Page:The Religion of the Veda.djvu/141

 The Prehistoric Gods 125

r —.r

6. “ ’T was not my own sense, Varuna! ’T was deception, ’T was scant thought, strong drink, or dice, or passion. The old are there to lead astray the younger, Nay, sleep itself provokes unrighteous actions.

7. "‘ Let me do service to the merciful giver, The zealous god, like a slave, but sinless l The gracious god gave wisdom to the foolish, He leads the Wise, himself more wise, to riches.

8.

“ May this our song, 0 Varuna, we pray thee, Reach to thy heart, 0 god of lofty nature!

011 home and work do thou bestow well—being ; Protect us, gods, for evermore with blessings I ”

We are accustomed to make much allowance for general similarities in the conceptions of the gods of different peoples, but it is scarcely possible that they should reach so far. The connection that exists be— tween Ahura Mazda and Varuna is expressed, how- ever, not only through their general similarity as supreme arbiters of the world and its moral law. That very particular conception, which digniﬁes alike Veda and Avesta, namely, Vedic rm, Avestan asks (gram), and Cuneiform Persian arm, is, of course, not entirely put in the keep of those two gods. But