra cast down the wiles of the wily Dānava (2, 11¹⁰), he struck down the snorting Dānava (5, 29⁴), to release the waters (5, 32¹).