Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana

by Chaitali Kadia | 2021 | 91,183 words

This page relates ‘River Ganga or Ganges’ of the study on the historical elements of the Matsya-purana: one of the eighteen Mahapuranas which are Sanskrit texts that have preserved the cultural heritage, philosophy, religion, geography, etc of ancient India. This Matsyapurana was originally written in 20,000 verses and deals with topics such as architecture, ancient history, polity, religion and philosophy.

The River Gaṅgā or Ganges

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The Gaṅgā or Ganges is an international river flowing into India and Bangladesh. This river is also the national river of the Republic India. West Himālayās in Uttarakhand is the source of the river Gaṅgā . The source of the main Gaṅgā River is the confluence of the Bhāgīrathī and the Alakānandā river. In Hindu culture, Bhāgīrathī is considered as the main stream of the Gaṅgā . The source of Bhāgirathi is the Gangotrī glacier of the Gomukha . After that the river flows over the Gomukha . After that the river flows over the plains to the south and east and merges into the Bay of Bengal. The river has many tributaries.

According to mythology, the river Gaṅgā is of considerable importance. There is a story about the arrival of the Gaṅgā in the Martya and the blocking of the Gaṅgā at the head of Lord Śiva in the chapter 121 (verse–30 to 38) of the Matsya Purāṇa . There is also a lot of geographical information about the Gaṅgā in this chapter (verse-39 to 82).

According to the Matsya Purāṇa three streams of ‘Tripathaga’ Gaṅgā flowed eastward and three backward oriented streams and the seventh stream itself was Bhāgīrathī Gaṅgā . Thus they were divided into seven streams. Among them the currents flowing in the east direction are named the Nalinī , Hlādinī and Pāvanī and the three streams flowing in the west direction are called the Sītā , Cakṣu and Sindhu . Among them, the seventh stream followed Bhāgīratha in the south direction and entered the south ocean; hence she became famous as Bhāgīrathī . These seven steams make the Himavarṣa inundation. Thus these seven rivers originate from Bindusarovar .^[1] All of these irrigate those Mlechcha countries which are known as the Mountainous Kukura, Raudhra, Barbara, Yavana, Khasa, Pulinda, Kulatha , Angalokya , and Vara .^[2]

In this way, the Gaṅgā has divided Himanvāna into two parts and entered the south. After this, the Cakṣu river the Vīramaru, Kālika, Śūlika , Tuṣāra, Barbara, Kāra, Pahlava, Pārada , and Śaka –these countries have been absorbed and got into the sea. The Sindhu (Indus) river the Darada , Urjaguda , Gāndhāra, Aurasa, Kuhū, Śivapaura, Indramaru, Vasati, Saindhava Urbaśa, Varba , Kupatha , Bhīmarobhaka , Śunāmukha and Urdamaru –flow into these countries. The prosperous Gaṅgā the Gandharva, Kinnara, Yakṣa, Rākṣasa , Vidyādhara, Nāga, Kalāpagrāmavāsī jana, Kimpuruṣa, Kirāta, Pulinda, Kuru, Bhārata, Pāñcāla, Kauśika, Matsya (Virata), Magadha, Anga, Ultarasuhma , Vanga and Tāmralipta –sanctify these Arya countries. In this way, they (coming out of the Himālayās ) have been blocked by the Vindhya Mountain and moving towards the east and have joined the south ocean.^[3]

Similarly, the holy Hlāṇḍini , which flows eastward, Upakā , Niṣāda , Dhīvara, Ṛṣika, Nilamukha, Kekara, Anekakarna, Kirāta, Kālanjara, Vikarṇa , Kuśika and Svargabhaumaka has flowed through the countries and join the sea. The Nalinī river also originates from the Bindusara and flows towards east. It has moved to the Kupatha , Indradyumnasara , Kharapatha , Vetradvīpa , Śankupatha etc and flowed through the middle part of Ujjānaka Maru (Junāgada ) (Gita Press Matsya Purāṇa page 413, Chapter-21) and then joined the Lavaṇasāgar near Indradvīpa . From the same (original) lake, the Pāvanī river flows eastward in great Velocity. The Pāvanī river would reach the eastern countries, irrigating the Tomar, Hansmarg and the other community countries. There, by dissecting the Mountain in many ways, it reaches the Karṇaprāvarṇa and goes to Aśvamukha country. After the river Meru crossing the Mountains, it goes to the country of Vidyādhara and enters the great lake called Śaimimaṇḍalakoṣṭha . It (Meru) also has thousands of small and large tributaries, which have been founded separately.^[4]

On the backdrop of the Hemakuta Mountain situated a lake, named the lake of snake, from which two rivers Sarasvatī and Jyotiṣmatī are originated. The two rivers join the east and west sea respectively. On the top of the Mountain Niṣadha there is a lake named Viṣṇupada , which is derived from the front of the same Mountain (Niṣadha ). Both of them (Nāga & Viṣṇupada ) the lake are friendly to the Gandharva . From the polar part of the Meru a great lake named Candraprabhā and the great holy river Jambunadī are originate. In the Jambunadi , there are found gold called Jambunanda . At the same place there are two more lakes named Payoda and Puṇḍarīkavāna , whose water are blue and white respectively. From these lakes Payoda and Puṇḍarīkavāna , two more water bodies have appeared. Among them one of the lake is famous as the Uttara mānasa , from which two another river the ‘Mṛgya ’ and Mṛgakāntā have emerged. In the Kurudeśa there are twelve deep and vast lakes, which are filled with lotus and fishes. The twelve lakes are known as ‘Vaijaya ’. From the ‘Vaijaya ’ two rivers named ‘Śānti ’ and ‘Madhvī ’ have emerged.^[5]

The ‘Balāhaka ’, ‘Ṛṣabha ’, ‘Cakra’ and ‘Mainaka ’-these four Mountains are spread in four directions respectively to the Lavaṇasāgara . The Candrakānta , Droṇa and Sumahana –these Mountains extend to the north-eastern ocean. The Cakra , Badhiraka and Nārada –these Mountains are spread in the western direction. They extend to the ocean. The Jīmūta, Drāvaṇa , Maināka and Candra –these are the Mahāparvata in the South and extend to the south sea.^[6]

In addition to the Matsya Purāṇa , the seven sections of the river Gaṅgā are mentioned in the other Purāṇas like the Vāyu Purāṇa (Ch.-47/31-43) and Kūrma Purāṇa (Ch.-44). Also some of the descriptions are in the Viṣṇu-Dharmottara Purāṇa . Only the names of the rivers are mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa and the Rāmāyaṇa . Although the river’s names are same in the all Purāṇas but the countries, situated on the river bank are different.

The Sirindhras , which is on the banks of the Sītā, is written in the Vāyu Purāṇa . But in the Matsya and the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa the name is Saśailas and Śilīndhras respectively. On the other side there is the name Kuntalas in the Vāyu and Brahmāṇḍa but the Matsya read this Kukuras .^[7] This country was later identified as the Kathiawar in some places and in some other places this was identifies as a city of South India. But no accurate information was found. On the other hand, in the Vāyu and Brahmanda call the country as Chinas which is named the Raudhra in the Matsya . Where the Matsya and Brahmanda call Yavanas , the Vāyu mentions Yavasas . In the Matsya Purāṇa the country is known as Khasas which is named in the Vāyu and Brahmāṇḍa as Druhas and Andhrakas respectively. The Khasas were basically the resident of Central Asia butthe Druhas and Andhrakas could not be identified. According to the Vāyu Purāṇa those who are known as Ruṣānas , in the Brahmāṇḍa it is as Puṣkaras and in the Matsya it is as Pulikas . The Ruṣānas probably were the inhabitant of Tadzhik republic. The country which is mention as Kulinda in the Brahmanda , also mention in the Vāyu and Matsya as Kuninda and Kulatthas respectively. Probably the Kuninda were the resident of Punjab. Alberuni has mentioned it as Kulutas . Wherethe name Angalokavaras is in the Vāyu , in the Matsya and Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇas it is called as Angalokyasvaras and Ancholadbicharas respectively.

The Chīna-Maru is the country on the banks of the river Cakṣu . This name is in the Vāyu and Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa . But the Matsya are in Vīra-maru^[8]. It is probably a city of Turkestan . There is aname Tangaṇas in the Vāyu Purāṇa . But in the Matsya and Brahmanda Purāṇas respectively it is known as Kālikas and Tālas . It is considered that the Kālika were inhabitant of Kerki . The country is named in the Matsya Purāṇa as Śūlikas which is known as Mūlikas in the Vāyu and Brahmāṇḍa . The Pāradas is mentioned in the Matsya Purāṇa but the Brahmāṇnda Purāṇa calls it Pāratas . The Śaka was a native of valleys of Jaxartes and Oxus. In the Brahmāṇḍa this is known as Khaśas .

The Aurasas , which is on the bank of the Indus River, is mentioned in the Matsya^[9] and Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa . But in the Vāyu Purāṇa it is known as Varapas . The name Kuhu is found in the Matsya Purāṇa and Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa . Although the name is also found in the Brahmāṇḍa as Kuhas and in the Vāyu as Hardas . This resident is probably on the valley of Kubhā or on the bank of the Kabul River. Śivapauras has mentioned in the Vāyu, Matsya and Viṣṇudharmottara , but also has mentioned in the Brahmāṇḍa as Śivaśailas . This is probably the native of Śivapura . This city is also mentioned in the Aṣṭādhyayi and the Shorkot inscription. The Indrahāsas is mentioned in the Vāyu Purāṇa but the name is mentioned in the Brahmanda and Matsya as Indrapadas and Indramarus^[10] respectively. Except the Vāyu Purāṇa , all the other Purāṇas have the name Vasātis which has been called Vadātis in the Vāyu Purāṇa . According to the Harivaṃśa this city was strong enough. In the Matsya and Viṣṇudharmottara the country is known as Urvasas which is read in the Vāyu and Brahmanda as Randhrakarakas . The Vāyu Purāṇa reads the country as Bhramaras which is Kupaśrasa according to the Matsya . The Vāyu and Brahmanda Purāṇa read Rohakas which is Romakas according to the Matsya and Viṣṇudharmottara . Probably this is the resident of Rohri area.

On the banks of the Ganges, the Kāśi , this is mentioned in the Matsya as Kauśika37. Alberuni called it Kaushaka. It is referred to as Kāśi in all other Purāṇas . In all the other Purāṇas , what is known as ‘Matsya’ is identified as ‘Vatsya’ in the Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa . The Brahmottaras resident which is mentioned in the Vāyu, Matsya and Viṣṇudharmottara , also mentioned in the Brahmanda as Suhmottaras .

There is mentioned a country named Upakas on the bank of river Hlādini in the Matsya Purāṇa.^[11] This name is changed in the Vāyu and Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa as Upabhogas . Kekaras which is mentioned in the Matsya^[12] and Brahmāṇḍa , is mentioned as Keralas in the Vāyu Purāṇa . Kerala is a resident in the South India. Matsya describes the name Kusikas which is known to Kumāras in the Brahmāṇḍa and Vāyu Purāṇa . A country is mentioned as Svarna-bhumikas in the Brahmāṇḍa, as Svarṇa bhūṣitas in the Vāyu , and as Svarga-bhaumakas in the Matsya Purāṇa . Probably this is the resident of Suvarna-bhūmi or Burma.

On the bank of river Pavanī , the country Vetraśankupathas which is mentioned in the Matsya^[13] and Brahmāṇḍa , is changed as Indraśankupathas in the Vāyu Purāṇa .

Sahuhukas , the country on the bank of river Nalinī is mentioned in the Vāyu Purāṇa mainly. But the Matsya and Brahmāṇḍa also mention the country as Samūhakas^[14] and Sahaihayas respectively.

In the Matsya Purāṇa , the descriptions of the river Gaṅgā and the countries, offshore of the river Gaṅgā are not done properly. But in the Vāyu Purāṇa these descriptions are done properly. Among them, the river Sitā, Cakṣu and Sindhu (Indus) fall into the western sea. The Cakṣu is named after the Oxus. The Sitā is quite different from the famous Sitā River, which falls through the Bhadrāsva varṣa in the eastern part. The Vāyu says that Sitā crosses the Sindhu (Indus) Maru (vast desert) and falls into the western sea through the Mlechcha countries. The Cakṣu was a large river which flowed through the regions of Chinamaru (Chinese-Turkistan), Śūlika (Śūle or Kaśagarh ), Tuṣār , Barbar , Pārada and Śaka regions. The main quarters of the Uttarapatha used to meet in this province. The Sindhu or Indus is our Sindh which flows through Punjab. The Hlāṇḍinī would be a huge river of eastern Asia. This river cannot be identified today. The Nalinīis possibly the Irāvadī (Irrawaddy) of Burma, which falls into the sea near the Indradvīpa . The Pāvanī may be the Mekānka (Māi Gaṅgā ) River which flows to south of Siam. The Gaṅgā is our familiar the Bhāgirathī .