Page:Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Purānic.djvu/44

 or The Eternal, is the element which sustains them, or is sustained by them. The eternal and inviolable element in which the Adityas dwell, and which forms their essence, is the celestial light. The Aditvas, the gods of this light, do not therefore by any means coincide with any of the forms in which light is manifested in the universe. They are neither the sun, nor moon, nor stars, nor dawn, but the eternal sustainer of this luminous life, which exists, as it were, behind these phenomena.”

As noticed above, the text of the Rig-Veda says : “Of the cight sons who were born from the body of Aditi, she approached the gods with seven, but cast away the eighth.” In the commentary, the following explanation of this circumstance is given :-“The eighth son was deformed. His brothers, seeing his deformity, improved his appearance. He was afterwards known as Vivasvat (the Sun). From the superfluous flesh cut off his body an elephant was formed, hence the proverb, ‘Let no man catch an elephant, for the elephant partakes of the nature of man.”

According to a passage quoted in Chapter II from the "Satapatha Brāhmana,” Agni, Indra, and Surya obtained superiority over the other gods by means of sacrifice. By whatever means this position was obtained, it is certain that they were the most popular deities of the Vedic Age. Agni stands in a class by himself; but with Indra and Surya there are other deities closely associated, and possessing very similar attributes. Nearly the whole of the more conspicuous Vedic deities may be classified as follows :-(1) Agni, the God of Fire ; (2) Sun-Gods, or Gods of Light, and (3) Storm-Gods, or those associated with Indra.