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English
12430
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. 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
t contains six hundred and seventy hymns. Of these a few are equal to those in the Rig Veda; but, as a whole, the Atharva is far inferior to the other in a moral and spiritual point of view. It abounds in imprecations, charms for the destruction of enemies, and so forth. Talismans, plants, or gems are invoked, as possessed of irresistible might to kill or heal. The deities are often different from those of the Rig Veda. The Atharva manifests a great dread of malignant beings, whose wrath it deprecates. We have thus simple demon-worship. How is this great falling-off to be explained? In one of two ways. 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 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. THER OF INCANTATIONS IT CONTAINS SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTY HYMNS OF THESE A FEW ARE EQUAL TO THOSE IN THE RIG WATER BUT AS I HOLD THE OTHERWISE FAR INFERIOR TO THE OTHER IN IMMORAL AND SPIRITUAL POINT OF VIEW IT ABOUNDS IN IMPRECATIONS CHARMS OF THE DESTRUCTION OF ENEMIES AND SO FORTH TALISMANS PLANTS OR GERMS ARE INVOKED AS POSSESSED OF IRRESISTIBLE MIGHT TO KILL OR HEAL THE DEITIES ARE OFTEN DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OF THE RICH WAVER THE ATTAVA MANIFESTS A GREAT DREAD OF MALIGNANT BEINGS WHOSE WRATH IT DEPRECATES BEHALF THE SIMPLE DEMON WORSHIP HOW WAS THIS GREAT FALLING OFF TO BE EXPLAINED IN ONE OF TWO WAYS 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
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