207 
Thou art Mitra, thou art Rudra ; 
As Pushan, thou cherishest those who offer worship. 
Thou art the divine Savitri, thou art Bhaga.* 
Thou encompassest the gods as the circumference the 
spokes (of a wheel) ”f 
By the sacred radiance of Agni 
“ Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, and Bhaga shine,! 
and through him they triumph, § for he is the 
“ Immortal sustainer of the universe, exempt from death. || 
Whatever other fires there may be. 
They are but ramifications, Agni, of thee.^[ 
By thee, Agni, Yaruna, and Mitra and Aryaman are ani- 
mated. 
So that thou hast been born comprehending them all. 
Universally in all functions, 
And encompassing, as the circumference the spokes** 
Agni is associated with heaven and earth, 
As (a husband with) one only wife. ft 
I, Agni, am the living breath of threefold nature. 
The measure of the firmament, eternal warmth. JJ 
I offer praise to Agni, the creator, the first. §§ 
He who has hidden darkness within light. 
He has spread out the two sustaining (worlds) like two 
skins : 
Vaisvanara compi’ehends all energy. |||| 
A steady light, swifter than thought. 
Stationed among moving beings to show (the way) to 
happiness.^ 
Agni knows all that exists,*** 
Appropriates the prayers addressed to the Eternal 
CreatorYftt 
Elsewhere a poet exclaims, — 
“ May our sin, Agni, be repented of -”%%% 
and Agni, who is styled Asura, is besought to preserve from 
* Rig-Veda, II. i. + Ibid. V. xiii. 6. t Ibid. VIII. xix. 
§ Ibid. I. cxli. 9. || Ibid. I. xliv. 5. Ibid. I. lxix. 1. 
** Ibid. I. cxli. 9. tf Ibid. III. vii. 4. IJ III. xxvi. 7. 
§§ Ibid. V. xv. 1. 
II Ibid. VI. viii. 3. Vaisvanara signifies “ He who is beneficial to all,” 
like Mitra, “ the Friend.” HIT Ibid. VI. ix. 5.' *** Ibid. III. xii. 4. 
fft Ibid. I. lxxii. 1. On this passage Wilson observes, “This looks as if 
a first cause were recognized, distinct from Agni and the elemental deities.” 
(. Rig-Veda-Sanhita , i. 190.) JJt Ibid. I. xcvii. 1. 
