The Vedic Fathers of Geology, Part 13
BY: SUN STAFF - 3.2 2025
Song of Shamballa
Nicholas Roerich, 1943
A serial presentation on Vedic discoveries in Geology, from the book by Narayan Bhavanrao Pavgee.
Now, in regard to this statement, I may here note that our Indian Geologists appear to have found that vitality in herbs and fish was followed by amphibious life-types (such as the tortoise), and that the progress was naturally in the coming into being of such creatures as tortoise, frog, crocodile, &c., which lived in water as also on land:
Besides, even modern geologists declare that "amphibians were very abundant in the Trias," which is but a sub-division of the secondary or Mesozoic Epoch. (The Student's Lyell, Edited by Professor John W. Judd, 1896, pp. 315, 331).
The amphibians and the crawling or reptile life-types were followed by the mammalian order, and we notice abrupt mention of the same in the Vedic and Puranic works, as will be perceived from the next statement; although, be it mentioned to the great credit of our Vedic Geologists, that in the Taittiriya Upanishad (II, 1), we discover to a certain extent a connected link in the evolution of Geological rocks, as also of changes in the form of Earth, from the Azoic to the Older Palaeozoic or Proterozoic Epoch, and find a typically brief and yet scientific description of the Primary Geological changes and of the state of rocks to which, by the bye, we have referred to in detail, before.
From the very brief summary of our Vedic and Puranic ancestors, it seems obvious that during successive periods of our Planet's history, different life-types, as also groups of plants and animals, appeared on the Earth. That the dominant types of each succeeding Epoch belonged to higher organisation and still more complex structure. That these attained wonderful development. And that they also characterised the area by their numbers and variety of form. For instance, the Palaeozoic was the period of flora and fauna, e. g, herbs, fishes, &c. (vide pp. 109 @ 113). While Mesozoic was "the Age of Reptiles" And Cainozoic or Tertiary was "the Age of Mammals". (Vide The Student's Lyell, p. 447 and above pp. 115, 116).
The aforesaid statements, therefore, I think will bring into prominent relief the evolution and the transformation of rocks from their very commencement to the Quaternary period, as found and conceived by the Vedic Rishis and our hoary fore-fathers, while the quotations indicated therein will serve to exhibit the various authorities available, in each stage of evolution, from which the texts have been gleaned. I shall, therefore, endeavour to analyse the Vedic Researches of the hoary past, and compare them with those of modern times, with the express purpose of seeing whether our unaided fore-fathers of yore had well hit the target, or were altogether wide of the mark in the investigation of the science of Geology.
And as it 'is necessary to begin with the origin of our Planet, and then gradually proceed to find out the primary and subsequent formations of rocks, it would, by all means, be more convenient to scrutinise the foregoing statements, and attentively examine them, one by one.
Now, taking the first statement in all its details, we shall at once perceive that it relates to the Primary state of Earth, or at any rate to the condition in which the Globe was supposed to be, at first. What then do the Vedic texts tell us? Do they give us any valuable information? Yes. They in rich hue of Golden Letters not only write the history of our Planet and tell its genuine tale, but open up an invaluable mine of wealth that yields rich information in respect of the elements of Vedic Geology, that had remained hidden and unexplored for ages. It is, therefore, obviously necessary to exploit and lay bare such seams as appear most precious.
Our Vedic Forefathers, it seems, first conceived that the planet Earth, with its mountains and solid crust was primarily in an intensely heated gaseous state [1] and igneous fusion; that thereafter, it assumed liquid condition [2] or was in a molten state: and that subsequently, after lapse of ages, it acquired the present solid [3] state, when it cooled down.
Command of the Master
Nicholas Roerich, 1947
All this, in other words, evidently means, that the Earth was at first in a state of igneous fusion, until part of the heat having been diffused into surrounding space, it caused the aqueous vapour in the atmosphere to condense. This caused the fall of rain and created the first Thermal Ocean. . . . Thus, our globe had acquired the liquid condition or molten state. But, the very high temperature of the Thermal Ocean or the boiling sea, made the waters extremely crystalline, and from these, granite, gneiss, mica, schist, &c., having been precipitated, the Earth became gradually solid, while the granite crust having been partially broken up, land and mountains began to rise above waters. And having been precipitated, the Earth became gradually solid, while the granite crust having been partially broken up, land and mountains began to rise above waters.
The investigations into the Palaeontology and subsequent formations of rocks, also yield marvellous results, as these declare that vitality had not yet come into play during the Earth's gaseous or liquid state, when the materials of all rocks having been held in solution, every thing was converted into one Thermal Deep. Nor could there be [certain forms of] life in the solid condition while the Earth's crust was yet too hot for the sustenance of it.
But, before we proceed to give further Palaeontological details of great interest, we must pause for a while and turn our attention to the Geologists of modern times, in view of seeing whether the geological ideas of our Vedic ancestors favourably compare with those of the present age, especially as this commands all the resources of the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, and receives every sort of available aid that intellect, zeal, and vast progress in the science, could possibly supply; but which, on the contrary, could hardly be expected by our Vedic Rishis, during the times of the hoary past and the Tertiary Period.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] (a) From the fervour (of Prajapati) was produced smoke and gaseous matter, which in turn produced intense heat. (Taittiriya Br. II, 2.9.1 vide ante p. 106, Statement No. I.)
(b) From the sky (Ether) was produced the wind which created heat and fire. (Tai. Up. II, 1)
[2] (a) From fire or intense heat was produced water, viz. the Thermal ocean. (Tai. Up. II, I)
(b) (Tai. Br. I, 1.3.5) Muir translates it thus: "This (universe) was formerly water, fluid". (Vide Muir's Original Sanskrit Texts, Vol. I, p. 53, Second Edition) This obviously indicates the molten state of our planet; and the fluid was evidently the Thermal deep, after the globe that was first in a gaseous condition was reduced in time to the molten state.
[3] (a) (R.V. II, 12.2; vide ante p. 104 [See Page 120].
(b) (R.V. II, 17.5; vide ante p. 104).
(c) (R.V. VX, 121.5) He, (the Lord) made the Earth solid, (that was in a gaseous state and molten condition). (Vide ante p. 105)
(d) (Tai. Br. I, 1.3.7). He (Prajapati) then made the Earth solid by converting the Thermal Ocean into hard gravel (vide ante p. 106 (d, e).
(e) (Tai. Up. II, 1) From the waters (or the liquid state), came out the Earth; that is, the waters gradually acquired solid condition. (Vide ante p. 106 (d, e).
(f) (R.V. II, 17.5) "He (Indra) with his might ordained the down-ward course of waters".