Part 8 - Geographical information (found in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita)

The Śrīkaṇṭhacarita provides a lot of information regarding the cities and states, oceans, rivers and lakes, hills and mountains, places and sites of pilgrimage of ancient India. There is no denying the fact that these are of much importance from the geographical point of outlook. That is to say Maṅkhaka has mentioned the names of so many places of Kashmir and its vicinity and also far-flange places in his poem, which are indispensable to reconstruct the ancient geography of India. The reference of so many places of Kashmir, exhibits his thorough knowledge of the geography of Kashmir. Not only this, from the references to various places situated therein Kashmir, Maṅkhaka’s overall knowledge of the topography of India can also be surmised, without any difficulty. Various places of the then Kashmir, which Maṅkhaka referred, can be identified and located with present places also. Bühler clearly recognized the importance of a minute study of the ancient geography and Stein pointed out the help of the Kashmirian texts, regarding this.^[1]

A concise outline of the geographical information availed from the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita is incorporated herein.

[1. Countries and cities]

[2. Oceans, rivers and lakes]

[3. Mountains]

[4. Sites of pilgrimage]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

‘Bühler recognized clearly the importance of a minute study of the ancient geography of Kāśmīr…… and pointed out the most valuable help which could be obtained for such researches from the Nīlamatpurāṇa, the legendaries (Māhātmyas) of Kāśmīr Tīrthas, and other Kāśmīrian texts he had discovered.’

Stein, M.A., Introduction to Kalhaṇa’s Rājataraṅgiṇī, vol. I. page xii