244 The Religion of the Veda
all religious activity and its attendant boons. From a later time we have the significant metaphoric statement that “ Holy Song” (Dhena) is the wife of Brihaspati just as “Weapon” (Sena) is the Wife of Indra.‘
Brihaspati at first is placed as an ally by the side of the more regal gods, like Indra, Agni, and Berna, in their fights against demons and stingy unbelievers. The Vedic gods derive strength from prayer and sacrifice, just as do Hindu men—“this. is a familiar conception from the beginning. The thought which underlies BrihaSpati has in store for itself a greater future and a more permanent result in the still more abstract Brahma, which is religious devotion in the absolute. Of this in the last lecture. For the pres ent Brihaspati rises from his modest position as aider and abettor of the war-gods to become father of the gods, upholder of the ends of the earth. Sun and moon’s alternate rise is his work. Like a blacksmith
Brihaspati soldered together this world. That hap-‘
pened before the races of the gods came into being; perhaps at the time when “ being ” was born of “ non~ being.”
More transcendental are the exploitations in the direction of monotheism of such conceptions
1 See the author, yaumal of ill: German Oriental Society, vol. xlviii., p. 599.
"“ —mehwh m...- “an, a - u ..
