The Vedic fathers of geology

16 “Las Venice Fatsers or Gronocy.

in the atmosphere to condense, occasioned the fall of rain ( afarra: 1), thus giving rise to what is called the first Thermal Ocean. The tempetature, however, of this boiling sea was at first, in the very nature of things, very high, and therefore no aquatic beings could inhabit its waters. Consequently, it was devoid of fossils. But, the waters of the Thermal Ocean were highly crystalline, and hence the origin of the primary crystalline strata, gneiss, mica, gravels’ ( Tet), &e, Gradually, the granite crust! having been partially broken up,‘ land and mountains began to rise above the waters (अदभ्यः प्रथिवी |), while the torrents of rain caused the sediments to spread over the bottom of the boiling sea. Now, the land and mountains that had appeared above waters having in time cooled down, along with the thermal fluid, life naturally became visible therein, first in herbs or seaweeds ( gfaeat ayaa: 1), and then in others, the vital gradation , haying progressed from simpler conceptions to more complex types and highly organised orders, ending in the last? and the marvellous creation of Man.” ( 2itwéteatsaa अन्नात्पुरुषः । ). ।

1 Vide ante page 14. ( > 1 Vide ante page 14. (qt apherfuedea | So me राकराभिर दहत्‌ । त° जाऽ ध ४ 1५ of this, Professor Dana, the American geologist, says asfollows: ‘It is not known that any new species of plants or animals have appeared on

the Earth since the creation of Man.” ( Manual of Geology. p. 586, Edn. 1863 )