DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0017
Introductory Observations. 5
sphere (Varuna, Ovpavos), the representative of an eternal
celestial Presence watching men's actions, and listening to
their words by night as well as by day. Of course another
principal object of veneration was the orb of the Sun called
Mitra, often connected with another aspect of the Sun,
Aryaman, whose influences fertilized lands, enriched pastures,
and fructified crops.
Then other kindred natural phenomena, such as fire (Agni,
Latin Ignis), and the dawn (Ushas, 'Hois, Aurora), and Ida
or Ira (Iris), were by degrees regarded with varying degrees
of veneration. They all had names which still exist under
different modifications among different branches of the Aryan
stock, leading us to infer that they were among the most
ancient objects held sacred in the original abode of the Aryan
race, before the several members of the family separated.
There is even ground for conjecturing that triads of natural
objects, such as Sky, Atmosphere, and Sun, or three forms
of the Sun, called Aryaman, Varuna, and Mitra, were asso-
ciated together and worshipped by the primitive Aryans in
the earliest times. It is certain that the Aryan race, from
the first development of its religious sense on the soil of
India, has shown a tendency to attach a sacred significance
to the number three, and to group the objects of its adoration
in triple combinations.
Not that the nascent religious ideas of a people naturally
devout were regulated or circumscribed in ancient times by
any definite rules or precise limitations. The objects and
forces of nature received homage in different ways—some-
times singly, as if impelled by separate and independent
wills; sometimes in groups, as if operating co-ordinately;
sometimes collectively, as if animated and pervaded by one
dominating Spirit, the maintainer of law and order in the
Universe.
As to the form of worship, that, too, was a natural process
not yet burdened by tedious ceremonial observances. When
sphere (Varuna, Ovpavos), the representative of an eternal
celestial Presence watching men's actions, and listening to
their words by night as well as by day. Of course another
principal object of veneration was the orb of the Sun called
Mitra, often connected with another aspect of the Sun,
Aryaman, whose influences fertilized lands, enriched pastures,
and fructified crops.
Then other kindred natural phenomena, such as fire (Agni,
Latin Ignis), and the dawn (Ushas, 'Hois, Aurora), and Ida
or Ira (Iris), were by degrees regarded with varying degrees
of veneration. They all had names which still exist under
different modifications among different branches of the Aryan
stock, leading us to infer that they were among the most
ancient objects held sacred in the original abode of the Aryan
race, before the several members of the family separated.
There is even ground for conjecturing that triads of natural
objects, such as Sky, Atmosphere, and Sun, or three forms
of the Sun, called Aryaman, Varuna, and Mitra, were asso-
ciated together and worshipped by the primitive Aryans in
the earliest times. It is certain that the Aryan race, from
the first development of its religious sense on the soil of
India, has shown a tendency to attach a sacred significance
to the number three, and to group the objects of its adoration
in triple combinations.
Not that the nascent religious ideas of a people naturally
devout were regulated or circumscribed in ancient times by
any definite rules or precise limitations. The objects and
forces of nature received homage in different ways—some-
times singly, as if impelled by separate and independent
wills; sometimes in groups, as if operating co-ordinately;
sometimes collectively, as if animated and pervaded by one
dominating Spirit, the maintainer of law and order in the
Universe.
As to the form of worship, that, too, was a natural process
not yet burdened by tedious ceremonial observances. When