Saptadvīpa (7): Puṣkaradvīpa

There is another dvīpa which is famous by the name Puṣkara , because it is infused with Puṣkara (Lotus). It is twice the size of the Gomedaka dvīpa and is surrounded by the Ikṣurasodaka sāgara . There is a beautiful great Mountain called Citrasānu (peculiar peaks) in the Puṣkaradvīpa . It is adorned with many types of graceful peaks and rock formations. This great Mountain is located in the first half of Citrasānu dvīpa . This great Mountain extends up to twenty-seven yojana , and is high up to twenty-four yojana . On the beach in the western part of this island, there is a Mountain called Mānasa , which is beautiful like the moon emanating in the east. It is fifty thousand yojanas planks high. Despite being located in the first half of the Mānasa Mountain, another Mountain, which is considered as his son protects the western half of the Mountain island named Mahāvita . Thus the region is said to be divided into two parts. The Puṣkaradvipa is surrounded by delicious water oceans. It is twice as large as the Gomedakadvipa in expansion and circumambulation.^[1]

Thus, in the chapter 123 of the Matsya Purāṇa , the Gomedakadvīpa and the Puṣkara dvīpa are described in the verse 1-10 and 12-20 respectively. Other than the Gomedakadvīpa , the description of the Puṣkaradvīpa are almost in all other Purāṇas . We can get the description of the Puṣkaradvīpa in the Vāyu (Ch-49), Bhāgavata (Ch-20), Viṣṇu (2nd part, Ch-4), Liṅga (Ch-46, 52) and Garuda (Ācārakānda , Ch-39). But there only the descriptin of the Gomedakadvīpa in the Matsya Purāṇa . Excluding the Purāṇas , the description of this dvīpa is found in the Golādhyāya of the Sidhāntaśiromaṇi (3/25).

In addition to these there are more geographical descriptions in the Matsya Purāṇa. As in the chapter 123 of the Matsya Purāṇa , there are described about the tide of the sea.

There are broadly narrated about the cause of the tide of the sea because of the Sun and the Moon at the time of the Śuklapakṣa and Kṛṣṇapakṣa –

udayāt payasāṃ yogāt puṣṇantyāpo yathā svayam |
tathā sa tu samudro'pivardhane śaśinodaye || 
anyunānatiriktātmā vardhantyāpo hrasanti ca |
udaye'stamayecandoḥpakṣayoḥśuklakṛṣṇayoḥ ||
kṣayavṛddhī samudrasya śaśivṛddhikṣaye tathā |
daśottarāṇi pañcāhuraṅgulānāṃ śatāni ca ||—Matsya (Ch-123/32-34)

Thus, in the 123rd chapter of the Matsya Purāṇa , there are descriptions of the Gomedakadvīpa and Puṣkaradvīpa , verses 1-11 and 12-20 respectively. Except the Gomedakadvīpa almost all the other Purāṇas described about the Puṣkaradvīpa like the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (Ch-26.6), Kūrma Purāṇa (Ch-48.1), Varāha Purāṇa (Ch-89) etc. But compared to that, the description of the Gomedakadvīpa are only in the Matsya Purāṇa and little bit in the Varāha Purāna (Ch-89). Except Purāṇa there are some description about the the Gomedakadvīpa in the ‘Siddhāntasiromaṇi Golādhyaya ’ (3/25).

Apart from these, some other short geographical descriptions can be found in the Matsya Purāṇa . For example, chapter 123 describes the tidal waters, which are now a special part of natural geography. Matsya Purāṇa says that just as the moon’s rays connect with the water, when the moon rises, the water starts bouncing on itself; similarly the sea also starts to rise. Although water rises and decreases during the rise and fall of the moon in the Śuklapakṣa and Kṛṣṇapakṣa , the sea’s dignity does not appear to be inferior or excess. The sea also rises and ablates on the occasion of moon rise and decay. This ups and downs of water is said to be one hundred and fifteen intervals. On the occasion of the ups and downs, this tide of the waters of the seas comes in clear view. Due to being surrounded on two sides, the sea island is called the ‘Dvīpa ’ and due to the holding of the sea, the sea is called ‘Udadhi ’. Due to the assimilation of (all things), the name ‘Giri ’ and (Earth) due to tying the joint place has got the name ‘Parvata ’. (Matsya Purāṇa Ch-123/32-35).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Matsya Purāṇa, Ch.–123/12–20