infinite power in the 121st hymn of the 10th book of the RigVeda. The following verses are quoted from a translation by Professor Max Müller,' the first words being: "In the beginning there arose the source of golden light." He whose power these snowy mountains, whose power the sea proclaims, with the distant river;--He whose these regions are, as it were his two arms;-Who is the god to whom we shall offer our sacrifice ? "He through whom the sky is bright and the earth firm-He through whom the heaven was established, nay, the highest heavenHe who measured out the light in the air;-Who is the God to whom we shall offer our sacrifice? "He to whom heaven and earth, standing firm by His will, look up, trembling inwardly-He over whom the rising sun shines forth;-Who is the God to whom we shall offer our sacrifice? Wherever the mighty water-clouds went, where they placed the seed and lit the fire, thence arose He who is the only life of the bright gods-Who is the God to whom we shall offer our sacrifice? "He who by His might looked even over the water-clouds, the clouds which gave strength and lit the sacrifice, He who is God above all gods;-Who is the God to whom we shall offer our sacrifice ?" Mr. Muir, in his later version, commences this hymn thus: And he gives a tenth and concluding verse: "Prajapati, no other than thou is lord over all these created things; may we obtain that, through desire of which we have invoked thee; may we become masters of riches." 2 But the ancient Hindus did not merely make sublime enquiries touching the existence and eternity of God and the universe, but they were a people who could confess ignorance and say, "I understand not." "Mine ears are turned (to hear him), mine eyes (to behold him); this light that is placed in A. S. L. p. 569. Orig. Sanskrit T., vol. iv. pp. 14, 15. how shall I comprehend him?” i What shall I declare him? Many other passages might be cited to show their feeling of the impossibility of understanding these subjects; but yet more interesting are their confessions of sin, as: May our sin, Agni, be repented of." "Thou whose countenance is turned to all sides, art our defender: may our sin be repented of. Do thou convey us in a ship across the sea for our welfare: may our sin be repented of."2 But the most touching confessions of weakness, sin, and sorrow are in hymns to Varuna,3 thus translated by Prof. Max Müller: 66 Let me not yet, O Varuna, enter into the house of clay; have mercy, Almighty, have mercy! "If I go along trembling, like a cloud driven by the wind; have mercy, Almighty, have mercy! "Through want of strength, thou strong and bright god, have I gone to the wrong shore; have mercy, Almighty, have mercy! "Thirst came upon the worshipper, though he stood in the midst of the waters; have mercy, Almighty, have mercy! "Whenever we men, O Varuna, commit an offence before the heavenly host; whenever we break thy law through thoughtlessness; have mercy, Almighty, have mercy! "4 In another hymn of this character the penitent says: "It was not our doing, O Varuna, it was necessity, an intoxicating draught, passion, dice, thoughtlessness. The old is near to mislead the young; even sleep brings unrighteousness. 1 Wilson's trans., vol. iii. p. 397; R.V. vi. 9. 2 Ibid, vol. i. pp. 253, 254; R. V. i. 97. 3 Varuna is a name for the ruler over Night and Water. It is the same word as the Greek Ovpavós, and means something which covers, as water covers the earth and night covers the heavens. A. S. L., p. 540; R. V. vii. 87. Alluding to these confessions, Mr. Muir observes: "Varuna, far more than any other god, was regarded as possessing a high moral character." And "the same, or nearly the same, functions and attributes," he continues, "as are ascribed to Varuna are also attributed to him and Mitra conjointly. They uphold and rule over the earth and sky, the shining and the terrestrial regions, and place the sun in the heavens," and so forth. But the distinction is, as pointed out by Dr. Roth, that, whilst Mitra and Varuna are equally the kings of day, Varuna alone is regent of the night.1 1 J. R. A. S., New Series, vol. i. p. 86. May the oxen (draw) happily, the men labour happily, the plough furrow happily."- HYMN FOR PLOUGHING SEASON, R. V. iii. 57. CHAPTER III. Locality of the Rig-Veda Hindus.-Country of the Seven Rivers.-Saraswati to the East.- River Kophen to the West.-Sea unknown.-Country wild.-Lions, Wolves, Elephants.-Woods cleared by Fire.-Agriculture.-Hymn for Season of ploughing.-Metals, Money, Gambling.-War.-Dark-complexioned Enemies. -Conquered or amalgamated. VEDIC hymns have been giving us the religious thought and poetic expression of the most ancient period of Hinduism, and, at the same time, have been leading us on to inquiries where it was that this "nation's life" commenced. To such inquiry the hymns themselves make a reply, by pointing to the number and importance of their rivers. Indra, they say, 66 Dug with the thunderbolt the beds of the rivers, and sent them forth by long continuous paths" 66 By sacrifice the divine rivers, immortal, unobstructed, continue perpetually to flow with sweet waters, like a horse that is being urged in his speed."1 Or a libation used in sacrifice is said to 66 'fall copious, swift as the wind, and rapid as the waters of a river down a declivity, breaking through the confining banks, and hurrying on with their waves, like a high spirited steed."2 Rig-Veda poets delight not only in the force, but also in the number of the rivers by which they are surrounded. Two or more rivers are continually invoked. Indra is praised because "he has replenished the four rivers of sweet water, spread over the surface of the earth." And on another occasion "fear entered into the heart of Indra," and he traversed ninety and nine streams like a (swift) hawk." The more usual language of the Rig-Veda is that Indra sent forth seven rivers. 3 "Indra . . . . . thou becamest (furious) like a horse's tail, thou hast rescued the kine; . . . thou hast let loose the seven rivers."6 . These " seven great rivers are supposed to have " aug mented in might " the radiant god Agni "as soon as he was born." The seven eternal, ever-youthful rivers, sprung from the same source, received Agni as their common embryo."7 Another poet says, "All (sacrificial) viands concentrate in Agni, as the seven great rivers flow into the ocean."8 Wilson's trans., vol. iii. p. 124; R. V. iv. 3. 2 Ibid, p. 229; R. V. iv. 58. 5 Wilson's trans., vol. iii. p. 175; R. V. iv. 28. 6 Ibid, vol. i. p. 87; R. V. i. 32. 7 Ibid, vol. ii. p. 320; R. V. iii. 1. Ibid, vol. i. p. 189; R. V. i. 71. |