large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb_82
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
Even in the earliest hymns any portion of nature with which man is brought into close relation may be adored.[6] [Sidenote: Reverence of the dead.] We must on no account overlook the reverence paid to the dead. The _pitris_ (_patres_) or fathers are frequently referred to in the Veda. They are clearly distinguished from the _devas_ or gods. In later writings they are also distinguished from men, as having been created separately from them; but this idea does not appear in the Veda. EVEN IN THE EARLIEST HINTS ANY PORTION OF NATURE WITH WHICH MAN IS BROUGHT INTO CLOSE RELATION MAY BE ADORED WE MUST ON NO ACCOUNT OVERLOOK THE REVERENCE PAID TO THE DEAD THE PIT OUR FATHERS ARE FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO IN THE WEATHER THEY ARE CLEARLY DISTINGUISHED FROM THE DAVAS OR GODS IN LATER WRITINGS THEY ARE ALSO DISTINGUISHED FROM MEN AS HAVING BEEN CREATED SEPARATELY FROM THEM BUT THIS IDEA DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE WEA
the deities of light, namely, the sun, the dawn, and the two Asvina or beams that accompany the dawn. The winds come next. The earth is a goddess. The waters are goddesses. It is remarkable that the stars are very little mentioned; and the moon holds no distinguished place. [Sidenote: Hardly any fetichism in the Rig Veda.] In the religion of the Rig Veda we hardly see fetichism--if by fetichism we mean the worship of small physical objects, such as stones, shells, plants, etc., which are believed to be charged (so to speak) with divinity, though this appears in the fourth Veda--the Atharva. But even in the Rig Veda almost any object that is grand, beneficent, or terrible may be adored; and implements associated with worship are themselves worshiped. Thus, the war-chariot, the plow, the furrow, etc., are prayed to. [Sidenote: Early tendency toward pantheism.] A pantheistic conception of nature was also present in the Indian mind from very early times, although its development was later. ERLY BEWILDERED IN TRACING THE RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN OF AGNE VARUNA AND INDRA AS WELL AS SOMA NEXT TO THESE IN IMPORTANCE MAY COME THE DEITIES OF LIGHT NAMELY THE SUN THE DAWN AND THE TWO ASCINA OR BEAMS THAT ACCOMPANY THE DAWN THE WINDS COME NEXT THE EARTH IS A GODDESS THE WATERSOR GODDESSES IT IS REMARKABLE THAT THE STARS ARE VERY LITTLE MENTIONED AND THE MOON HOLDS NO DISTINGUISHED PLACE IN THE RELIGION OF THEATHER WE HARDLY SEE FETISHISM IF BY FETISHISM WE MEAN THE WORSHIP OF SMALL PHYSICAL OBJECTS SUCH AS STONES SHELLS PLANTS ET CETERA WHICH ARE BELIEVED TO BE CHARGED WITH UNITY THO THIS APPEARS IN THE FOURTH WEATHER THE AUTHOR BUT EVEN IN THE WEATHER ALMOST ANY OBJECT THAT IS GRAND BENEFICENT OR TERRIBLE MAY BE ADOWED AND IMPLEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH WORSHIP ARE THEMSELVES WORSHIP THUS THE WA CHARIOT THE BLOW THE FURROW ET CETERA ARE PREY TO A PANTHEISTIC CONCEPTION OF NATURE WAS ALSO PRESENT IN THE INDIAN MIND FROM VERY EARLY TIMES ALTHOUGH ITS DEVELOPMENT WAS LATER
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb.flac