With her he went on worshipping and performing austerities, wishing for offspring.

Through her he begot the race of men on earth, the race of Manu; and whatever the blessing he invoked through her, all was granted unto him.
"Now she is the same with the Id[=a] ceremony; and whoever, knowing this, performs sacrifice with the Id[=a], he begets the race that Manu generated; and whatever blessing he invokes through her, all is granted unto him." There is one of the earliest _avatar_ stories in this tale.

Later writers, of course, identify the fish with Brahm[=a] and with Vishnu.
In other early Br[=a]hmanas the _avatars_ of a god as a tortoise and a boar were known long before they were appropriated by the Vishnuites.
* * * * * FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 1: In _[=A]it.

Br_.

I.22, there is an unexplained antithesis of Rik, Yajus, S[=a]man, Veda, and Brahma; where the commentator takes Veda to be Atharva Veda.