Page:Indian Journal of Economics Volume 2.djvu/633

.4 (?.R I O UL T U. R A L soil depends. But as they knew the division of the year into seasons and also the rains coming on to fertilize the soil, it might not have been impossible for ?hem ?o look for ?he rains as ?he grea? befiefac- for o! k?ishi or cultivation. There is a good number o! hymns in the Rig Veda to the Maruts and in some o! them it is possible to read the propitiation o! the deities as the approaching south-west monsoon. O! course we must not expect the scientific knowledge which, by the help o! the meteorological 'department, we get to-day. We find in the earliest a' hymn (i, 19, 7-8) in which are recognised as those who portion of the Rig Veda Agni and the Maruts scatter the clouds and agitate the sea, and who spread through along with the rays of the strength, agitate the ocean. the sky, sun, and, with their Rishi Kanwa again, ad- dressing the same deities, speass as if they are riding along the firmament. They are the agitators of heaven and earth (i, 87, 6). The householder plants fi?m butt- ressess to protect his family and eat?le (i, 87, 7). The Maruts drive before. them,. i.n their course, the long, vast, uninjurabl.e and ra?n-reta?mng clouds (i, 87, 11). "Cry aloud over the earth and draw open the tight-fastened, downward-turned water bag, and may the high and low places be made level. Raise on high the mighty sheath of rain, pour down its contents; let the rive?s flow unimpeded; saturate with water both heaven and eartti and let there be abundant beverage for the kine." Finally, perhaps after it has rained sufficiently, the hymn goes on: "Thou hast rai?ed, now cheek well the rain: Thou hast made the deser?ts capable of being crossed thou hast given birth ?o plants for men's enjoyment; verily thou hast obtained laudation from the people." (v, 88). This is the strain of all the hymns to the Maruts.