________________
X. COSMOGONIC AND THEOSOPHIC HYMNS. 223
to the nethermost darkness, with that do thou, O Kâma, drive forth far away from this world those who are my enemies!
18. As the gods drove forth the Asuras, as Indra forced the demons into the nethermost darkness, thus do thou, O Kâma, drive forth far away from this world those who are my enemies!
19. Kâma was born at first; him neither the gods, nor the Fathers, nor men have equalled. To these art thou superior, and ever great; to thee, O Kâma, do I verily offer reverence.
20. As great as are the heavens and earth in extent, as far as the waters have swept, as far as fire; to these art thou superior, &c.
21. Great as are the directions (of space) and the intermediate direction on either side, great as are the regions and the vistas of the sky; to these art thou superior, &c.
22. As many bees, bats, kurûru-worms, as many > vaghas and tree-serpents as there are; to these art thou superior, &c.
23. Superior art thou to all that winks (lives), superior to all that stands still (is not alive), superior to the ocean art thou, O Kâma, Manyu! To these art thou superior, &c.
24. Not, surely, does the wind equal Kâma, not the fire, not the sun, and not the moon. To these art thou superior, &c.
25. With those auspicious and gracious forms of thine, O Kâma, through which what thou wilst becometh real, with these do thou enter into us, and elsewhere send the evil thoughts!
Digitized by
Google
