The Brahma Purana (critical study)
by Surabhi H. Trivedi | 1960 | 254,628 words
This is an English study of the Brahmapurana—one of the eighteen major Puranas. This text occupies an important place in the Pauranic literature. This study researches the rich an encyclopaedic material for social, religious, philosophical, mythological, political, geographical and literary study found in the Brahma-Purana. It also includes a lingu...
9. The area of Bharata
Bharata is situated to the north of ocean and to the south of Himalaya. It is called Bharata and the people here are called Bharatas. Its area is 9,000 yojanas. This is a land of action. From this land Svarga, final emancipation from existence and the final end are attained (19.1-5). There are nine divisions of Bharata viz. Indradvipa, Kasetuman, Tamraparna, Gabhastiman, Nagadvipa, Saumnya, Gandharva, Varuna and Bharata (19.62,27,14,15). Alexander Cunningham discusses the Puranic nine divisions of greater India in the appendix I of his book called 'Ancient Geography of India' and comes to the following conclusion Indradvipa is Burma, Kasetuman is Malaya Peninsula, Tamraparna is Ceylon, Gabhastiman is Laccadive, Maldiva or Ernakulam in the south west, Nagadvipa is Salsette, Elephanta and Kathiawar in the west, Saumya is Cutch in the north-west, Gandharva is Gandhara, the valley of Kabul with a small tract of land to the east of Indus and Varuna is situated in the north-east of India. This ninth division, i.e.Bharata is surrounded by ocean and is thousand yojanas long from north to south. To its east stay the Kiratas, to its west the Yavanas, and in its
860 middle reside the Brahmins, Ksatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras and other services. Thus maintain themselves on sacrifices, battles, mercantile and There are seven kulaparvatas, viz.Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Suktiman, Rksa, Vindhya and Pariyatra (19.6-9; 27.19,20). They were so called because each of them was associated with one particular country of tribe. Mahendra is the mountain par excellence of the Kalirigas, Malaya of the Panayas, Sahya of the Aparantas, Suktimat of the people of Bhallata, rksa of the people of Mahismati, Vindhya of the Atavyas and other forest, folks of central 40 India, and Paripatra or Pariyatra of the Nisadas. There are many hills situated near them. Their summits are broad and lofty and are delightful and spacious. The other mountains are Kolahala, Vaibhraja, Mandara, Dardalacala, Vatamdhaya, Vaidyuta, Mainaka, Surasa, Tungaprastha, Nagagiri, Godhana, Pandaracala, Puspagiri, Vaijayanta, Raivata, Arbuda, Rsyamuka, Gomantha, Krtasaila, Krtacala, Sriparvata, Cakora and thousand others. By them the people both Mlechhas and others are mingled together according to their divisions (27.20-24; 19.10). The rivers Ganga, Saraswati, Sindu, Candrabhaga, Yamuna, Satadru, Vipasa, Vitasta, Iravati, Kuhu, Gomati, 40 Raichaudhari, Studies in Indian antiquities, PP.105-108; also cf. Agrawal V.S., Bharataki Maulike ekata (in Hindi).
861 Dhutapana, Bahuda, Drsadvati, Vipasa, Devika, Caksu, Nisthiva, Gandaki, Kausiki, and Apaga emerge from Himalaya (27.25-27; 19.10)%; the rivers Devasarit, Devavati, Vataghni, Sindhu, Venya, Candana, Sadanira, Mahi, Carmanvati, Vrsi, Vidisa, Vedavati, Sipra, Avanti emerge from the mountain Pariyatra; the rivers Sona, Mahanadi, Narmada, Suratham, Kriya, Mandakins, Dasarna, Citrakuta, Citropala, Vetravati, Kara-moda, Pisacika, Atilaghusroni, Vipapma, Saivala, Sadheruja, Saktimati, Sakuni, Tridiva, Kramu (27.30-32); Tapi, Payosni, Nirvindhya, and Kaveri emerge from the mountain Rksa; 41 the rivers Sipra, Rksa; Vena, Vaitarani, Sinivali, Kumudvati, Toya, Mahagauri, Durga, Antahsila, Narmada and Surama emerge from Vindhya(27.33,34; 19.11); the rivers Godavari, Bhimarathi, krsnavena, Apaga, Tungabhadra, Suprayoga, ** and Papanasini emerge from the mountain Səhya (27.35,36; 19.12); the rivers Krtamala, Tamaparni, Pusyaja and Pratgalavati emerge from the mountain Malaya (19.13; 27.37,38); the rivers Pitrsomarsikulya and Rsikulya emerge from the mountain Mahendra (27.37,38; 19.14); the rivers Rsikulya, Kumara (19.14), Suvikala, Kumari, Manuga, Mandagamins and ksayapalasini emerge from the mountain Suktiman.42 All these rivers possess holy merit, flow into 41 19.11; in adh.27.33, the rivers Tapi, Nirvindhya and Payosni are said to emerge from the mountain Vindhya. 42 27, 38,39; missing in mss.'ka' and 'kha'.
862 the ocean, are mothers of the world and destroy the sins. There are thousand, others small rivulets some of which flow only during the rainy season and some of which flow at all season's (27.39,40). The Brahma-Purana mentions the seven divisions with a reference to the six directions and the central part. Thus Madhyadesa means the central division, Udicya, the northern division, pracya, the eastern division, Daksinapatha, the southern division, and Aparanta, the western division. Then follows a group of tribal names called Vindhyacala and the last division has been designated as parvatasrayinah. For details regarding the various people residing in the abovementioned regions vide ch. I entitled "Ethnic Data". It The law of four ages is established in Bharata. To its south and west and east are the has nine samsthanas. great oceans, the Himavat range stretches along on its north, like the string of a bow and the Brahma-purana furnishes a long eulogy of Bharata, the land of action (27.65-80). As the geographical names contained in the BrahmaPurana are too numerous to be discussed for the identification in this work, which is not a treatise mainly on geography, an attempt has been made here to show how far the Brahma information aux admits of verification in the light of a similar
information from the other sources, and an appendix of all the geographical names of appears at the end for ready reference.