The Vedic fathers of geology

128 Tue Vepro Faturrs oF Grotoay.

Having said so much as regards the Azoic Period, we shall turn our attention to the Palwozoic Epoch, where the comparison becomes still more tempting, and yields results of great moment. The Azoic Epoch, as aforesaid, was a period void of life, as parts of the liquid and solid Harth were yet tco hot to sustain vitality. But, as these gradually cooled down, the chaotic condition began to vanish, and life, after lapse of ages, made its appearance therein, in the form of herbs and weeds ( gfaeay आओंषधयः। Taitt. Up. Il. 1 ), some three Epochs-before the advent of Man, the crowning piece of कमम (या ओषधीः प्रवा Arar eeaege geri ......R. V. X. 97. 1. wide ante pp. 112,113 ).

At the beginning, however, the creative energy appears to have had only simple conceptions ; and gradually, it seems to have pros gressed from simple organic structures to highly organised bodies and more complex orders ; since, the study of Paleontology favours the doctrine of development, or at least or the successive appearance on the earth of beings more and more highly-organised. For, we have first the lowly weeds ( पथिव्या ओषधयः Taitt. Up. IL. 1), and then the microscopie fish or trilobite, prior to the mammalian lifetypes, say of the boar-order according to the