________________
OF THE HINDUS.
51 6. Váyu and Indra, mighty men, approach the priest of the sacrificer quickly, on account of his prayers.
7. I invoke Mitra (the sun), the source of purity; I invoke Varuúa, able to destroy; both cherishing earth with water.
8. Mitra and Varuna, be pleased with this propitiatory offering; for to you, assuredly, do sacrifices owe their success, as the waters do their abundance.
9. Mitra and Varuna, all wise divinities, born for the benefit of multitudes, and multitudinously present, give efficacy to our acts.
The titles and functions of the deities commonly addressed in these invocations give to the religion of the Vedas the character of the worship of the elements, and it is not unlikely that it was so in its earliest and rudest condition. It is declared in some texts that the deities are only three; whose places are the earth, the middle region, between heaven and earth, and the heaven; namely, fire, air, the sun. Upon this, however, seems to have been grafted some loftier speculation, and the elements came to be regarded as types and emblems of divine power, as there can be no doubt that the fundamental doctrine of the Vedas is monotheism". "There is in truth,” say repeated texts, “but one deity, the Supreme Spirit.” “He from whom the universal world proceeds, who is the Lord of the universe, and whose work is the universe, is the Supreme Being." In
M. Müller, History of ancient
* [Colebr., Essays, p. 12 ff. Sanskrit Literature, p. 539 - 71.]
