The Vedic fathers of geology

58 Tue Venic Farners or Grouoey.

in the region of the Seven Rivers (ante pp. 5151), for his worshippers-the Brahmans! = (@eT, R. Y. I. 105. 5), who were pre-eminently the Sacrifice loving Aryans, our Primitive ancestors. As the verse is very important, 1 herein below give it in full, with Griffith’s translation :—

यो विश्वस्य जगतः प्राणतस्पतिर्यो बह्यणे प्रथमो गा अविन्दन्‌ । इन्द्रो यो दस्यूरधरां अवातिरन्मरुत्वन्तं सख्याय हवामहे ॥ 4॥

( Rig-Veda. I. 101. 5 )

“¢ He, who is the Lord of all the world that moves and breathes, who for the Brahman, first defore all, found the Cows ;

“‘Tndra who cast the Dasyus down beneath this feet,— him girt by Maruts we invoke to be our friend.”

Here, Dasyus are evidently the VritraSerpents, who having held off waters in the clouds, were hurled down on the Earth, and crushed beneath his feet by Indra ( gat... 4

1 The word Brahmana means one who knows Brahma or the laud of the Lord ; and Saiyana, the great exegetist, while commenting on (R. V. I. 47. 2.), -defines Brahma as follows:— “व्रह्म स्तौ च्रूपं मज ---. (Sata). ” Brahmana therefore is one who knows the daud, that is Brahma or Mantra:— ब्रह्य जानाति ब्राह्मणः 1.

2 Sayana also interprets Dasyu as Vritra. For, in commenting on (R, V. I. 33, 4), he says :— “eee चौरं

वर्जः..." 1.