[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Religion and philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion) › [Vedic Mythology](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897) › c4.8 # Vedic Mythology c4.8 Vedic Mythology c4.8 - **Language:** English ### [c4.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c4.8) The air or intermediate space (\*antarikṣa\*) is hardly susceptible of personification. As the region of mists and cloud, it is also called \*rajas\* which is described as watery (1, 124⁵ cp. 5, 85²) and is sometimes thought of as dark, when it is spoken of as 'black' (1, 35²·⁴·⁹; 8, 43⁶). The triple subdivision is referred to as the three spaces or \*rajāṃsi\* (4, 53⁵; 5, 69¹). The highest is then spoken of as \*uttama\* (9, 22⁵), \*parama\* (3, 30²), or \*tṛtīya\*, the third (9, 74⁶; 10, 45³. 123⁸), where the waters and Soma are and the celestial Agni is produced. The two lower spaces are within the range of our perception, but the third belongs to Viṣṇu (7, 99¹ cp. 1, 155⁵). The latter seems to be the 'mysterious' space once referred to elsewhere (10, 105⁷). The twofold subdivision of the atmosphere is commoner. Then the lower (\*upara\*) or terrestrial (\*pārthiva\*) is contrasted with the heavenly (\*divyam\* or \*divaḥ\*) space (1, 62⁵; 4, 53³). The uppermost stratum, as being contiguous with heaven (\*div\*) in the twofold as well as the triple division, seems often to be loosely employed as synonymous with heaven in the strict sense. Absolute definiteness or consistency in the statements of different poets or even of the same poet could not reasonably be expected in regard to such matters. - [Previous: c4.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c4.7) - [Next: c4.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c4.9) - [Up: c4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c4) ## Linked texts (1) - [Ṛgvedasaṃhitā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.samhita.rg.1.35) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c4.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.macdonell-1897.c4.8) · Pramāṇa