THE GOLDEN CHILD.
The following is one of the hymns of the Rig Veda which show that the mind of the ancient Hindu worshipper travelled “from Nature up to Nature’s God.”
1.
To whom in earth or sky or air Shall we offer gifts and prayer? To Him, the Golden Child, the One, Existent from creation’s dawn! To Him who built the earth and spread the sky, We bring our offerings, chant our prayers high!
2.
To whom in earth or sky or air Shall we offer gifts and prayer? To Him who lighted life’s first ray, Whose will celestial hosts obey! Whose mighty shade is immortality! Whose slave is death! Transcendent Deity!
3.
To whom on earth or sky or air Shall we offer gifts and prayer? To Him, the glorious King, above, Of living things that see and move! The Lord of men and beasts, of birds in air, To Him we offer gifts and chanted prayer!
4.
To whom in earth or sky or air Shall we offer gifts and prayer? To Him whose mighty hand hath made The earth’s broad fields, the ocean’s bed, The snowy mountains, the far-spreading sky, To Him we lift our prayers chanted high!
5.
To whom in earth or sky or air Shall we offer gifts and prayer? To Him who fixed the earth and sky, And spread the glorious heavens on high, The highest heaven whose fingers fixed and bent, Whose hand has measured out the firmament!
6.
To whom in earth or sky or air Shall we offer gifts and prayer? Who hung the sky at nature’s birth And spread this broad and spacious earth: The sounding sky and earth each shining hour, And radiant sun attest His mighty power!
7.
To whom in earth or sky or air Shall we offer gifts and prayer? To Him,—the Life of gods!—the One! Who breathed forth at creation’s dawn! When mighty waters filled chaotic gloom, And held the nascent agni in their womb.[^21]
8.
To whom in earth or sky or air Shall we offer gifts and prayer? Who held the waters in the gloom, And breathed forth life into their womb, To Him, the God of gods, the mighty One! Who held the universe at creation’s dawn!
9.
To whom in earth or sky or air Shall we offer gifts and prayer? To Him, the earth and sky who made, And the mighty waters laid, For He is Truth! the great Almighty Power! And He will save us in the evil hour!
10.
Lord of Universe and King! Thy hand hath shaped each living thing! To Thee we lift our humble praise, For Thou canst save, and Thou canst bless! Fulfil our wishes, bless our sacrifice, And on Thy worshippers bestow Thy grace!
Rig Veda, X. 121.