Page:The Religion of the Veda.djvu/166

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LECTURE THE FOURTH.

The Transparent, Translucent, and Opaque Gods. – Religious Conceptions and Religious Feeling in the Veda.


The transparent gods: their importance for the study of religion – Father Sky and Daughter Dawn – Sūrya, a god of the sun – Vāta and Vāyu, gods of wind – The most transparent god: Agni, Fire – Agni as the sacrifice fire – Prehistoric gods of fire – Birth and youth of Agni – Agni as god of the morning – New births of Agni – Agni on the altar, the agent of the gods – Priesthood and divinity of Agni – A hymn to Agni – Other myths of the Fire God – The translucent gods: definition of the term – God Vishnu – God Pūshan – God Indra, as an example of an opaque god – Traditional explanation of the myth of Indra and Vritra – Professor Hillebrandt's interpretation of the same myth – Renewed definition of the religion of the Rig-Veda – Renewed definition of Vedic practicalities – Conflicting prayers and sacrifices – The conception of faith – Faith related to Truth and Wisdom – Faith personified – Faith and works – The reward for faith postponed to heaven – Contrast between early "faith" (çraddha) and later "devotion" (bhakti) – "Gift praises," another sop to the sacrificer – The religious feeling of the Rig-Veda. – The utilitarian sense – The glory of the gods. – Absence

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