DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.638#0094
THE GREAT VEDIC DEITIES 37
What one calls out, another quickly answers,
Like boys at school their teacher's words repeating. . . .
They shout aloud like Brahmans drunk with Soma,
When they perform their annual devotions.
Rigveda, vii, 103.1
There are references in the Rigveda to the marriage of
Soma, the moon, and Surya, the maiden of the sun.
In Vedic religion many primitive beliefs were blended.
We have seen, for instance, that life was identified with
breath and wind; the "spirit" left the body as the last
breath. ' Agni worshippers regarded fire as " the vital
spark". Soma worship, on the other hand, appears to
be connected with the belief that life was in the blood;
it was literally " the life blood ". The " blood of trees "
was the name for sap ; sap was water impregnated or
vitalized by Soma, the essence of life. Water worship
and Soma worship were probably identical, the moon,
which was believed to be the source of growth and
moisture, being the fountain head of "the water of life".
In Teutonic mythology the " mead" is taken from a
hidden mountain spring, which issued from " Mimer's
well" in the Underworld. Odin drank from Mimer's
well and obtained wisdom and long life. The "mead"
was transported to the moon. The "mead" was also
identified with saliva, the moisture of life, and spitting
ceremonies resulted; these survive in the custom still
practised in our rural districts of spitting on the hand to
seal a bargain; " spitting stones" have not yet entirely
iisappeared. Vows are still taken in India before a fire.
References to contracts signed in blood are common and
widespread.
1 Kaegi's Rigveda, Arrowsmith's translation. This was apparently a rain charm!
ts humour was of the unconscious order, of course.
What one calls out, another quickly answers,
Like boys at school their teacher's words repeating. . . .
They shout aloud like Brahmans drunk with Soma,
When they perform their annual devotions.
Rigveda, vii, 103.1
There are references in the Rigveda to the marriage of
Soma, the moon, and Surya, the maiden of the sun.
In Vedic religion many primitive beliefs were blended.
We have seen, for instance, that life was identified with
breath and wind; the "spirit" left the body as the last
breath. ' Agni worshippers regarded fire as " the vital
spark". Soma worship, on the other hand, appears to
be connected with the belief that life was in the blood;
it was literally " the life blood ". The " blood of trees "
was the name for sap ; sap was water impregnated or
vitalized by Soma, the essence of life. Water worship
and Soma worship were probably identical, the moon,
which was believed to be the source of growth and
moisture, being the fountain head of "the water of life".
In Teutonic mythology the " mead" is taken from a
hidden mountain spring, which issued from " Mimer's
well" in the Underworld. Odin drank from Mimer's
well and obtained wisdom and long life. The "mead"
was transported to the moon. The "mead" was also
identified with saliva, the moisture of life, and spitting
ceremonies resulted; these survive in the custom still
practised in our rural districts of spitting on the hand to
seal a bargain; " spitting stones" have not yet entirely
iisappeared. Vows are still taken in India before a fire.
References to contracts signed in blood are common and
widespread.
1 Kaegi's Rigveda, Arrowsmith's translation. This was apparently a rain charm!
ts humour was of the unconscious order, of course.