38
RELIGION OF THE EARLY SANSKRITIC INDIANS.
" the Been," says one,* primeval beiug at the time of hig being born, when that which had 110 essence bore that which had an essence ? Where was the life, the blood, the soul of the world ? sent to ask this from the sage that knew it? Immature in understanding, undiscerning in mind," he goes on to say, " I inquire after those things which are hidden even from the gods. Ignorant, I inquire of the sages who know, who is the" Only One who After a multiupheld the spheres ere they were created ? tude of speculations, he concludes "They call him Indra,
Who
.
.
.
Varuna, Agni, then he is the beautiful-winged heavenly Garutmat that which is one, the wise give it many names they called it Agni, Yama, Matarisvan." f Another is still bolder, and plunges headlong in to the deepest vortex of metaphysics. The following is a metrical version Mitra,
:
of his
"
poem: %
A
time there was, when nothing that now is Existed no, nor that which now is not; There was no sky, there was no firmament. What was it that then covered up and hid Existence ? In what refuge did it lie ? Was water then the deep and vast abyss, The chaos in which all was swallowed up ?
There was no Death and therefore nought immortal. There was no difference between night and day. The one alone breathed breathless by itself: Nor has aught else existed ever since. Darkness was spread around all things were veiled In thickest gloom, like ocean without light. The germ that in a husky shell lay hid, Burst into life by its own innate heat Then first came Love upon it, born of mind, Which the wise men of old have called the bond 'Twixt uncreated and created things. Came this bright ray from heaven, or from below ? Female and male appeared, and Nature wrought Below, above wrought Will. Who truly knows, Who has proclaimed it to us, whence this world ;
Came
into being ?
Were
later born.
The
great gods themselves
Who knows
then whence
it
came
?
Wilson's "Rig-Veda," vol. ii. pp. 127, 128. Compare Max Mil HIT, " Lectures on the Science of Religion, "p. 46. " t Max Muller, Chips from a German Workshop," vol. i.p 29. J I have followed as closely as possible the prose translation of Max Muller, given with an intermixed comment in his " History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature," pp. 559-568.