The concept of Bhāratavarṣa

In the Matsya Purāṇa^[1], nine varṣas of Jambudvīpa are mentioned where seven of them are named but the names of the remaining two varṣas are not available. Also in many other Purāṇas there are references to nine varṣas of Jambudvipa . For examples Vāyu Purāṇa^[2], Viṣṇu Purāṇa^[3], Liṅga Purāṇa^[4], Garuda Purāṇa^[5], Brahma Purāṇa^[6], Agni Purāṇa^[7], Śrīmadbhāgavata Purāṇa^[8] etc.

The nine varṣas are—

1. Uttara Kuru,
2. Hiraṇyama,
3. Ramyaka,
4. Ilāvṛtta,
5. Harivarṣa,
6. Kimpuruṣa,
7. Bhāratavarṣa,
8. Ketumāla,
9. Bhadrāśvavarṣa.

There are variations of the names of these varṣas in different Purāṇas .

Collecting data from various Purāṇas , the ‘Purāṇa vimarsa ’^[9] explains the name of these varṣas through a line—

	Uttar Kuru (Sṛngi Mountain) Hirnyama (Śveta Mountain) Ramyaka (Nil mountains)
Ketumāla varṣa	Sumeru Ilavṛtta	Bhadrāśva varṣa
	Harivarṣa (Niṣadha varṣa Mountain) Kimpuruṣa (Himkuta Mountain) Bhāratavarṣa (Himālaya Mountain)

It is alleged in the Liṅga Purāṇa^[10] that king Priyabrata’s son, king of the Jambudvīpa king Agnidhra gave nine dvīpas (varṣas ) to his nine sons. He gave Hemavarṣa (Bhāratavarṣa ) to his elder son Navi, Hemkutavarṣa to Kimpuruṣa, Naiṣadhavarṣa to Hari, Madhyadesa to Ilavṛtta, Nilāchalavarṣa to Ramyaka, Śvetavarṣa to Hiraṇmān, Sṛngavarṛa to Kuru, Mālyavānavarṣa to Bhadrāśva and Gandhamādanavarsa to Ketumala. Latter the varṣas are named after the Son’s name.

After the description of the Jambudvīpa there are mentioning of the Bhāratvarṣa through conversations of Sūta and Sages in the chapter 114 of the Matsya Purāṇa . The Liṅga, Vāyu, Brahmaṇḍa, Markaṇḍeya etc. all of these maha Purāṇas describe about the Bhāratavarṣa . Almost in all the Purāṇas , the name of the country has been called Bhārata after the name of the king Bhārat, son of King Ṛṣabha. Manu was their ancestor. But it is more commonplace that Bhāratavarṣa has been named after king Bharata, the son of Śakuntala and this information is wrong. According to the “Śrīmadbhāgavata ” and Vāyu Purāṇa^[11], before the name Bhāratavarṣa , this country was famous under the name ‘Ajanabha ’ and ‘Haimavatavarṣa ’ gradually. According to the ‘Purāṇa Vimarsa ’ for the name of Haimavatvarṣa it is that in this varṣa , ‘Himavat ’ Mountain (Himālaya or Himāchala ), which divides the border, is predominantly located and it is a varṣa Parvata . As a result, the name has been given to this country naturally due to being absorbed in the north by the snow. But the meaning of ‘Ajanabha ’ is very grave and special. The etymological meaning of ‘Ajanabha ’ is–the country situated on the ‘Navi-Kamal ’ of ‘Aja’ (unborn Lord Viṣṇu). The meaning of this word is that the first land created by Brahmā by dwelling on the ‘Navi-Kamal ’ of God, is the same as ‘Ajanabha ’. This word is showing that the beginning of creation took place here in the Ajanabhavarṣa itself. This varṣa is the place of origin of humans. This is what human being first produced and from here they spread the civilization by spreading in different directions.

This derivation is available in Manusmṛti –

etaddeśa-prasutasya sakāśādagrajanmanaḥ |
svaṃ svaṃ caritraṃ śikṣeran pṛthivyāṃ sarvamānavāḥ ||

In the early Vedic period, the Aryans were familiar with only a small part of this vast region that they sometimes described as the ‘Sapta-Saindhava’^[12]. In the Abesta the name of the Bhārata is ‘Hindu’ which originated from the river Indus, Sanskrit Sindhu like ancient Persian ‘Hindu’. Herodotus calls the Bhārata as India which can be very similar to the India in the Persepolis and naksh-i-Rustam inscription of Darius.^[13] According to the “Geographical Data in the early Purāṇas–A critical study ” by M. R. Singh–“By the time of Megasthenes, the term India had obtained a wider designation.” M. R. Singh explains Bhāratavarṣa by quoting from the book “Ancient India as described by Megasthenes and Arrian ” (by J. W. McCrindle).

There are descriptions of Bhāratavarṣa in the Chapter 114 of the Matsya Purāṇa . According to the Purāṇa the name Bhārata originates from Manu. Manu is called Bhārata because of the creation and maintenance of the people.

On this basis this varṣa is famous by the name of Bhāratavarṣa –

athāhaṃ varṇayiṣyāmi varṣe'smin bhārate prajāḥ |
bharaṇācca prajānāṃ vai manurbharata acyate || 5 ||
tiruktavacanāccaiva varṣa tad bhārataṃ smṛtam |
yataḥ svargaśca mokṣaśca madhyamaścāpi hi smṛtaḥ || 6 ||

There are nine distinctions of this Bhāratavarṣa . Their names are–Indradvīpa , Kaśerumān , Tāmraparṇa , Gabhastimān , Nāgdvīpa , Saumyadvīpa , Gāndharvadvīpa, Vāruṇadvīpa and the ninth is the Bhāratadvīpa , surrounded by the sea. The island is spread over a thousand plans from south to north. It extends from the origin of the Ganges to the end of the Kanyākumarī or Kumari-antarip . It is ten thousand yojanas in diagonally above. There are settlements of Mlechcha castes in the border areas around this island. Its east and west directions are inhabited by Kirāta and Yavana respectively. In its central part, Brāhmaṇas , Kṣṭriyas , Vaiśyas and Śudras reside in the department by performing Yajña , eclipse and business etc. The mutual behavior of those four varṇas is combined with Dharma –Artha –Kāma and they continue in their respective deeds. Here the five periods of life (Brahmacarya , Gṛhastha , Vānaprastha , Yogi and Sannyāsi ) and Āśramas are practiced lawfully. The Karmic tendencies of the people of this island are for heaven and salvation. Thus the Suta gives a general conception about Bhāratavarṣa to the Ṛṣis. After that the Sūta has been described in details on the Bhāratavarṣa through the Ślokas 17 to 58 of chapter 114 of the Matsya Purāṇa . There are seven world famous Mountains in this great Bhāratavarṣa. They are–Mahendra , Malaya , Sahya , Śuktimān , Ṛkṣavān , Vindhya and Pāriyātra . There are thousands of other Mountains near them. Apart from these, there are other huge peaks and others are smaller than those. The Aryan & Mlechcha reside around those regions which are united by these Mountains.the settler (Aryan and Mlechcha ) drink the water of rivers which are flowing from those Mountains. The rivers are such as the Gangā , Sindhu , Saraswati , Śatadru (Sutlej), Candrabhāgā (Chinav), Yamunā , Saryu , Irāvati (Ravi), Vitasta (Jhelum), Vipāsā (Vyāsa), Devika , Kuhū , Gomati , Dhootapāpā (Dhopap), Bāhuda , Dṛṣadvati , Kauśikī (Kosi), Tṛtīya , Niścirā , Gaṇḍki , Cakṣu , Lauhita . All these rivers originate from the Himālayan Upatyakā (foot hills). The Vedsmṛti , Vetravati (Betva), Vṛtraghnī, Parṇaśa, Candanā, Sadanīra, Mahī, Pārā, Carmaṇvatī, Yūpā, Vidiśā, Veṇumati, Śiprā, Avantī and Kutnī –the origin of these rivers is the Pāriyātra Mountain . The Śoṇa, Mahānadī, Narmadā, Surasā, Kriyā, Mandākinī, Daśārṇā, Citrakutā, Tamasā, Pippalī, Śyeni, Karatoyā, Piśācikā, Vimala, Cancala, Vanjulā, Valuvahini, Śuktimanti, Śuni, Lajjā, Mukutā and Hṛdika –these holy and clean rivers originated from the Ṛkṣavanta (Ṛkṣvān ) Mountain. The Tāpī , Payoṣṇi (Purṇā or Paingangā ), Nirvindhyā, Kṣiprā, Niṣdhā, Veṇyā, Vaitaraṇī, Viśvamālā, Kumudvatī, Toyā, Mahāgauri, Durgā and Antahśilā –all of these prosperous and virtuous rivers derive from Vindhyacala foothills. The Godāvarī, Bhimrathī, Kṛṣṇveṇī, Vanjulā (Manjirā ) and the Tungabhadrā, Suprayogā, Vāhyā (Vardhānadi), Kāverī of Karṇātaka state—these are the rivers which are flowing in the Daksiṇāpatha , manifested by the branches of the Sahya Mountain. The Kṛtamālā (Baigaina), Tāmraparṇī, Puṣpajā (Kusumāngā, Pembai or Pennar ), and Utpalāvatī –these prosperous rivers originate from Malayācala . Their water is very cold. The Triṣāmā, Ṛṣikulyā, Ikṣulā, Tridivā, Acalā, Lāngulinī and Vanśadhara –all these rivers are considered to be derived from the Mahendra Mountain. The Ṛṣika , Sukumārī, Mandgā, Mandavīhīnī, Kṛpā and Palāśinī –these rivers originate from the Śuktimān Mountain. All these holy rivers are prosperous, universally flowing and seaward by tradition. All these are as mother for the world and all of them have been considered as welfare workers and sinners. They also have thousands of small and big tributaries in whose basins some countries are located like–Kuru, Pāñcāl, Śālva, Sjāṇngala, Śurasena, Bhadrakara, Bāhya , Sahapatccara, Matsya, Kirāta, Kuntī, Kuntala, Kāśī, Kośala, Āvanta, Kaliṅga , Muka and Andhaka . These countries are often called the districts of the Madhyadeśa . The Madhyadeśa are located near the Sahya Mountain, where the Godāvarī river flows. This region is very captivating in all the land. Thereafter, the Gobardhana , Mandāracala , and Gandhamādana Mountain are located. On the Gandhamādana Mountain Ṛṣi Bharadvāja had descended the heavenly trees and celestial medicines for the entertainment of Śrī Rāma. Due to the influence of the same Ṛṣi, that region became enchanted because it was full of flowers. The Bāhlīka, Vātadhāna, Ābhīra, Kālatoyaka, Purandhra, Śūdra, Pallaba, Āttakhaṇḍika, Gāndhāra, Yavana, Sindhu, Souvira, Madraka, Śaka, Druhya, Pulinda, Pārada, Āhāramūrtika, Rāmatha, Kaṇṭakāra, Kaikeya and Daśanāmaka –these are the colonies of the Kṣatriyas and also inhabited by Vaiśyas and Śudras . Apart from these, the Kamboja, Darada, Barbara, Pahlava, Atri, Bharadvāja, Prasthala, Kaseraka, Lampaka, Talagāna and Sainika Pradesa –all these are the countries of Uttarapatha . The Anga , Vanga , Madguraka, Antargiri, Bahirgiri, Plabanga, Mātanga, Yamaka, Malvarṇaka, Suhma, Pravijaya, Mārga, Vāgeya, Mālaba, Prāgjyotiṣa, Puṇḍra, Videha, Tāmraliptaka, Śālva, Māgadha and Gonarda –these are the countries of the east direction. After them there are the Pāṇḍya, Kerla, Cola, Kulya, Setuka, Musika, Kupatha, Vājivāsika, Mahārastra, Māhisaka, Kaliṅga, Ābhīra, Sahaiṣīka, Ātavya, Śabara, Pulinda, Vindhyamulika, Vaidarbha, Daṇḍaka, Kuliya, Sirala, Aśmaka, Bhogavardhana Taittirika, Nāsikya and the other countries (in the Narmada inter-province) in the Dakṣiṇapatha . The Bhārukaccha, Māheya, Sārasvata, Kācchika, Sauraṣṭra, Ānarta and Arbuda –all of these are inaccessible regions. The Mālava, Karūṣa, Mekala, Utkala , Oundra, Māṣa, Daśārna, Bhoja, Kiṣkindhaka, Tośala, Kosala, Traipura, Vaidiśa, Tumura, Tumbara, Padgama, Naiṣadha, Arūpa, Soundikera, Vītihotra and Avanti –all these states are said to be located in the Vindhya Mountain valleys. After that the countries like the Nirahara, Sarvaga, Kupatha, Apatha, Kuthprāvaraṇa, Urṇādarva, Samudgaka, Trigarta, Maṇḍala, Kirāta and Cāmara all of these are located on the Mountain.

Description of The Bhāratavarṣa are also mentioned in the several Purāṇas . All of the Purāṇas commonly mention about the nine divisions of the Bhāratavarṣa . Name of the Purāṇsas who refer the nine divisions are–Vāyu^[14], Agni^[15], Liṅga^[16], Viṣṇu^[17], Gadura^[18], Mārkaṇḍeya^[19], Brahma^[20] etc. The name of the nine divisions of Bhāratavarṣa that is mentioned in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa is as we notice in the Matsya Purāṇa but there is a different thinking in the Mārkaṇḍeya.

The Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa says that these nine divisions were separated from each other by sea and were inaccessible by way of land, where going was impossible–

samudrāntaritā jñeyāste tvagamyāḥ parasparam |—Mārkaṇḍeya (57/5)

Alberuni has also mentioned about the nine divisions of Bhāratavarsa and has given the following diagram for thepurpose^[21] —

Nāgadvīp	South Gabhastimat	Tāmravarṇa
West Saumya	Indradvīpa or Madhyadesh	East Kaseruman
Gandharva	North	Nagarasamṛtta

The famous Muslim writer, Abul Fazl also has mentioned about the nine division of the Bhāratavarṣa in his famous book the ‘Ain-in-Akbari ’ (Vol.-III, pp. 36-37).

He has mentioned to the following divisions–

1. The course between Lanka and Mahendra is named Indrakhanda .
2. The course between Mahendra and Sukti is named Kaser
3. The course between Sukti and Malaya is entitled Tāmravarṇa .
4. The path between Malay and Ṛkṣa is called Gabhastimat .
5. The track between Ṛkṣa and Pāriyātra is entitled Nāgakhaṇḍa .
6. The course between Pariyātra and Sahya is titled Saumyakhaṇḍa .

The path between Sahya and Vindhya is divided into two parts, the eastern parts named KumāraKhaṇḍa and the western named Varuna Khaṇḍa . V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar (M.A. University of Madras 1933) mentions in his journals “some aspects of the Vāyu Purāṇa ” (pp. 170 ff and 184)–“nine divisions refer to the Purāṇic geographical divisions of ancient Indian continent which included Burma.”

May be he summed up as follows–

1. Indradvīpa (Burma),
2. Kaseruman (eastern Bengal and Assam),
3. Tāmravarṇa (Ceylon),
4. Gabhastimān (Delhi and Rajasthan),
5. Nāga (Island of Elephanta),
6. Saumya (Bengal and U.P.),
7. Gandharva (Gāndhāra ),
8. Vāruṇa (Westernmost end of Bhāratavarṣa ) and
9. Kumāridvīpa (South India).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Matsya Purāṇa, Ch.–114/7, 8

[2]:

Vāyu Purāṇa, Ch.–34/12

[3]:

Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Part 2, Ch. 2

[4]:

Ling Purāṇa, Ch.–48/34, 49/2, 3

[5]:

Garuda Purāṇa, Ācāra Kāṇḍa Ch. 37

[6]:

Brahma Purāṇa, Ch. -10

[7]:

Agni Purāṇa, Ch. 118/3, 4

[8]:

Śrīmadbhagavata, Skandha 5, Chapter 16

[9]:

Purāṇa Vimarsa, Page–330

[10]:

Linga Purāṇa, Ch.–47/3-11

[11]:

Vāyu Purāṇa, Ch.–35/52

[12]:

Ṛgveda, VIII/24/27, I/32/12, I/34/8, I/71/7 etc

[13]:

Selection Inscriptions bearing on Indian History and Civilization, Vol.-I, pp. 8-10

[14]:

Vāyu Purāṇa, Ch.–45/78, 79, 80

[15]:

Agni Purāṇa, Ch.–118/3, 4

[16]:

Linga Purāṇa, Ch.–52/27, 28

[17]:

Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Ch.–Part 2, Chapter 3/6, 7

[18]:

Garuda Purāṇa, Ch.–Ācāra Khanda, Chapter 38

[19]:

Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Ch.–57

[20]:

Brahma Purāṇa, Ch. -10

[21]:

Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Ch.–57