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LECTURES ON THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION.
stood in the midst of the waters; have mercy, almighty, have mercy!
5. Whenever we men, O Varuna, commit an offence before the heavenly host, whenever we break the law through thoughtlessness ; punish us not, 0 god, for that offence.
SONG OF PRAISE ADDRESSED TO VARUNA
(RIG-VEDA I. 25). 1. However we break thy laws from day to day, men as we are, O god, Varuna,
2. Do not deliver us unto death, nor to the blow of the furious; nor to the wrath of the spiteful !
3. To propitiate thee, Varuna, we unbend thy mind with songs, as the charioteer (unties) a weary steed. I
4. Away from me they flee dispirited, intent only on gaining wealth; as birds to their nests.
5. When shall we bring hither the man, who is victory to the warriors; when shall we bring Varuna, the wide-seeing, to be propitiated ?
[6. They (Mitra and Varuna) take this in common; gracious, they never fail the faithful giver.]
7. He who knows the place of the birds that fly through the sky, who on the waters knows the ships ;
8. He, the upholder of order, who knows the twelve months with the offspring of each, and knows the month that is engendered afterwards ;
9. He who knows the track of the wind, of the wide, the bright, the mighty; and knows those who reside on high ;
