[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Religion and philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion) › [The Religion of the Veda: The Ancient Religion of India (from Rig-Veda to Upanishads)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bloomfield-1908) › c8.10.2 # The Religion of the Veda: The Ancient Religion of India (from Rig-Veda to Upanishads) c8.10.2 The Religion of the Veda: The Ancient Religion of India (from Rig-Veda to Upanishads) c8.10.2 - **Language:** English ### [c8.10.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bloomfield-1908.c8.10.2) I cannot here afford the time that would be required to the full exposition of this myth, and would refer you to my little book, \*Cerberus, the Dog of Hades: The History of an Idea\*, published in 1905, which I regard as my program of method in the study of Comparative Mythology. Now, to be sure, we find that other peoples, not Indo-European, here and there, own a dog who gets in the way of the soul on its way to heaven. Obviously, the conception may have arisen independently in the same way: the dead journeying upward to heaven, but interfered with by a coursing heavenly body, the sun or the moon, or both. But grant that somewhere or other a dog, pure and simple, has strayed into this sphere of conceptions without any organic mythological meaning, simply as a baying, hostile, watchdog in heaven or hell. We cannot therefore ignore the wonderful yet simple Indo-European myth which is begotten of high reason and keen appreciation of myth-making opportunity. Plainly, this myth requires no further explanation from the usually vague and half-understood analogies that may be found on the broad ground of universal Ethnology and Folk-lore. Far be it from me to suggest that mythological evidence, whencesoever obtainable, should be excluded from these deliberations: all I want to prevent is the importation of bad coal into Newcastle. - [Previous: c8.10.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bloomfield-1908.c8.10.1) - [Next: c8.10.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bloomfield-1908.c8.10.3) - [Up: c8.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bloomfield-1908.c8.10) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bloomfield-1908.c8.10.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.bloomfield-1908.c8.10.2) · Pramāṇa