large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb_39
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
Elaborated ideas and a complex ritual, which we could have expected to grow up only in the course of ages, appear from very early times. CORROBORATED IDEAS AND A COMPLEX RITUAL WHICH WE COULD HAVE EXPECTED TO GROW UP ONLY IN THE COURSE OF AGES APPEAR FROM VERY EARLY TIMES
the persons present, and the rest was offered to the gods. Tremendous was the potency--at least as stated in later times--of a hundred such sacrifices; it rendered the offerer equal or superior to the gods; even the mighty Indra trembled for his sovereignty and strove to hinder the consummation of the awful rite. [Sidenote: Human sacrifice.] Human sacrifice was not unknown, though there are very few allusions to it in the earlier hymns. [Sidenote: Sacrifice deemed of very high importance.] Even from the first, however, the rite of sacrifice occupies a very high place, and allusions to it are exceedingly frequent. The observances connected with it are said to be the "first religious rites." Sacrifice was early believed to be expiatory; it removed sin. It was substitutionary; the victim stood in place of the offerer. All order in the universe depends upon it; it is "the nave of the world-wheel." Sometimes Vishnu is said to be the sacrifice; sometimes even the Supreme Being himself is so. GGED TO PIECES THE FRAGMENTS WERE DRESSED PART WAS BOILED PART ROASTED SOME OF THE FLESH WAS THEN EATEN BY THE PERSONS PRESENT AND THE REST WAS OFFERED TO THE GODS TREMENDOUS WAS THE POTENCY AT LEAST AS STATED IN LATER TIMES OF A HUNDRED SUCH SACRIFICES IT RENDERED THE OFFERER EQUAL OR SUPERIOR TO THE GODS EVEN THE MIGHTY INDRA TREMBLED FOR HIS SOVEREIGNTY AND STROVE TO HINDER THE CONSUMMATION OF THE AWFUL RIGHT HUMAN SACRIFICE WAS NOT UNKNOWN THOUGH THERE ARE VERY FEW ALLEGIANCE TO IT IN THE EARLIER HYMNS EVEN FROM THE FIRST HOWEVER THE RIGHT OF SACRIFICE OCCUPIES A VERY HIGH PLACE AND ALLEGIANCE TO IT ARE EXCEEDINGLY FREQUENT THE OBSERVANCES CONNECTED WITH IT ARE SAID TO BE THE FIRST RELIGIOUS RIGHTS SACRIFICE WAS EARLY BELIEVED TO BE EXPIATORY IT REMOVED SIN IT WAS SUBSTITUTIONARY THE VICTIM STOOD IN PLACE OF THE OFFERER ALL ORDER IN THE UNIVERSE DEPENDS UPON IT IT IS THE NAME OF THE WORLD WE SOMETIMES VISHNU IS SAID TO BE THE SACRIFICE SOMETIMES EVEN THE SUPREME BEING HIMSELF IS SO
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