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Dhammapada · narration sample

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Rig Veda · 988 of 1027

Mandala 10: HYMN CLI. Faith.

1.By Faith is Agni kindled, through Faith is oblation offered up. We celebrate with praises Faith upon the height of happiness.

2.Bless thou the man who gives, O Faith; Faith, bless the man who fain would give. Bless thou the liberal worshippers: bless thou the word that I have said.

3.Even as the Deities maintained Faith in the mighty Asuras, So make this uttered wish of mine true for the liberal worshippers.

4.Guarded by Vāyu, Gods and men who sacrifice draw near to Faith. Man winneth Faith by yearnings of the heart, and opulence by Faith.

5.Faith in the early morning, Faith at noonday will we invocate, Faith at the setting of the Sun. O Faith, endow us with belief.

Asked of Guide

Why is Faith treated as a deity who blesses and must be invoked at times of day?

The hymn personifies Faith (Sraddhā) as an active power that enables ritual success: “By Faith is Agni kindled, through Faith is oblation offered up,” so Faith performs the work that links worshippers to the gods. Calling Faith at morning, noon, and evening marks it as a sustaining presence whose blessing secures giving, opulence, and the efficacy of wishes.

This chapter portrays Faith as both protector and rewarder — it “bless thou the man who gives” and is “guarded by Vāyu,” showing it operates within the ritual cosmos. That movement from invocation to social effect echoes the Bhagavad Gita’s treatment of faith as a force shaping action and its fruits.

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