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hymned this or that phase of superhuman potency, it assumed su- 
preme dimensions in his mind, aud being, of course, personified, 
the worshipper thus became a henotheist, or one who adores 
many gods, any one of whom may be regarded in turn as the 
highest. According to D, the Vedic Indian originally believed 
in one God, whose phases of character and material manifesta- 
tions by degrees became personified ; whereby the original, 
simple and sublime idea was shrouded, and hence forgotten. 
And are there then passages in the Rig-Veda which coun- 
tenance, or seem to countenance, each of these contradictory 
opinions ? Most certainly, and hence the theories ; but here, 
as elsewhere, let us as far as possible avoid being entangled 
by what I may call the tyranny of isolated texts. “ It is 
written again,” must be our constant motto, for the ninety- 
first Psalm is by no means the only Scripture that may be per- 
verted through this most objectionable principle. AVhat must 
be sought in an investigation of the Rile is, not simply odd 
passages or quotations which may bo used in support of a par- 
ticular theory, but broad, general principles of belief. To give 
an instance : no passage in the Veda is more familiar and per- 
haps more remarkable than the famous statement : — 
“ They call Him Iudra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni ; 
And (he is) the celestial, well-winded Garutmat. 
Sages name variously that which is but one : 
They call it Agni, Yama, Matarisvan A* 
Here, it rna}'’ be said, we reach monotheism at a bound ; here 
is an explanatory statement in the earliest portion of the Veda, 
giving the general practice and belief. And towards the close 
of the Rile we read similarly : — 
“ The wise, in their hymns, represent, under many forms, 
the well-winged (god) who is but one.”t 
I value these passages very greatly, but the argument in favour 
of archaic monotheism must not be allowed to rest upon them 
alone, or upon any other similar passages elsewhere. And we 
must be cautious not to strain them ; thus it may be asked 
who is the ‘Him/ the ‘it/ and the ‘ well-winged , ? It is easy 
to reply that the Deity is undoubtedly meant, and such very 
likely may be the case ; but the great commentator Yaska, 
B.C. 400, applied the former passage to Agni, whilst Sayana 
thought that Surya, the Sun, was intended. However, ere 
examining the principal Vedic concepts, we may remember 
* Rig-Veda, I. clxiv. 46. The translations of Vedic passages are chiefly 
taken from Dr. Muir's {Sanskrit Tain, and occasionally from the work of the 
late Prof. Wilson, continued by Prof. Cowell. t Ibid. X. cxiv. 5, 
