The early-conquering mighty Bhaga call we,
  The son of Boundlessness, the gift-bestower,[43]
  Whom weak and strong, and e’en the king, regarding,
  Cry bhagam bhakshi, ’give to me the giver.’[44]

  O Bhaga, leader Bhaga, true bestower,
  O Bhaga, help this prayer, to us give (riches),
  O Bhaga, make us grow in kine and horses,
  O Bhaga, eke in men, men-wealthy be we!

  And now may we be rich, be bhaga-holders,[45]
  Both at the (day’s) approach, and eke at midday,
  And at the sun’s departure, generous giver. 
  The favor of the gods may we abide in.

  O gods, (to us) be Bhaga really bhaga,[46]
  By means of him may we be bhaga-holders. 
  As such an one do all, O Bhaga, call thee,
  As such, O Bhaga, be to-day our leader.

  May dawns approach the sacrifice, the holy
  Place, like to Dadhikr[=a],[47] like horses active,
  Which bring a chariot near; so, leading Bhaga,
  Who finds good things, may they approach, and bring him.

As this is the only hymn addressed to Bhaga, and as it proves itself to have been made for altar service (in style as well as in special mention of the ceremony), it is evident that Bhaga, although called Aditi’s son, is but a god of wealth and (like Anca, the Apportioner) very remotely connected with physical functions.  But the hymn appears to be so late that it cannot throw much light on the original conception of the deity.  We rather incline to doubt whether Bhaga was ever, strictly speaking, a sun-god, and think that he was made so merely because the sun (Savitar) was called bhaga.  A (Greek:  Zehys) Bagaios was worshipped by the Phrygians, while in the Avesta and as a Slavic god Bhaga has no especial connection with the sun.  It must be acknowledged, however, that every form of the sun-god is especially lauded for generosity.

VISHNU.

In the person of Vishnu the sun is extolled under another name, which in the period of the Rig Veda was still in the dawn of its glory.  The hymns to Vishnu are few; his fame rests chiefly on the three strides with which he crosses heaven, on his making fast the earth, and on his munificence.[48] He, too, leads in battle and is revered under the title Cipivishta,[49] of unknown significance, but meaning literally ‘bald.’  Like Savitar he has three spaces, two called earthly, and one, the highest, known only to himself.  His greatness is inconceivable, and he is especially praised with Indra, the two being looked upon as masters of the world.[50] His highest place is the realm of the departed spirits.[51] The hymns to him appear to be late (thus I. 155. 6, where, as the year, he has four seasons of ninety days each).  Like P[=u]shan (his neighbor in many lauds) he is associated in a late hymn with the Maruts (V. 87).  His later popularity lies in the importance of his ‘highest