than those
of any of the Vedic gods, have become completely transfigured, and he
stands before us as a god who watches over the world, punishes the
evil-doer, and even forgives the sins of those who implore his pardon.

I shall read you one of the hymns addressed to him:[255]

"Let us be blessed in thy service, O Varu_n_a, for we always
think of thee and praise thee, greeting thee day by day,
like the fires lighted on the altar, at the approach of the
rich dawns." 2.

"O Varu_n_a, our guide, let us stand in thy keeping, thou
who art rich in heroes and praised far and wide! And you,
unconquered sons of Aditi, deign to accept us as your
friends, O gods!" 3.

"Aditya, the ruler, sent forth these rivers; they follow the
law of Varu_n_a. They tire not, they cease not; like birds
they fly quickly everywhere." 4.

"Take from me my sin, like a fetter, and we shall increase,
O Varu_n_a, the spring of thy law. Let not the thread be cut
while I weave my song! Let not the form of the workman break
before the time! 5.

"Take far away from me this terror, O Varu_n_a; Thou, O
righteous king, have mercy on me! Like as a rope from a
calf, remove from me my sin; for away from thee I am not
master even of the twinkling of an eye." 6.

"Do not strike us, Varu_n_a, with weapons which at thy will
hurt the evil-doer. Let us not go where the light has
vanished! Scatter our enemies, that we may live." 7.

"We did formerly, O Varu_n_a, and do now, and shall in
future also, sing praises to thee, O mighty one! For on
thee, unconquerable hero, rest all statutes, immovable, as
if established on a rock." 8.

"Move far away from me all self-committed guilt, and may I
not, O king, suffer for what others have committed! Many
dawns have not yet dawned; grant us to live in them, O
Varu_n_a." 9.

You may have observed that in several verses of this hymn Varu_n_a was
called Aditya, or son of Aditi. Now Aditi means _infinitude_, from
_dita_, bound, and _a_, not, that is, not bound, not limited,
absolute, infinite. Aditi itself is now and then invoked in the Veda,
as the Beyond, as what is beyond the earth and the sky, and the sun
and the dawn--a most surprising conception in that early period of
religious thought. More frequently, however, than Aditi, we meet with
the Adi