Page:The Religion of the Veda.djvu/13

 Contents PAGES of mythology-The Lettish myth of the two "Sons of God"-Common kernel of the myth of the two "Sons of Heaven"-The Aryan, or Indo-Iranian period- Important religious ideas common to the two peoples-The dual gods Varuna and Mitra-Ahura Mazda and Varuna-The conception of rta, or "cosmic_order"-The Adityas-Aditi, the mother Adityas-Mitra, a sun god-The sun, the moon, and the planets-The Adityas and Amesha Spentas-Early ethical concepts among the Indo- Europeans-Varuna and Greek Ouranos (Uranus)- The origin of man-Sundry parents of man- "Father Manu"-Yama and Yami, the "Twins "- Interlacing of the myths of the first man-The human character of Manu and Yama-Yama, the god of the dead-Soma, the sacrificial drink of the gods-The myth of Soma and the Heavenly Eagle- Value of the preceding reconstructions... LECTURE THE FOURTH. xiii VEDA. -99-149 THE TRANSPARENT, TRANSLUCENT, AND OPAQUE GODS-RELIGIOUS CONCEPTIONS AND RELIGIOUS FEELING IN THE The transparent gods: their importance for the study of religion-Father Sky and Daughter Dawn-Sūrya, a god of the sun-Väta and Vãyu, gods of wind- The most transparent god: Agni, Fire-Agni as the sacrifice fire-Prehistoric gods of fire-Birth and youth of Agni-Agni as god of the morning-New births of Agni-Agni on the altar, the agent of the gods-Priesthood and divinity of Agni-A hymn to Agni-Other myths of the Fire God-The trans- lucent gods: definition of the term-God Vishnu- God Püshan-God Indra, as an example of an opaque god-Traditional explanation of the myth of Indra and Vritra-Professor Hillebrandt's inter-