large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb_53
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
The remainder was drunk by the officiating priests. The offerings were understood to nourish and gratify the gods as corporeal beings. [Sidenote: Animal victims.] Animal victims are also offered up. We hear of sheep, goats, bulls, cows, and buffaloes being sacrificed, and sometimes in large numbers. THE REMAINDER WAS DRUNK BY THE OFFICIATING PRIEST THE OFFERINGS WERE UNDERSTOOD TO NOURISH AND GRATIFY THE GODS AS CORPOREAL BEINGS ANIMAL VICTIMS ARE ALSO OFFERED UP WE HEAR OF SHEEP GOATS BULLS COWS AND BUFFALOES BEING SACRIFICED AND SOMETIMES IN LARGE NUMBERS
een the composition of the two books, during which the original faith had rapidly degenerated, probably through contact with aboriginal races who worshiped dark and sanguinary deities; or else there had existed from the beginning two forms of the religion--the higher of which is embodied in the hymns of the Rig Veda, and the lower in the Atharva. We believe the latter explanation to be correct, although doubtless the superstitions of the aborigines must all along have exerted an influence on the faith of the invaders. [Sidenote: The offerings.] The offerings presented to the gods consisted chiefly of clarified butter, curdled milk, rice-cakes, and fermented Soma juice, which was generally mixed with water or milk. All was thrown into the fire, which bore them or their essences to the gods. The Soma was also sprinkled on the sacred grass, which was strewn on the floor, and on which the gods and fathers were invited to come and seat themselves that they might enjoy the cheering beverage.  EITHER A CONSIDERABLE TIME INTERVENED BETWEEN THE COMPOSITION OF THE TWO BOOKS DURING WHICH THE ORIGINAL FAITH HAD RAPIDLY DEGENERATED PROBABLY THROUGH CONTACT WITH ABORIGINAL RACES WHO WORSHIPPED DARK AND SANGUINARY DEITIES OR ELSE THERE HAD EXISTED FROM THE BEGINNING TWO FORMS OF THE RELIGION THE HIGHER OF WHICH IS EMBODIED IN THE HYMNS OF THE RICK WEATHER AND THE LOWER IN THE ATHAR WE BELIEVE THE LATER EXPLANATION TO BE CORRECT ALTHOUGH DOUBTLESS THE SUPERSTITIONS OF THE ABORGINIES MUST ALL ALONG HAVE EXERTED AN INFLUENCE ON THE FAITH OF THE INVADERS THE OFFERINGS PRESENTED TO THE GODS CONSISTED CHIEFLY OF CLARIFIED BUTTER CURDLED MILK RICE CAKES AND FERMENTED SOMA JUICE WHICH WAS GENERALLY MIXED WITH WATER OR MILK ALL WAS THROWN INTO THE FIRE WHICH BORED THEM ALL THEIR ESSENCES TO THE GODS THE SOMA WAS ALSO SPRINKLED ON THE SACRED GRASS WHICH WAS STREWN ON THE FLOOR AND ON WHICH THE GODS AND FATHERS WERE INVITED TO COME AND SEAT THEMSELVES THAT THEY MIGHT ENJOY THE CHEERING BILAGE
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