A History of Indian Literature v1.c8.s2.148

v1.c8.s2.148

Quite early there arose, among the Indians, doubts as to the power, even as to the existence of the gods. Already in the hymn Ṛv. II, 12, translated above, which praises so confidently the might and the feats of strength of Indra, and the separate verses of which end in the refrain, which is flung out in such full faith : " He, O men, is Indra,"—even there we hear that there were people who did not believe in Indra : "Of whom they ask ' Where is he ?' Of him indeed, they also say 'He is not'......Believe in him : for he, O men, is Indra." Similar doubts occur in the remarkable hymn Ṛv. VIII, 100, 3 f., where the priests are invited to offer a song of praise to Indra, "a true one, if in truth, he is : for many say : 'There is no Indra, who has ever seen him ? To whom are we to direct the song of praise ?' " Whereupon Indra personally appears, in order to give assurance of his existence and his greatness : " There I am, singer, look at me here, in greatness I tower above all beings " and so on.