Part 1 - Bhūvanakoṣa: Geography of Seven Continents (saptadvīpā) Chapter 8 - Geographical data in the Matsyapurāṇa
There are two different concepts of the *bhūvanakoṣa* or geography of earth, viz., *caturdvīpī* *bhūgola* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhugola#hinduism> and *saptadvīpī* *bhūgola* in the Purāṇas <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/purana#purana>. One is based on the four dvīpas <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/dvipa#purana> where the earth is presented as in the shape of lotus with mount Mahāmeru <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mahameru#purana> as its pericarp. Another is *saptadvīpā* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/saptadvipa#purana> *basumatī* concept, i.e., earth with seven dvīpas. Most of the Purāṇas along with *Matsyapurāṇa* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/matsyapurana#purana> have given more emphasis on the concept of *saptādvīpa* *basumatī*, i.e., the earth with seven dvīpas. However, some of the scholars of old age claim that the concept of four dvīpas which is proved to be older is more realistic According to the Purāṇas the seven dvīpas are: 1. Jambū <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/jambu#purana>, 2. Plākṣa <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/plaksha#purana>, 3. Śālmala <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/shalmala#purana>, 4. Kuśa <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kusha#purana>, 5. Krauñca <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kraunca#purana>, 6. Śāka <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/shaka#purana> and 7. Puṣkara <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pushkara#purana>. These dvīpas are surrounded by the seven oceans. 1. Jambū is surrounded by the ocean *Lavana* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/lavana#purana> (ocean of salt). 2. Plākṣa is surrounded by *Ikṣu* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ikshu#purana> (ocean of sugarcane juice), 3. Śālmala is surrounded by the ocean *Surā* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sura#purana> (ocean of wine), 4. Kuśa is surrounded by the ocean *Sarpis* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sarpis#purana> (ocean of ghee <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ghee#hinduism>), 5. Krauñca is surrounded by the ocean *Dadhi* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/dadhi#purana> (ocean of curd), 6. Śāka is surrounded by the ocean *Kṣīra* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kshira#purana> (ocean of milk) and 7. Puṣkara is surrounded by the ocean *jala* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/jala#purana> (ocean of water) respectively. The earliest reference to *saptadvīpā* *basumatī* concept seems to be found in the *Mahābhāṣya* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mahabhashya#hinduism> of Patañjali <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/patanjali#purana> who flourished at the court of Puṣyamitra <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pushyamitra#purana> of *Śuṅga* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/shunga#purana> dynasty. Of these seven dvīpas, Jambūdvīpa <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/jambudvipa#purana> is situated at the centre. It has an area of one lakh <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/lakh#hinduism> of yojanas <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/yojana#purana>, which is again divided from south to north into seven Varṣas <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/varsha#purana>. There are six ranges of mountain running from east to west demarcating the Varṣas. From south to north it is known as *Haimavata* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/haimavata#purana>, which is also known as *Bhārata* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bharata#purana>. The *Vāyupurāṇa* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vayupurana#purana> and the *Matsyapurāṇa* mentioned the *Haimavata* as the name of *Bhāratavarṣa* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bharatavarsha#purana> but in the *Mahābhārata* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mahabharata#purana> it is presented as the separate *varṣa* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/varsha#purana> in the *sapta-dvīpa* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/saptadvipa#purana> geography.The second one is *Kiṃpuruṣavarṣa*. Third one is *Harivarṣa* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/harivarsha#purana>. The *Ilāvṛtavarṣa* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ilavritavarsha#purana> is in the centre and encircles the *Mahāmeru* on all sides. Its expanse is 24000 yojanas.The *Meru* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/meru#purana> Mountain is in the centre of the *Ilāvṛta* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ilavrita#purana>. Its southern portion is called *Dakṣina* *Meru* and northern part is called *Uttara* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/uttara#purana> *Meru*. Towards the north of *Meru* in order from south to north are *Ramyakavarṣa* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ramyakavarsha#purana>, *Hiraṇyakavarṣa* and *Uttarakuru* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/uttarakuru#purana> or *Kuruvarṣa* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kuruvarsha#purana> or *Śṛṅgaśākavarṣa* . The seven mountains which separate the varṣas are: 1. The mountain Himavān <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/himavan#purana> is in the north of *Bhāratavarṣa*. 2. The Hemakūṭa <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/hemakuta#purana> mountain is in the north of *Kiṃpuruṣavarṣa*. 3. The Niṣadha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/nishadha#purana> mountain separates *Harivarṣa* from the north. 4. The Meru mountain separate *Ilāvṛtavarṣa* 5. The Malyavān mountain is between *Ilāvṛtavarṣa* and *Bhadraśva*. 6. In the west Gandhamādana <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/gandhamadana#purana> mountain is between *Ilāvṛtavarṣa* and *Ketumalavarṣa*. 7. North of *Ilāvṛttavarṣa*, separating it from Ramyaka <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ramyaka#purana> is the Nīla <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/nila#purana> mountain. These are like the seven zones of a sphere by which Jambūdvīpa formed. There are seven major mountain ranges in *Bhāratavarṣa* and their names are: 1. Mahendra <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mahendra#purana>, 2. Malaya <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/malaya#purana>, 3. Sahya <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sahya#purana>, 4. Śaktimāna, 5. Ṛkṣavān <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/rikshavan#purana>, 6. Vindhya <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vindhya#purana> and 7. Pariyātra. *Bhāratavarṣa* itself is divided into nine regions (dvīpas). The names of eight of these regions are: 1. Indradvīpa <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/indradvipa#purana>, 2. Keśara <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kesara#purana>, 3. Tāmraparṇī <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/tamraparni#purana>, 4. Gabhastimān <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/gabhastiman#purana>, 5. Nāgadvīpa <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/nagadvipa#purana>, 6. Saumya <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/saumya#purana>, 7. Gandharva <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/gandharva#purana> and 8. Varuṇa <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/varuna#purana>. The ninth region is completely surrounded by the ocean in all directions. To the east of *Bhāratavarṣa*, there lived the Kirātas <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kirata#purana> and to the west the Yavanas <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/yavana#purana>. Here it should be mentioned that the concept of the four dvīpas is regarded as earlier or more ancient. According to this concept, the earth was shaped like a lotus. Mount Mahāmeru is the centre of the earth forming the pericarp of the four petalled lotus. The four dvīpas or islands are Kuru <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kuru#purana>, Jambū, Bhadrāśva <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhadrashva#purana> and Ketumāla <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ketumala#purana>. These dvīpas are imagined as the four petals of the lotus as the mount Meru <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mount-meru#hinduism> is said to be its *karṇikā* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/karnika#purana>. The four dvīpas are located on the four sides of Meru. Therefore the mountain Meru is compared with the four faced Prajāpati <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/prajapati#purana> Brahmā <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/brahma#purana>. The Bhadrāśva is on the east, Jambūdvīpa on the south, Ketumāla on the west and Uttarakuru on the north of the Meru. Bhadrāśva is signified as an auspicious horse. The Jambudvīpa <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/jambudvipa#purana> is known as *Bhāratavarṣa*. As it has already been mentioned in the *Matsyapurāṇa*, the Haimavata is mentioned as the name of the *Bhāratavarṣa*. The centre where Meru itself is situated is called as *Ilāvṛta*. The north of the Meru is named as North (*uttara*) Vedyardha <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vedyardha#purana> and the southern part is called South Vedyardha. The antiquities of the four dvīpas are found in the *Ṛgveda* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/rigveda#purana> where the four oceans are mentioned. The ancient Buddhist literature also accepts the concept of four dvīpas in which Jambudvīpa is used as the synonym of *Bhāratavarṣa*. In the later conception of seven dvīpas, Bhārata is introduced as one of the nine Varṣas of Jambudvīpa. Thus it is clear that in terms of *saptadvīpa* <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/saptadvipa#purana> concept the same Haimavata and Bhārata became separate. Krishnadasa <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/krishnadasa#history> Rai opines that, “Most probably this new and expanded conception arose in the time of Ashoka <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ashoka#purana> as a result of vast missionary activities in the foreign countries.” However, the Purāṇas have given more emphasis to the later concept of *saptadvīpa* as is evident from the descriptions of the Purāṇas like *Matsyapurāṇa, Vāyupurāṇa* etc. D. R. Mankad mentions that “…Adhyāyas <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/adhyaya#hinduism> 39 to 42 of the *Kiṣkindhākāṇḍa* describe the geography of the four directions and it has been found that the description of the several important places is bodily taken from the *Matsyapurāṇa* (Adh, 163, 60 *ff*).” KR IRS 27423 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZop2nE3BixSy7kSZV6N59EhY2Hz981s%3D7vmhF0rYLiM2QQ%40mail.gmail.com.
