பக்கம்:திருவாசகம்-ஆங்கில மொழிபெயர்ப்பு-1.pdf/204

fact delightfully fits in the modern conception of science of cosmology for the origin of the universe. According to modern science “The World before man” once upon a time, that is, billions and billions of years ago the universe was void. For the first time space made its appearance and it continued for several millions of years. Then air appeared in the space and the two elements continued for several millions of years. Thereafter fire broke out perhaps by the ignition of the wind. There was rain of fire for several millions of years. Then out of these three elements water appeared and it continued to rain for millions of years. Then out of these four elements earth was born surrounded by oceans. This is the modern conception for the origin of elements, though there is a difference of opinion now. Though it may appear that the saint has stated the facts in the reverse order in this poem there seems to be the truth of the origin of the five elements as he simply narrates how God is present in the elements starting from the earth. However he speaks of this order when he questioned God, when is the hour of obliteration of the elements such as the blowing wind, fire, water and the earth with the sky, in the eighth verse of Sacred Cento (5:8). In this context we are not able to set aside the temptation to quote a Tamil verse of the Third century found in the classical literature of Paripaadal, one of the eight anthologies, as it has some relevance here. The author Keeranthaiyaar narrates in wonderful terms the modern scientific concept for the origin of the elements of the Universe. After the passage of millions of millenniums there arose in the subtle cosmos the music of the universe. There arose 182