Page:The Land of the Veda.djvu/104

94 indelicacy is even worse than these; nor have we found, because it is not there, any thing pure, sublime, or good, with which to offset the vileness here laid before the reader. Coming out again from the gloomy scenes of these “works of darkness” into the light and purity of our blessed Bible, with all its “fruits of the Spirit,” never before were we so thankful for our holy religion, nor have we ever felt as deep a compassion for the millions so shamefully and so long deluded by the false and hollow pretensions of the Vedic teaching.

Before dismissing the subject I will, for the sake of such readers as may not have seen an entire Sukta of the Veda, quote one in full, so that he may have a complete view of the “holiest” and most venerable of all India's “Scriptures,” selecting one, however, that may be regarded as respectable in its ideas and language. I take the fifth Sukta, on page 38 of volume I of the Rig-Veda. The Rishi (or author) is Medhalithi, the son of Kanwa, and the hymn is addressed to Indra, their God of the Heavens:

“1. Indra, let thy coursers hither bring thee, bestower of desires, to drink the Soma juice; may the priests, radiant of the sun, make thee manifest.

“2. Let his coursers convey Indra in an easy-moving chariot hither, where these grains of parched barley, steeped in clarified butter, are strewn upon the altar.

“3. We invoke Indra at the morning rite, we invoke him at the succeeding sacrifice, we invoke Indra to drink the Soma juice.

“4. Come, Indra, to our libation, with thy long-maned steeds; the libation being poured out, we invoke thee.

“5. Do thou accept this our praise, and come to this our sacrifice, for which the libation is prepared; drink like a thirsty stag.

“6. These dripping Soma juices are effused upon the sacred grass; drink them, Indra. to recruit thy vigor.

“7. May this our excellent hymn, touching thy heart, be grateful to thee, and thence drink the effused libation.