The Vedic fathers of geology

73 Tae Vepic Farumrs or Groroey.

Seven Rivers of A’rydvarta. For, in the first Fargard of the Vendidad, there appears the description of the sixteen lands created by Ahurmazd, the Supreme God of the Iranians, in which, among others, the regions of (1) Harahwaiti, (2) Hapta-Hendu, and (3) Rangha seem to be included, and these respectively appear to have been identified with the (1) Sarasvati ( सरस्वती ), (2) the Sapta-Sindhus! ( aafaeaa:), and (3) the Rasa (wat) rivers, which appear to be distinctly mentioned in the Rve-Veda ( X. 75-5/6 )

Now, from the mention of these rivers in the Vendidad, the Sacred Scripture of the Iranians, the latter seem to have been intimately acquainted with the rivers, the mountains, the surroundings, in fact the whole face of A ryavarta, where, owing to religious schism, two parties having been formed, the weaker ( the Iranians ) had to leave A rydvarta and go to the northern regions, pursued by the stronger party, the IndoA’ryans, who ruled the country, and as such, were in a position to dictate terms to the former. And the flight of the Iranians from the Mother-

I The Sapta-Sindhus or the seven celebrated rivers of A‘ryavarta are the Ganges, the Yamuna cr the Jamna, the Saraswati, the Satlaj ( Shutudri ), the Ravi ( Parushn? or Iravati), the Chenab (Chandra Bhagat or Asikni ), and the Sindhu or the Indus. (The Author).