The Vedic fathers of geology

GroLocicaAL Resutts Comparep. 119

Our Vedic Forefathers, it seems, first conceived that the planet Earth, with its mountains and solid crust was primarily in an intensely heated gaseous state’ and igneous fusion; that thereafter, it assumed liquid condition” or was in a molten state; and that subsequently, after lapse of ages, it acquired the present solid® state, when it cooled down.

1 (८) तस्मात्तपनाद्धुमोऽजनायत । तस्मत्तपनादात्निरजायत । ` From the fervour ( of Prajapati ) was produced smoke. and gaseous matter, which in turn produced intense heat, ( Tai. Br. IT. 2, 9, 1. vide ante p. 106. Statement No. I. )

(6) srRrarere: | arareta: | From the sky ( Ether ) was produced the wind which created heat and fire. (Tai. Up. II. 1.)

2 (a) s7Hurq: | From fire or intense heat was produced water, viz. the Thermal ocean, ( Tai. Up. 19

(6) पौ वा इदमग्रे सलिलमार्सीत्‌। ( Taittiriya. Br, I. 1. 3.5)

Muir translates it thus :—“ This ( universe) was formerly water, fluid”, ( Vide Muir’s Original Sanskrit Texts. voll. p. 53, Second Hdition )

This obviously indicates the molten state of our planet ; and the fluid was evidently the 7’hermal deep, after the globe that was first in a gaseous condition was reduced in time to the molten state.

8 (५) यः प्रथिवीं व्यथमानामदृंहत्‌... । ( ®. ४. [1. 12, 2; ride ante p. 104 )e [ See Page 120,