II, 5, 2. â´ yásmin saptá rasmáyah tatâ´h yagñásya netári, manushvát daívyam ashtamám.

In whom, as the leader of the sacrifice, the seven threads are stretched out,—the eighth divine being is manlike (?).

The sacrifice itself is called, X, 124, 1, saptá-tantu, having seven threads.

X, 122, 3. saptá dhâ´mâni pari-yán ámartyah.

Agni, the immortal, who goes round the seven stations.

X, 8, 4. usháh-ushah hí vaso (íti) ágram éshi tvám yamáyoh abhavah vi-bhâ´vâ, ritâ´ya saptá dadhishe padâ´ni ganáyan mitrám tanvẽ svâ´yai.

For thou, Vasu (Agni), comest first every morning, thou art the illuminator of the twins (day and night). Thou holdest the seven places for the sacrifice, creating Mitra (the sun) for thy own body.

X, 5, 6. saptá maryâ´dâh kaváyah tatakshuh tâ´sâm ékâm ít abhí amhuráh gât.

The sages established the seven divisions, but mischief befell one of them.

I, 22, 16. átah devâ´h avantu nah yátah víshnuh vi-kakramé prithivyâ´h saptá dhâ´ma-bhih.

May the gods protect us from whence Vishnu strode forth, by the seven stations of the earth!

Even the names of the seven or eight Âdityas are not definitely known, at least not from the hymns of the Rig-veda. In II, 27, 1, we have a list of six names: Mitrá, Aryamán, Bhága, Váruna, Dáksha, Ámsah. These with Aditi would give us seven. In VI, 50, 1, we have Áditi,

[paragraph continues] Váruna, Mitrá, Agní, Aryamán, Savitár, and Bhága. In I, 89, 3, Bhága, Mitrá, Áditi, Dáksha, Aryamán, Váruna, Sóma, Asvínâ, and Sárasvatî are invoked together with an old invocation, pû´rvayâ ni-vídâ. In the Taittirîya-âranyaka, I, 13, 3, we find the following list: 1. Mitra, 2. Varuna, 3. Dhâtar, 4. Aryaman, 5. Amsa, 6. Bhaga, 7. Indra, 8. Vivasvat, but there, too, the eighth son is said to be Mârtânda, or, according to the commentator, Âditya.

The character of Aditi as the mother of certain gods is also indicated by some of her epithets, such as râ´ga-putrâ, having kings for her sons; su-putrâ´, having good sons; ugrá-putrâ, having terrible sons:

II, 27, 7. pípartu nah áditih râ´ga-putrâ áti dvéshâmsi aryamâ´ su-gébhih, brihát mitrásya várunasya sárma úpa syâma puru-vî´râh árishtâh.

May Aditi with her royal sons, may Aryaman carry us on easy roads across the hatreds; may we with many sons and without hurt obtain the great protection of Mitra and Varuna!

III, 4, 11. barhíh nah âstâm áditih su-putrâ´.

May Aditi with her excellent sons sit on our sacred pile!

VIII, 67, 11. párshi dîné gabhîré â´ úgra-putre gíghâmsatah, mâ´kih tokásya nah rishat.

Protect us, O goddess with terrible sons, from the enemy in shallow or deep water, and no one will hurt our offspring!

Aditi identified with other Deities.