Expressions like these, words like dâ´man, bond, ní-dita, bound, naturally suggested á-diti, the un-bound or unbounded, as one of those deities who could best remove the bonds of sin or misery. If we once realise this concatenation of thought and language, many passages of the Veda that seemed obscure, will become intelligible.

VII, 51, 1. âdityâ´nâm ávasâ nû´tanena sakshîmáhi sármanâ sám-tamena, anâgâh-tvé aditi-tvé turâ´sah imám yagñám dadhatu sróshamânâh.

May we obtain the new favour of the Âdityas, their best protection; may the quick Maruts listen and place this sacrifice in guiltlessness and Aditi-hood.

I have translated the last words literally, in order to make their meaning quite clear. ´gas has the same meaning as the Greek ἄγος, guilt, abomination; an-âgâs-tvá, therefore, as applied to a sacrifice or to the man who makes it, means guiltlessness, purity. Aditi-tvá, Aditi-hood, has a similar meaning, it means freedom from bonds, from anything that hinders the proper performance of a religious act; it may come to mean perfection or holiness.

Aditi having once been conceived as granting this adititvá, soon assumed a very definite moral character, and hence the following invocations:

I, 24, 15. út ut-tamám varuna pâ´sam asmát áva adhamám ví madhyamim srathaya, átha vayám âditya vraté táva ánâgasah áditaye syâma.

O Varuna, lift the highest rope, draw off the lowest, remove the middle; then, O Âditya, let us be in thy service free of guilt before Aditi.

V, 82, 6. ánâgasah áditaye devásya savitúh h savé, vísvâ vâmâ´ni dhîmahi.

May we, guiltless before Aditi, and in the keeping of the god Savitar, obtain all goods! Professor Roth here translates Aditi by freedom or security.

I, 162, 22. anâgâh-tvám nah áditih krinotu.

May Aditi give us sinlessness! Cf. VII, 51, 1.

IV, 12, 4. yát kit hí te purusha-trâ´ yavishtha ákitti-bhih kakrimá kit kit â´gah, kridhí sú asmâ´n áditeh ánâgân ví énâmsi sisrathah víshvak agne.

Whatever, O youthful god, we have committed against thee, men as we are, whatever sin through thoughtlessness, make us guiltless of Aditi, loosen the sins on all sides, O Agni!

VII, 93, 7. sáh agne enâ´ námasâ sám-iddhah ákkha mitrám várunam índram vokeh, yát sîm â´gah kakrimá tát sú mrila tát aryamâ´ áditih sisrathantu.

O Agni, thou who hast been kindled with this adoration, greet Mitra, Varuna, and Indra. Whatever sin we have committed, do thou pardon it! May Aryaman, Aditi loose it!

Here the plural sisrathantu should be observed, instead of the dual.

VIII, 18, 6-7. áditih nah dívâ pasúm áditih náktam ádvayâh, áditih pâtu ámhasah sadâ´-vridhâ.

utá syâ´ nah dívâ matíh áditih ûtyâ´ â´ gamat, sâ sám-tâti máyah karat ápa srídhah.

May Aditi by day protect our cattle, may she, who never deceives, protect by night; may she, with steady increase, protect us from evil!