gods.  He is born of heaven or born of clouds (iv. 18), but that his mother is Aditi is not certain.  As the most powerful god Indra is again regarded as the All-god (viii. 98. 1-2).  With this final supremacy, that distinction between battle-gods and gods sovereign, which Bergaigne insists upon—­the sovereign gods belonging to une conception unitaire de l’ordre du monde (iii. p. 3; ii. p. 167)—­fades away.  As Varuna became gradually greatest, so did Indra in turn.  But Varuna was a philosopher’s god, not a warrior’s; and Varuna was not double and mystical.  So even the priest (Agni) leaves Varuna, and with the warrior takes more pleasure in his twin Indra; of him making an All-god, a greatest god.  Varuna is passive; Indra is energetic; but Indra does not struggle for his lordship.  Inspired by soma, he smites, triumphs, punishes.  Victor already, he descends upon his enemies and with a blow destroys them.  It is rarely that he feels the effect of battle; he never doubts its issue.

There is evidence that this supremacy was not gained without contradiction, and the novelty of the last extravagant Indra-worship may be deduced, perhaps, from such passages as viii. 96. 15; and 100. 3, where are expressed doubts in regard to the existence of a real Indra.  How late is the worship of the popular Indra, and that it is not originality that causes his hymns to be placed early in each collection, may be judged from the fact that only of Indra (and Agni?) are there idols:  viii. 1. 5; iv. 24. 10:  “Who gives ten cows for my Indra?  When he has slain his foe let (the purchaser) give him to me again."[13] Thus it happens that one rarely finds such poems to Indra as to Dawn and to other earlier deities, but almost always stereotyped descriptions of prowess, and mechanical invitations to come to the altar and reward the hymn-maker.  There are few of Indra’s many hymns that do not smack of soma and sacrifice.  He is a warrior’s god exploited by priests; as popularly conceived, a sensual giant, friend, brother, helper of man.  One example of poetry, instead of ritualistic verse-making to Indra, has been translated in the introductory chapter.  Another, which, if not very inspiring, is at least free from obvious soma-worship—­which results in Indra being invoked chiefly to come and drink—­is as follows (vi. 30): 

  Great hath he grown, Indra, for deeds heroic;
  Ageless is he alone, alone gives riches;
  Beyond the heaven and earth hath Indra stretched him,
  The half of him against both worlds together! 
  So high and great I deem his godly nature;
  What he hath stablished there is none impairs it. 
  Day after day a sun is he conspicuous,
  And, wisely strong, divides the wide dominions. 
  To-day and now (thou makest) the work of rivers,
  In that, O Indra, thou hast hewn them pathway. 
  The hills have bowed them down as were they comrades;
  By thee, O wisely strong, are spaces fastened.