large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb_94
large/12430/twooldfaiths_1901_librivox_64kb_mp3/twooldfaiths_03_mitchell_64kb
English
12430
And, as we have mentioned, the loftier conceptions of divinity are unquestionably the earlier. It is vain to speak, as certain writers do, of religion gradually refining itself, as a muddy stream can run itself pure; Hinduism resembles the Ganges, which, when it breaks forth from its mountain cradle at Hardwar, is comparatively pellucid, but, as it rolls on, becomes more and more muddy, discolored, and unclean. AND AS WE HAVE MENTIONED THE LOFTIER CONCEPTIONS OF DIVINITY ARE UNQUESTIONABLY THE EARLIER IT IS VAIN TO SPEAK AS CERTAIN WRITERS DO OF RELIGION GRADUALLY REFINING ITSELF AS A MODEST DREAM CAN RUN ITSELF PURE HINDOISM DISSEMBLES THE GANGES WHICH WHEN IT BREAKS FORTH FROM ITS MOUNTAIN CRADLE TO HARD DRAW IS COMPARATIVELY PELLUCID BUT AS IT ROLLS ON BECOMES MORE AND MORE MUDDY DISCOLOURED AND UNCLE
extreme vault of heaven--not the nearer sky, which is the region of cloud and storm. It is in describing Varuna that the Veda rises to the greatest sublimity which it ever reaches. A mysterious presence, a mysterious power, a mysterious knowledge amounting almost to omniscience, are ascribed to Varuna. The winkings of men's eyes are numbered by him. He upholds order, both physical and moral, throughout the universe. [Sidenote: Contrast with the laudations of Agni and Soma. The loftier conceptions of divinity the earlier.] The winds are his breath, the sun his eye, the sky his garment. He rewards the good and punishes the wicked. Yet to the truly penitent he is merciful. It is absolutely confounding to pass from a hymn that celebrates the serene majesty and awful purity of Varuna to one filled with measureless laudations of Soma or Agni. Could conceptions of divinity so incongruous co-exist? That they could not spring up in the same mind, or even in the same age, is abundantly manifest. WHICH IS ETYMOLOGICALLY CONNECTED WITH OKAWA SIGNIFIES THE INCOMPASSER AND IS APPLIED TO HEAVEN ESPECIALLY THE ALL ENCOMPASSING EXTREME VAULT OF HEAVEN NOT THE NEARER SKY WHICH IS THE REGION OF CLOUD AND STORM IT IS IN DESCRIBING VARUNA THAT THE WEATHER RISES TO THE GREATEST SUBLIMITY WHICH IT EVER REACHES A MYSTERIOUS PRESENCE A MYSTERIOUS POWER A MYSTERIOUS KNOWLEDGE AMOUNTING ALMOST TO OMNY SCIENCE ARE ASCRIBED TO ORUNA THE WINKINGS OF MEN'S EYES ARE NUMBERED BY HIM HE UPHOLDS ORDER BOTH PHYSICAL AND MORAL THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE THE WINDS ARE HIS BREATH THE SUN HIS EYE THE SKY HIS GARMENT HE REWARDS THE GOOD AND PUNISHES THE WICKED YET TO THE TRULY PENITENT HE IS MERCIFUL IT IS ABSOLUTELY CONFOUNDING TO PASS FROM A HYMN THAT CELEBRATES THE SEVRENE MAJESTY AND AWFUL BEAUTY OF VARUNA TO ONE FILLED WITH MEASURELESS LAUDATIONS OF SOMA OR AGNE COULD CONCEPTIONS OF DIVINITY SO INCONGRUOUS COEXIST THAT THEY COULD NOT SPRING UP IN THE SAME MIND OR EVEN IN THE SAME AGE IS EVIDENTLY MANIFEST
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