DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9550#0103
THE SAMA VEDA. 55
which asked him," Who art thou ?" He then answered,
"I am fire, and I am the origin of the Ved that is, I
am a well-known personage. The Supreme Omnipo-
tence, upon being thus replied to, asked him again,
" What power is in so celebrated a person as thou art ?
He replied," I can burn to ashes all that exists in the
" world." The Supreme Being then having laid a
straw before him, said to him, " Canst thou burn this
»straw ?" The god of fire approached the straw, but
could not burn it, though he exerted all his power. He
then unsuccessfully retired and told the others, " I have
been unable to discover what adorable appearance this
is." Now they all said to wind {or properly to the god
of wind), " Discover thou, O god of wind, what
adorable appearance this is." His reply was, "I shall."
He proceeded fast to that adorable appearance, which
asked him, " Who art thou?" He then answered, " I
" am wind, and I pervade unlimited space ;" that is,
I am a well-known personage. The Supreme Being, upon
being thus replied to, asked him again, "What power is
" in so celebrated a person as thou art ?" He replied,
" I can uphold all that exists in the world." The Su-
preme Being then, having laid a straw before him, said
to him, " Canst thou uphold this straw ?" The god of
wind approached the straw, but could not hold it up,
though he exerted all his power. He then unsuccessfully
retired and told the others, " I have been unable to dis-
" cover what adorable appearance this is." Now they
" all said to the god of atmosphere, " Discover thou,
O revered god of atmosphere, what adorable apearance
which asked him," Who art thou ?" He then answered,
"I am fire, and I am the origin of the Ved that is, I
am a well-known personage. The Supreme Omnipo-
tence, upon being thus replied to, asked him again,
" What power is in so celebrated a person as thou art ?
He replied," I can burn to ashes all that exists in the
" world." The Supreme Being then having laid a
straw before him, said to him, " Canst thou burn this
»straw ?" The god of fire approached the straw, but
could not burn it, though he exerted all his power. He
then unsuccessfully retired and told the others, " I have
been unable to discover what adorable appearance this
is." Now they all said to wind {or properly to the god
of wind), " Discover thou, O god of wind, what
adorable appearance this is." His reply was, "I shall."
He proceeded fast to that adorable appearance, which
asked him, " Who art thou?" He then answered, " I
" am wind, and I pervade unlimited space ;" that is,
I am a well-known personage. The Supreme Being, upon
being thus replied to, asked him again, "What power is
" in so celebrated a person as thou art ?" He replied,
" I can uphold all that exists in the world." The Su-
preme Being then, having laid a straw before him, said
to him, " Canst thou uphold this straw ?" The god of
wind approached the straw, but could not hold it up,
though he exerted all his power. He then unsuccessfully
retired and told the others, " I have been unable to dis-
" cover what adorable appearance this is." Now they
" all said to the god of atmosphere, " Discover thou,
O revered god of atmosphere, what adorable apearance