The Vedic fathers of geology

(70701647, ANTIQUITY oF THE VEDAS. 51

prisoned in the cave (f#%) by Vritra, and subsequently let off (@tarast:), or restored to freedom by Indra after conquest (अजयो गाः), 184 10००५6१ the Seven Rivers, as it was intended by God that these should flow (सतवे सप्तसिन्धून्‌). This, in other words, means that after thunder and lightn-. ing, there were heavy showers of rain from the clouds , which having filled the #Hfaeaa: or the Seven Rivers of Arydvarta, they began to flow. ( -..इन्द्र ---अजयोगाः...श्यूर ... अवाखजः सतवे सप्तसिन्धून्‌। R. Y. I. 32. 12 ). . Here, the words Sapta-Sin-. dhén certainly refer to the renowned Seven Rivers of Aryavarta, and the previous hoary traditions support this view. For, says Sa@yana as follows, while commenting on Rig-Veda (I. 32.12): सप्तसिन्धून्‌ । इमं मे गंग इत्यस्यामच्याम्नाता गंगाया : सप्रसंख्य।का नदीः सतेवे सतुं प्रवाहरूपेण गन्तुसवा सृजः । But, more than this, and as if to corroborate the fact and fortify our conclusions, we have further testimony to prove that the clouds from which waters were first observed by our ancestors, trickling down the Earth and flooding the Seven Rivers, were hovering over the great Indus of Aryavarta; andthe Vritra-Serpent shat had withheld waters in the clouds and was therefore killed by Indra, was also lying concealed in the clouds, that were hovering over this very Indus, The evidence in this respect is of the utmost importance, and we make no apology