Preface

I had the privilege of being a student of the Veda group in Sanskrit of the Gauhati University. At that time, I got the opportunity of critically going through a good number of Vedic and Purāṇic texts. This study, in student life, created in my mind a new line of thought regarding the concept of the Indian Mythology. It was really an experience to get acquainted with the new concept of Vedic rivers like Gaṅgā, Sarasvatī, Yamunā, Śutudri, Chenāb etc., through the Vedic as well as Purāṇic texts. This created in my mind a keen desire to study the various aspects of ancient rivers in Vedic and Purāṇic texts. I, therefore, immediately availed the opportunity to prepare a dissertation on the topic entitled–‘The Rivers in Ancient India: A Vedic and Purāṇic Study’ for the degree of Ph.D.

There are ample references of rivers in Vedic and Purāṇic literature. Some of the rivers in Vedic and Purāṇic age have changed their names in different states. This has aroused a keen interest in my mind to study the rivers in a comprehensive manner. I have laid emphasis in my present research work on the changing trend of the rivers from the Ṛgveda to the Purāṇic age. The present work is a modest attempt to bring out some distinctive traits of the rivers in ancient India.

The present research work is divided into seven chapters. The First Chapter is the Introduction. In the first part of the chapter, a short introduction regarding the Vedic literature, derivation of the word ‘nadī’, the synonymous words of ‘nadī’ and river based civilizations have been discussed. The Second Chapter deals with the various rivers found in different Saṃhitās like Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, Atharvavedasaṃhitā and Vājasaneyīsaṃhitā. The Third chapter deals with the various rivers as found in the Brāhmaṇa literature. The Fourth Chapter deals with the various rivers as found in the post Brāhmanic literature, i.e. Āraṇyakas and Upaniṣads. The Fifth Chapter deals with the rivers as depicted in the Purānic literature. In the Sixth Chapter, the changing trends of the rivers from Vedic to Puranic age have been thoroughly discussed. The modern trend of these rivers has also been discussed. The Seventh Chapter, i.e. the last chapter contains a concluding remark on the work.

I shall feel rewarded if this work can raise some interests in the minds of the readers. As I conclude, I am really conscious of the probable shortcomings in the work.

Archana Sarma

Date: 28-12-2019
Place: Gauhati University, Ghy-14