The Religion of the Veda: The Ancient Religion of India (from Rig-Veda to Upanishads) c9.s1.68

c9.s1.68

In the end the gods themselves take a hand in these valuable and delectable poetic performances. Although they cannot directly furnish the metres, alliterations, beautiful words, and bold figures of speech, they can perform another service. They may furnish the devout mind, the inspiration that is behind the hymn. In fact the gods themselves perform prayers, and fashion hymns: “May the gods who perform *brahma* (that is, prayer) furnish us their thrice-covering protection from evil!”¹ “Sing ye a *brahma* given by the gods!” exhorts a poet of the house of Kanva.² Prayer, or devotion, is so beautiful as to be imagined dressed out in glowing colors and bright garments: “May God Agni lift up our devotion that hath glowing color!” or: “May God Agni place on high our brightly adorned devotion!”³ Heaven and Earth, stable and orderly, guide the sacrifice, aglow with shining hymns.⁴ Prayers, personified, go by the path of the divine order to the gods Indra and Agni; they are the messengers between the two worlds.⁵ Hymnal beatification of prayer can scarcely reach higher than the following: