The Vedic fathers of geology

GeotocicaL ANTIQUITY OF THE VEDAS. 39

( सक्राशःद्चजन्मनः । स्वे स्वे चरितं गरह्णीखः । M. Bh. ष. 110. 47 ). एणः easy reference, I herein below quote the verses from Maha- Bharata, and these as also others seem, with a few variations, to have been repeated by Manu in (II. 17, 18, 20), for confirming the hoary traditions in: respect of our Cradle in Aryavaria ) सरस्वतीदवद्वत्योदेंवनयोयं दन्तरम्‌ | तद्ेवानिर्मितं देख अह्मादते प्रचक्षते ॥ ४४ ॥ यस्मिन्देडो य आचारः पारंपर्यक्रमागतः । वर्णानां सान्तराखछानां स सद्‌।चार उच्यत ॥ ४५ ॥ एरदशधसखतस्य सकाराद्‌यजन्सनः । स्वं चरित्रं च गरह्णीयुः पृथिव्यां स्वैमानवाः ॥ ४७ \\ ( श्रीमन्महाभारते अ० ११० ).( The South Indian Texts Edition )

Turning to the Vedic authority for a while, it seems that there is an intimate relation, nay even an inseparable connection between Indra, Soma, Vritra, the Dawn, the Sun, the Aryans, and Arydvarta or the Land of the Seven Rivers. Of these, Arydvarta appears pre-eminently to be the cradle of all, at any rate the primitive scene ; where, our Rig-Vedie ances tors and even their fore-fathers ( Garasrtras ) had seen Soma grown on the Himalayan Monntain, well watered and nourished by Parjanya or Rain, ( as if in the eapacity of Wather ) ; where only, and in no other region, the splendour and