He appears to be the same with the Persian Thraetaona [=A]thwya; but in the Rig Veda he is interesting mainly as a dim survival of the past.[32] The washing out of sins, which appears to be the original conception of Varuna's sin-forgiving,[33] finds an analogue in the fact that sins are cast off upon the innocent waters and upon Trita--also a water-god, and once identified with Varuna (viii.41.

6).

But this notion is so unique and late (only in viii.
47) that Bloomfield is perhaps right in imputing it to the [later] moralizing age of the Br[=a]hmanas, with which the third period of the Rig Veda is quite in touch.
* * * * * FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 1: Compare I.134.

3.] [Footnote 2: For the different views, see Perry, JAOS.

xi.
p.