The Vedic fathers of geology

50 Tue Vepic Fatsers or Gronoey.

R. V. I. 32. 8] by lightening, produced by the all pervading Power, then designated as Indra. These clouds, therefore, were naturally thought to be the first born, the oldest, end the greatest ( प्रथमजामहीनाम्‌ ‰. ४.1. 32. ॐ ; वरचे वरतरं . प. J. 32. 5 ). In fact the waters that dropped from the clouds, were supposed to be the first showers, the first rain-fall, and the jirst Serpent killed by Indra ; because, they had come within the observation of our Primitive ancestors, only for the first time,

Thus, the jirst observation by our primitive ancestors, in respect of the fall of rain from the clouds having been established, the very legitimate question would arise, where had these phenomena occurred ? Where were the rain-clouds seen ? And where had the rainwaters dropped down ? This, therefore, we shall proceed to prove presently. From RigVeda (I. 32. 11), we perceive that Indra had, by killing Vritra (¢3% waearq), thrown oper (at7zam) the gates of waters ( erat fad ), which were kept closed (atitiga aareta) by Vritra-serpent, who, moreover, had held off the waters, which had stayed in the clouds ( stfsq), as if confined ( atfearat freer arg: ) like kine held | by a robber (पाणिनेव गावः). And now the very next verse of the Rig-Veda answers the question and informs us, that the waters held off, or im-—