foundly mysterious. They allude to it under various images. Thus, the upper stick is said to impregnate the lower, which brings forth Agni. He is the bearer of human sacrifices to the gods; a kind of telegraph from earth to heaven. Many are the blessings asked of him. But let the Rishis speak for themselves. Here is the first Sûkta of the Rig-Veda-Sanhitâ:—
1. "I praise Agni, the household priest, the divine offerer of the
sacrifice, the inviter who keeps all treasures. 2. Agni, worthy of the
praises of the ancient Rishis, and also of ours, do thou bring hither the
gods. 3. By Agni, the sacrificer enjoys wealth, that grows from day to
day, confers renown, and surrounds him with heroes. 4. Agni, the
sacrifice which thou keepest from all sides uninvaded, approaches surely
the gods. 5. Agni, inviter, performer of gracious deeds, thou who art
truthful, and who shinest with various glories, come thou, O God,
with the gods. 6. The prosperity, which thou, O Agni, bestowest upon
the worshiper, will be in truth a prosperity to thee, O Angiras. 7. We
approach thee in our minds, O Agni, day after day, by night and day, to
offer thee our adoration. 8. Thee the radiant guardian of the meet
reward of the sacrifices, who is resplendent and increasing in his sacred
house. 9. Be thou, O Agni, accessible to us, as a father is to the son;
be near us for our welfare" (Roer, p. 1).
Even more important than Agni is Indra, the great national
god of the Hindus. He is above all things a combative god.
His strength is immense, and his worshipers implore him to
give them victory and power. He slays the demon Vrittra,
a myth symbolizing the dispersion of clouds by the sun.
Above all, he loves the juice of the Soma plant (Asclepias acida), which is poured out to him abundantly in sacrifice, which
he consumes with avidity, and from which he derives renewed
force and energy. These two stanzas, taken from the Sâma-*Veda,
express some of his attributes:—
"Thou, O Indra, art glorious, thou art victorious, thou art the lord
of strength; thou conquerest the strong enemies singly and alone, thou
unconquered refuge of men. To thee, living One, we pray; to thee
now the very wise, for treasures, as for our share; may thy blessing be
granted us" (S. V., ii. 6. 2. 12).
