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English
12430
] There is one prayer (so called) which is esteemed pre eminently holy; generally called  from the meter in which it is composed  the Gayatri.[7] It may be rendered thus: "Let us meditate on that excellent glory of the Divine Son (or Vivifier); may he enlighten our understandings!" THERE IS ONE PRAYER SO CALLED WHICH IS ESTEEMED PRE EMINENTLY WHOLLY GENERALLY CALLED FROM THE METRE IN WHICH IT IS COMPOSED THE GUY THREE IT MAY BE RENDERED THUS LET US MEDITATE ON THAT EXCELLENT GLORY OF THE DIVINE SUN MAY HE ENLIGHTEN OUR UNDERSTANDINGS
[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. Yama, the first mortal, traveled the road by which none returns, and now drinks the Soma in the innermost of heaven, surrounded by the other fathers. These come also, along with the gods, to the banquets prepared for them on earth, and, sitting on the sacred grass, rejoice in the exhilarating draught. [Sidenote: The subjects of the hymns of the Rig Veda.] The hymns of the Rig Veda celebrate the power, exploits, or generosity of the deity invoked, and sometimes his personal beauty. The praises lavished on the god not only secured his favor but increased his power to help the worshiper. [Sidenote: The holiest prayer. ARLY TIMES ALTHOUGH ITS DEVELOPMENT WAS LATER 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 WEATHER YAMA THE FIRST MORTAL TRAVELLED THE ROAD BY WHICH NONE RETURNS AND NOW BRINGS THE SOMA IN THE INNERMOST OF HEAVEN SURROUNDED BY THE OTHER FATHERS THESE COME ALSO ALONG WITH THE GODS TO THE BANQUETS PREPARED FOR THEM ON EARTH AND SITTING ON THE SACRED GRASS REJOICE IN THE EXHILARATING DRAUGHT THE HYMNS OF THE RIGWITHER CELEBRATE THE POWER EXPLOITS OR GENEROSITY OF THE DEITY INVOKED AND SOMETIMES HIS PERSONAL BEAUTY THE PRAISES LAVISHED ON THE GOD NOT ONLY SECURED HIS FAVOR BUT INCREASED HIS POWER TO HELP THE WORSHIPPER
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