THE GLOGRAPHY OF THE PURANASTHE GEOGRAPHY OF THE PURANAS BY S.M. ALI, ent PROFESSOR OF GEOGRAPHY UNIVERSITY OF SAUGAR PEOPLE’S PUBLISHING HOUSE NEW DELHIFOREWORD ET 1s commonly beheved that the Puranas cover a penod in the hfe of the Indian people eatending roughly over one thousand years, starting from somewhere akout the time of coming into power of the Shunga Dynasty, to the time of the invasion of India by Mahmud Ghaznavi It was a very chequered period of our history. Great warnors, powerful wonarchs, a brilhant output mn the field of art and literature, share the canvas with petty chieftains, the unhealthy growth of blind superstitions aud the decay and death of the spit of adventure in science and thought as well as in practical hfe In spite of modern researches, we have yet to Know many of the essential facts of the hfe of those days and among these facts there are many which are related to geography The Indian of those days was not confined to the narrow paroclual lnmuts of his own country His associations and communications extended to at least a superfiaal knowledge of a Iarge part of the then known world as im the reference to the Nile and ats source in one of the Puranas The orthodox Pandit who constantly swears by the Purinas knows very little about their contents His rhetorical knowledge will not enable him to identify most of the rivers and mountams to which these works rcfer But with out any such identification, the Puranie accounts degenerate into flat and often uninteresting narraty es Prof § M Alias to be congratulated for Ins learned work on the geography of the Purinas It 1s the result of deep study not only of the researches carned out by modern scholars but of relevant ancient htera ture as well Without sacrificing scientific austerity he has made the book mteresting and instructive If the world of scholarsIup accepts Ins mam conclusions he will have established the faet that m the days af the Puranas, India was more or Tess an touch with a greater part of the world to which wathin a few centuries it turned ats bach, Obsiously, this is not the last word on the sukyect’ The works of Pargiter and Cunmngham did something to make Ancient Indian Geography to some extent familar to those interested im the subject. Prof Ah’s book should go sery much farther im that divecton and endow names about which we read om ancient Iiterature with meanmg [ven apparently fanesful descriptions of oceans Ike cane price, milk and curds might some day be mterpreted i & manner not dissonant with modern knowledge. Jaspur Sanmrensan 0 I November 1965 Governor, RaysthonPREFACE THE following pages are the result of my discussion with Pandit Dwarki Prasad Mishra, Chief Mimster, Madhya Pradesh, and former Vice Chan cellor of the Saugir University, whose mterest m Ancient Indian History led him to mvestigate its geographical bickground My book Arab Geo- graphy which deals with the geographical ideas of the Arabs drew lus attention to corresponding dex m the Arab and Persian works It was felt that t may be profitable to sift the geographical notions contained in the various sections of the Purtinas and to put them together in the form of a monograph which should present the Purame pomt of view in a concise manner without affecting their intrinsic ment This study was made possible wath the help of Pandit Mishra’s wide study of world hustory, profound knowledge of Sanskrit and keen geograplucal sense They have been fully utilsed in this monograph Of all the Puranas the Vayu was selected as a base for this work for two reasons Firstly, copies of the various editions of this Purans are easily avalible Secondly, the Vayu smeludes essentially the geographical matter contamed in all other Pyranas and in addition gives more detadls in some cases Other Puranas, the Visnu the Mutsy, the Garuda, the Markandeya the Bhagwat. and the Padma were consulted where the Vayu text appeared to be doubtful or needed serntmy The method of treatment followed im Uus study will speak for itself Attempt has been mde to present facts m simple language without di turbing the geographical sequence and the sense of the original texts Inferpretvhons and explanations, wherever they occur, are based on suitable topograplncal maps and corresponding accounts in standard geu graphed works The chapter on Cosmogony and Cosmology a5 an after thought It was felt that, though 4 geographer should not normal] wander into these fields a bnef account of the Puranie notions on th : ongm of the Unsserse and the ongin of the Darth youl not he it phiee here since the Purine concept af ocetms, continents and th, aut of relief fertures of the carth are antimately connected wath the onrme eee Universe and the Tarth ‘The chapter on astronomical nature ams of He since there are already stindard works on Indian astionom "as dropper J with the size and shape of the ewth Tittude and Jon ny elich deat night, seasons, time, ate : etude, day and hue d e I crmnot clam to hye done more than folio, 4 few trodden paths through a vast yungle—to often aed and thomy of ipo ancent iiterature yet, Tm hope that the scattered ideas haye been b, ought toge th Sether wt)vu THE GLOGRAPHLY OF THE PURANAS some sort of a coherent survey, At least I havc, 1 beheve, indicated some promising fields for further exploration and research Although this monograph has occupied me, sometimes to the pomt of obsession, for four years, I realise that I hve not been able to do full Justice to this fascmating subject There is still much to be done and if this study could only arouse itelligent and scientific interest in our ancient Iiterature, I shall feel amply rewarded for my labour in the pubheition of this monograph I recened valuable help from various quarters My most sincere thanks are due to Shr: Simpurnanand, Governor, Rayisthan, for hus helpful eriticism and encouragement J am giving im the appendix his and Pandit Dwarka Prasad Mishra’s ericism on the Purame Dwipas and my observations on it ‘lo Professor Bahu Ram Saxena, Vice Chancellor of Ravishanker University and Professor Cl wendra Varma, Vice-Chancellor of Jabalpur Unversity, I offer my grateful acknowledgements for thei advice m all matters connected with the transhition and interpretation of Puranie texts Y wish to extend my gratitude and smcere thanks to Dr M P Sharm, Vice Chancellor, and Justice G P Bhutt, former Vice Chancellor, Sagar Unnersity, for providing all adequate facies for work and helpng me secure financial assistance from the Umversity Grants Commission without which the publication of thus work my not have been possible Tam pateolrly grateful to my respected friends Pandit K D Baypar Professor of Ancient Indvin History, for many valible suggestions re- garding several chapters of the book and for assistance in ats revision, and Pandht Parmanand Bajpar for helping me with useful suggestions regarding Hindu traditons and the geograpincal base To my colleagues Dr V CG Misra, Dr PC Agarwal, Dr Pramii Varma (of the Geography Department), Dr Yogeshwar Pandey (of the Sanskrit Department) and espeesly Dr NP Ayyar and Sh T K Naw who arringed and corrected the proofs and prepared the index, I am indeLted for much ungrudging assistince ond for ther helpful attitude throughout in the production of this work Tam also thankful to Shn FT K N Menon, Editor, People’s Publishing House, Delln for extending all possible help and cooperation m the pub- lieation of this monograph Saugar, SMA 18 Mav 1966It Il Wv v VI VIL VI Ww XN NE SUT CONTENTS Toreword Preface INTRODUCTION SOURCES OF PURAMIC GrOGRAPHY PURANIC CONTINENTS AND OCFANS TUE MOUNTAIN S3STITM OF THE PURINAS THE RIVLR SYSTLM OP THE PURINAS RrGIONS OF THL JAMBO DWIP\ NORTHERN RLGIONS (RAMANARA HIRANMAY A AND UTTARA KURU) RLGIONS OF THE JAMBO DWIPA KETUMALA (OR FHT BASIN OF THI ONUS) REGIONS GE JAMBC DWIPA BHADRAVARSA BHARATAN ARS PHYSICAL BH URATAVARS A | -REGIONAL CLASSIFICATION BICVRAT AN ARSA JANAPADAS OR COMM NITILS BHARATAVANSA JANAPADAS TOWNS AND ROUTES (GEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS) BHABAT AN ARS) ADJACENT ISLANDS AND PESENSULAS COSMOGON, COSMIQTOGL Wh COSMOGH MEHY Notes and References App ener Select bills weophy Toles an 15 23 10? 126 133 wa m 1S} ie m5 ay 25Introduction THE word Puran?’ means ‘old The main object of the compilation of the Puranas 1s to preserve old traditions which come down from remote anuquity They are denved from the same rehgious system as the Ramvyana and the Mahabharata and present pecuhantes which point to their belonging to a later period, and to an important modification in the progress of opmmen They are popular sectunan compilations of different periods, of mythology, philosophy, history, geography and the sacred law, intended, as they are now used, for the purpose of religrous anstruchon A Purina according to an early defimbon? best exemphfied by the Vispu Purana should treit of five subjects namely, prmary creation, secondary creation, genealogies of gods and patnarchs, reigns of vanous Manus and the Instory of anacnt dynasties” This definition, however, 1s totally m appheable to some of the Puranas, while it apples only partially to others ‘The Visnu Purana mentions its scope and source in the following words* Accomphshed in the purport of the Puranas, Vyasa compiled a Paura mha Simliti consisting of historical and legendary traditions, prayers und hymns ind srered chronology He had a distunguished disciple, ewled Suta Romaharsana and to him the great Mum communicated the Puranas Suta had si scholars Sumat, Agnivareas, Mitrayu, Sansapayana Aknitavrana (called Kasyapa) and Savamr The last three compased three fundamental SamIntas, and Romaharsana nm self compiled 1 fourth called Romtharsamha The substance of these four Sumit is 1s embodied ia us (Visnu) Purana The geographical material of the Purdnas is mostly contamcd an their first two books or Laksanas’ which deal wath cosmogony, cosmology an 1 cosmography ‘They mclude, among other related matters, the ongin of the umverse and the earth, the oceans and the continents, mountain systems of the world regions and their people and astronomical geography Incidental references to the geography of diferent lands, particularly those of Bhirita occur throughout the Purtmas in the hustortcal accounts con tamed im them One has to put all the asolated facts together tg get a picture of the lands and their people to which they refer or which they intended to disenbc There are 13 works! winch we recoguised as maha (great) Purinas MAL3 ‘THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE PURANAS 1 Brahma Purana The main object of dus Purana 1s the promotion of the worship of Krsna as Jigannatha The early chapters of this work give a descnption of the creation, a short account of the Manvantaras and the lustory of dynasties down to the tume of Krsna This 1s followed by a brief desenp tion of the umverse About one third of the entre Purana relates to the hohness of the Purusottama Ksetra (Onssa) with ats temples and sacred groves dedicated to the Sun, to Siva and to Jagannatha 2 Padma Purana Padnm Purina is a voluminous work divided ita five books or hhandas The first two books, the Srisk Khanda and the Bhim: Khanda deal with the creation and the descnption of the earth respectrvely ‘The early chapters of Srsti Khanda deal with cosmogony in the same style and often am the same words as the Visnu Purana There are, however, additions characteristic of this Purana, dealing with the virtues of the Puskwa Jake (near Aymer) as 2 place of pilgrimage ‘The Bhim Khanda defers any descrption of the carth untl sts close, fillmg up 127 chapters with legends of a very mixed character, some ancient and common to other Puranas, but the greater put, peculiar to itself, illustrative of the tirthas or essential plices of p:lgnmage The Padma specifies the Jains, both by name and their practices, and talks of Mlecchas (barbarians, most probably Mushms) flourishing in India Wilson places 1ts composition between the 12th and the 15th or the 16th century ap 3 Visnu Purana Visnu Purana is perhaps the only work which conforms to the defini bon of a Purana almost exactly Its five books present m proper sequence the matenal essential to a Purana = The first two books, 15 usual, deal with the creibon and the desenpton of the earth and the astronomical details ‘The geographical mitter sn this Purana 2s rather succinct and condensed and omits the detals found in the other Purams Book 1 deals with primary creation Book 2 deals with secondary creation and includes — description of the carth, the seven Dwipas and the seven oceans (Ch 2),INTRODUCTION 3 —desenpton of Bharatavarsa (Ch 3), —description of the Seven Dwipas, tides, ete (Ch 4), —asironomiecal notions (Ch 712) 4° Vayu Purana It as divided into four Padas, viz Praknya, Upodbhata, Anusanga and Upasamhara, a classification peculiar to this Purana Its another pecubanty as the presence of an index or heads of chapters as found in the Mahi Dharata and the Rumiyana The Priknya portion contuns a few chapters only and treats chiefly of elemental creihon The Upodghita continues the subject of creation and describes the various kalpas or penods during which the world has existed The geograplucal section of this Purana is more complete and detailed than that found in any other Puranas It includes Chapters 34.35 Jamba Dwipa (196), (1-47) Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapters Chapter Chapter Chapicr Chapter Chapter 36 a7 38 5s v8 39 40 AL 2 Mountains and Jakes, east, south, west and north of Mera (133) Valleys between mountains east of Meru (1-30) Valleys between mountains, south of Meru (1-36) Valleys between mountuns, west of Meru (37-80) Valleys between mountains, north of Meru (37-80) Settlements (dwelbng places) in the mountains (164) Devakuta Mountam (126) Katlasa Mountain (182) * Himavan Mountain Nisadha Mountain . Paryata Mountain Jurudhi Mountain ( {3.89} Rivers from Meru (1-80) 43-44 Ketumala and Bhadragva (1-38), (124) 45 16 w 43 19 Bherataywrsa (1 137) Kumpurusa & Hanvarsa (1-35) Divimions of Bharatavarsa (1-80) Islands south of Bharatayarsa (113) The Seven Dwipas (1153) ‘The pattern of the geographical section is very simular to that obtained in the Matsya or Markandeya Purina. Many passages are common to all,4 ‘THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE FURANAS 5 Bhagavata Usually it 1s placed fifth in all the Ists, but the Padma Purana ranks it as the exghteenth, and calls it the essence of all the rest It 1s the most popular Purana and is held in the highest esteem by the Vusnavas The Padma Purana devotes a chapter to the mthatmys of this Purana The Purana deals wath cosmogony and geographical notions an the Sth Skandha (part), which 1s divided to the followmg chapters Chapters 1-15 Pnyavrata, Agmdhara Rsabha Chapter 16 The Bhuvana hosa Chapter I7 The Gifiga Chapters 1819 The Mystenes of the Varsis Chapter 20 The Dwipas Chapters 2126 Svar and Bhuvar, the Sun the Planets & Stus, the Patuas the Narikas The main features of the chapters (16-20) we {1) The mmor details of the world geography, particularly that of Bharata, are different from those in 1H other Purinis, eacepting those given in the Padma Puran (2) The hsts of topographical features are relntively more condensed and sketchy 1s compared with those in others hhe Vayu Murkan deya, Matsya, ete, wlule the list of people inhibiting the vinous regions of Bhawita ss left out altogether 6 Narada or Naradiya Purana Tho Naradiya Purina is said to have been commumeated by Narida to the Ras at Naumsartmya on the banks of the Gamatr mer The con cluding passage, Let not this Purana be recited in the presence of tho “lullers of cows” and “contemners of the gods ” shows thit it was written after the advent of Mushms in India Wilson md Pargiter consider at a compilation of the 16th or 17th century There as very [ttle matenal on cosmogony and cosmogriphy in this Purana ind the geographical content too 1s insignificant 7 Marhanda or Marhantleya Purana Teas that Purintin which, commenemz with the story of the birds that Ware acquainted with nght and wrong, evcry thing is narrited by MarkanINTRODUCTIOV 5 deya’ The birds were of celestial ongin They were born on the feld of Kurubsetra and lived in the Vindhya Mountams The Purana provides a sort of a supplement to the Mahabharat: filling in the blanks left in some of its narrations Walson assigns st to the Sth or 10th century 4D The account of the creabon and descnpbon of the earth 1s much the same as mn other Puranas although it has some charactensc features The first such featnre 2s the Nava Khanda (Ch 57) of the Purana which in fact contams the stnctly geographical mformaton given m some other mayor Puranas But the Markindeya has also another sechon (Ch 58) called Kurmayvabhaga or the hunminivas1 containmg a list of the coun tnes and peoples of Bharata arranged according to the posibon of the country conctived as a tortoise (hurma) resting on water and loolung eistward This arringement 1s bised on carher astronomical works Lhe those of Parasia and Varahamuhira Most of these countnes and peoples have been menboned im the Nw Ahanda section but the Kurmavibhag1 contains valuable topographical information not given in the other Puranas On the whole the pattern of this Purina 1s sumular to those of the Matsy1 Vayu Brilun ida and Vamim Puranas 8 Agne Purana The early chiptcrs of dus Purana descmbe the Avitiras while in te chapters deahng with the narratives of Ram? and Arena it follows the Rimivma and the Mahabharat: The chapters desenbing the earth and the universe are the sune asim the Visnu Purani while the Mahatmyis or the legends of holy places particululy of Gai are added to them There are also chapters on mystiesm medicine rhetere prosody gram mu te The geographical iccount as exicth the sume asm thy Vir Pura Y Bhatyys Purdna Ths ts the first Purtni which gives an account of the dynasties of the Rah age The Matsy2 Vaya and Brahmanda Puranas which preecded thus Parma yppear subsequently to hive incorporited into thar accounts of the ibove dyn istes matenal obtuned from it “Lhe first portion of the Parana duis wath the ercation followed by the traditional recount of the Larth and ts contents The geographic! section follows the same pattem 1s that of the carher Purais There 1s some cuno is miltar im the last chapters relating to the Magis the silent worstuppers of the Sun from Sthadwapa which supports the conclusion that the com6 THE GEOGRAPHY OF TIE PURANAS piler had adopted the Persian term Magha and connected the fire worslup pers of Iran with those of India ‘The work 1s supposed to have been communicated by Krsna to Yudla sthira at a great assemblage of holy persons at the coronation of the latter after the conclusion of the great Mahabharata War 10 Brahma Vawarta Purdna This as divided into 4 Khandas or books, viz. the Brahma, the Pm knt the Ganesa and the Krsna Jamma Khandas, the latter throughout euhancing the mterest and importance of the work, the great mass of which 1s taken up by the detailed and lengthy descriptions of Viindavana and Gokula The geographical section 1s identical with the correspondmg account obtamed im the Visnu Purana and the Agm Purana, ll Linga Purana This work, hhe the other Purmas gres a description of the umverse ond of the royal dynasbes up to the time of Arsna, but it mamly concen trates on the narration of legends cnjommg of nites and recitanon of prayers designed to do honour to Siva in Jus vanous forms 12 Varaha Purana A considerable portion of this Purana is devoted to descnplions of various tuthas or places of Varsnava pilgrmage The desenpton of Mathura is replete with various particulars concerng the shrines of that tty, constituting the Mathura Mahatmya 13 Shanda Purana All scholars agree that the Shanda Purana does not east 1s a complete work, and that only fragments in the form of Samlntas, Abandas and Mahatmyas found in various parts of the country constitute portions of this Purina The most celcbrated of these is the has: Ahanda (m 15000 stanzas}, Which gives a detailed desenption of the temples of Siva in or adyicent to Varanasi The story of Agastya probably presents in the form of a legend an account of the propagation of Hindussin in South India. ‘The Uthala Ahanda sumilarly lnghlights the hokness of Orssa and Purn sottama Kgctra or Jagannatha, and Bhuvancswara Other hhandas, ¢ g, Brabmottara Ahind2, Reva Ahanda Unmasat Ahanda cte emphasize the sanctity of local temples or group of temples in certain regionsINTRODUCTION a This Porana contains hike Markandeya Bralma Matsya and Vayu, the longest lists of countnes and peoples of India. 14° Vamana Purana Besides giving the usual desemption of the creabon of the umverse, this Purana explams the sanctity of certam regions particularly the Kedare swara and Badanhasrama in the Himalayas and the holmess of Sthanu trtha—1e pools at Thanegvara and Kuruhsetra between the Yamuna and the Sutley The geographical secton of this Purana follows the same pattern and contains hsts of Janapadas and other featurcs similar to those given in the Matsya Vayu Markandeya and Brahm nda Purinas ‘The Vamia Purana however, shows a tendency to present the desemptions of featurcs and people mdependently It also furntshes further iformation for instance about tho Turushas and Andhras which 1s not found in any other Puranas execpt the Garuda 15 Kurma Purana ‘The hist of Janapadas follows the shorter version of the Visnu Purani but contuns a fuller list of rivers after Vayu This Purina does not pro Dibly dite back to a time carher than that of Alburum (¢ 1030 ap) 16 Vatsya Purana Mfter the usual dialogue between Suta and the Rsis ths Purana opens with in account of the Mutsy t or the Fish Av ittra of Visnu in which he prsurvcs a kang named Manu® as wall 45 the secds of all tings in an are from the witcrs of that munditon wach in the scason of a Pralaya over spreads the world The contents of ts Purana haye miny words and much mutunal found also im works bhe the Mahibharata the Visna Purana and the Padma Purana The Bhusanithosa section of the Purina commences with Chapter 113 and covers the following topics Chapter H3 The ctent of Jumbu Despa ity mountains ind yaryas (177) Chapter L1f Bhuratavarya (155) Kumpurusa vara (56-65) Ilan varsa (66-68) Nav pta varsa_ (69-86)8 TI GROGRAPHY OF THE PURANAS Chapter 115 Descnption of Tapovana Chapter 116 Desenption of River Arrivat Chapter 117 Himilayas (118) Chapter 118 Hermitage of Atri (in the Himalayas) trees and Ids of the Himalayas Chapter 119 Himilayan cave, Ayatana Chapter 120 Hermntage of Aula in the Him'layas Chapter 121 Mountains and Ravers of the Humalayas (1-82) Chapter 192 Saka Dwipa (1-44) Kusa Dwipa (45 77) Kraufica Dwrpa (93 104) Salmah Dwipa (93-104) Chapter 123 Gomeda Dwipa (111) . Puskara Dwipa (12-29) The Tides (3040) Trees m Dwipas (35 40) Miscellaneous information about the Earth (4156) Chapters 124 to 128 deal with the Sun, the Moon, the Planets and the Stars, whose desemption 1s the same as um the other Puranas 17 Garuda Puréna It contains a bnef account of the crevton, but a greater part of it 1s occupted with the descriptions of vratas or religrous observances of holy days, of sacred places dedicated to the Sun, ete It also contains treatises on astrology, palmistry and precious stones and medicine (Preta Kalpa) The Purana exhibits considerable freedom in ats geographical section and, along with the Vamana Purana, adds further details to those contained im the Markandeya, the Vayu and the Matsy2 This appets to be one of the latest Puranas in pomt of tme 18 Bralimanda Purana ‘This Purana, ke the Skanda, 1s not available as such but 1s in the form of Khandas and Mahatmyas denved from it The facity with which any trict may be attributed to the non existent ongmal, and the advantage that his been taken of its absence to compile a varity of unauthorised fragments, have given to the Brahmanda, Shanda and Padma Puranas a doubtful character® The geograplucal section of this Purana appears to be a tite copy (about 1030 av) of the Vayu with shght alterations and modificauons introduced by the copyistsINTRODUCTION 9 The style of all the Puranas is typical Information 1s conveyed to the reader m the form of dialogues questions by a pupil ind answers by Romaharsana (called Sita, a diserple of Vyisa), who 1s the master and who unveils the mystenes of the umverse to one who does not know His answers are relevant to the questions put to Im and he tnes to make them easy enough to be comprehcnded by the hstener—the common man He makes the answers colourful, personifies diverse facts and phenomena of nature and terse philosophical nouons and presents them mm the form of Jegends and adventures of persons to make them appealing to the smagina ton of the pupil and to prepare him for ihe study of the source hterature, particularly the Vedas and the epics The Puranas faithfully represent the ideas regarding the ongm of thngs and ther distributon which were umversily beheved in ancient Indiv But the interpolations and modifications which subsequently crept into them, their inculcation of the worslup of particul deities, the mcongruous combination of a creator with the independent evolution of matter, and the defication of metaphor and mysticism, led to several incongrmties and much disfigurement of narrative It 1s, however possible to read the rdeas which the ‘master’ intended to convey to the ‘pupil Here are 1 few examples (1) The patnarch Daksa had by Prasuti 24 daughters hear from me their names Sraddha (faith), Laksmm (prosperity), Dhrti (steadiness), Knya (action, devotion), Pust: (thriving), Medha (intelhgence), ‘Tust {satisfachon), Buddlu (intellect), Layja (modesty), Vapu (body), Sanu (expriton) Siddht (perfection), Kirt (fame) these therteen daughters of Daksi were marred to Dharma (righteousness) The other eleven bnght eyed and younger daughters of the Patrruch were Khyatr (cele bnity), Sati (truth), Sambbut (fitness), Smrt (ramembrance), | Prit (love), Anasuya (chanty), Ks1ma (patience), Sannat: (humility), Ory (energy), Swaha (offermg) and Swadha (oblaton} These maidens were respectively wedded to the Mums Blrgu, Bhi, Manclu, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Krate, Atrt and Vassthn, to Fire (Vihar) and to the Pitris (progenitors) ( Visnu Purana, Bh J, Ch VII, 23, 95), Jn the above nurative obviously the persons are mamfestly allegorical, bung persomficaions of various types of intelhgence and virtues and reli gious nites, and therefore appropriately wedded to the probable authors of the Hindu Code of rehgion and morals or to the equally llegoncal repre- sentation of that Code, Dharma or mord and religious duty (2) The master (Parasara) deserbes the creation of Swayambhuys Manu, the first man (Adam of the Bible and the Koran) and tells us how through Inm the earth was peopled in due course of time Sw iyambhuva Manu had to sons Pnyavraty and Uttampada10 ‘TAG GOCRALHY OF THL 1 URANAS Pryavr ite murricd Kamyi (or hany.), the daughter of the Patuarch Kardaim and had by her two daughters Smytl and Kuksf, and ten sons, Agnidhiry Agntb ilu, Vipusm at, Dyatinat, Medba, Mcdhattht, Bhavya Sabila, Putre and Jyotisinit OF these three, fe, Mcdhi, Patra and Agnibabu, adopted a rellgious hfe Pry writa Iaving divided tho ¢ ith into seven continents (dwipas) give them to his otficr seven sons ‘Lo Agudlira, he give Junbu Dwipa to Medhattht he gave Plaksa Dwip, to Vipugmit Sumi Dwipt, to Jyotigmat usa Dwipa, to Dyutimat Ariuncr Dwip:, to Bhiyya Saki Dwipt ind to $ wala Pushira Dip? Aguidhir., the king of Junbu Dwops bid ne sons He ippor toned Jumbu Dwap i unong these iano sons Ife gave tho country called Hima, south of Linivit to Nibld, ens ikuji to Kinpurusi, the country of Niadhi to Hadvary:, the conntry im the contre ef which Mum 35 situated to Wivgta, the counties between it ind the Nili mountiias to Ramy., the country north of at called Swett to Ubrayvaty, the country bounded by the Spagwin mount un, to the north of Swels mountun, to Kuru, the countrics to the cst of Mcru to Bhadr dwt ind Gandhamadany ind to te west of Meru to Ketum dt Nibin who had for Jus portion the country of Himi had a bund rod sons the oldost of whom was Bhirity Undur theso princes, Bhiratwuryy was divided into nino portions and thur descendants succussively held possession of them for 71 periods of the aggregate of the four 1gcs (or for the reign of 1 sana) (Visnn Por BROIL Ch 1) Here the Purana wants to tl us threo things (4) Lhe common ongin of Min 1c, of all tho races of maunland is triable to one contro on this plinet ‘Lhfs 1s an accordance with tho modurn monoganst theory which holds uit all tho virwtics of mankind ie zoologic lly of onc specics Fhe opposite view that several distinct rues of mm Ind independent ongins (polygumst theory) has been discredited {h) Radiating from dit common contre, seven human groups occupicd seven diffurcut regions of the world ind the human soucty or elviltsation developed mdcpendently in cach of these seven centres Its is mm conso nance with the modern view Uhit the worlds prim uy races belong to seven different Clun tic regions of tho workt where they took sh apo and diy dopud characteristic fe tures under the influence ¢f thar peculiar physical env ronment {c) Luter, from one of these regions (in Jambu Dwipa according to the Purunts) ning hum un groups occupied the nine sub-regions of this land muss One of these mine occupied Bharits®INTRODUCTION n (3) The Puranas narrate a legend about Gangi This great river was detamed amudst the tresses of Lord Siva, m order to punish her for her arrogance, until the divimty was moved py the penance and prayers of Kmz Bhagiratha to set her free (Vayu Purana, Ch 47, 3235) This is obviously a reference to a ‘chmate pulse’ m the past ages « A glacial period of a very short duration occurred i northerm India leadmg to the accumulation of snow on the mountam peaks, lesser melting of the snow in summers and consequently the abnormal decrease in the volume of water cared by the Ganga Waters were ‘Tuleased’ on the restoraton of the normal or warmer conditions after 1 short interval (categorically speaking, ‘hundred years’) (4) Paragara—Having thus deserbed to you the system of the world an general, 1 wall now exphun to you the dimensions and situation of the Sun and other lumm nes The chanat of the Sun 1s 9,000 Ieagues im length, and the pole 1s of twice that longitude, the axle 1s 15,700,000 ILagues Iong, on which as fixed a wheel with three naves, five spohes and si penphenes Here the three naves are the three divisions of the day, 1e, mormng, noon and night, the five spokcs are the five cyche years, and the si pers phenes are the sm seasons (The Bhagayati Purana explains the three naves as the three parts of the year, exch of 4 months’ duration and the twelve spokes as the twelve months) (5) The Master rclatcs the story of the Syamintaha gem (mcentoned an Visnu Purana Bh IV, Ch 13 as well as in the Bhagavata, Vayu, Matsya and Bralina Paramis and Hinvamsa, ete} which 19 very inteicsting as at presents a curious and no doubt a futhful picture of ancient manners, 1a the self government of a kindred clin, m the acts of pursonal violunce which are commuted, in the feuds which cnsuc, m the public g thonngs that are held, and the part that as taken by the cldurs and by women am all comm unity work or activatics (8) The destruction of Hastinapur as descnbed in another account (Vis Purana, Bk V, Ch 35) Huang thus spohea, the ura chiefs, un ammously refusing to set tho son of Hin at Large, unmediatels returned to the city (Histinapur). Bal, rechg with intoucaton, and filed with the writh which ther contemptuous language had csuted, struck the ground funously with his hoch, which spht oper with 2 thunderous sound that reverberated throush space Wath cycs glowing vith rge, and with a frowning brow he eachumed, "What arrogance 1s dhs an such vile and spencless cacatures?12 ‘TIE GLOGNAPIT: OF THE PUNAN AS T wall take Gus copitil of the Kaurw is with all the sons of kuru ind cast the city of chypbant (Hastin pur) to the Bhipimth?? Tlus cadently duscrifes the occurrence of an cuthquake which shook the aty of Wastin ipur and the conscqucat ch nge in the course of the nvcr Gga which destroyed the capital of the Kurus ‘The capital was subse quently removed to hausimb; dunng the ume of hang Meaksu These £ w cximples illustrate the sivle of the Purinas and also bring out the value of the triditions which hwe been so wall preserved in these works In general all the world oser the carly Instory of the nations consists more or Muss of traditions handed down by memory sinec the ages before the umvcntion of wotng Traditions we sull more lasung when handcd down in fixed words 1s in the cue of the Pururis espeerdly whet the pocts have set them im yersc Among other vitions of the world as well te pocts for instance Homer and [irdaust have preserved manv piclurcsque incidents of history although thcy hive not the histonans cou science tbout ficts Ener to rouse and delight ther audicnee to flatter the nabonil pride of their people and the family pride of the clucftam an whose court thry reated their poems the pocts brought in real names and events but they maneutred them to suit theur dramae sense or even completely fabricated lustory Tlus 1s not true of the Puranas which very often present lusterically correct facts although as mentioned carker they persomfy abstract ideis or inammate objects with the sol. purpose of making facts easily digestible and cnsurmg tf « ewsy remembrance of events Thus in the cise of the former it as too hard 9 task to sift out histone truth from the mixture of natural events and exact source of knowledge while in the latter case it 3s possible to visutlse the fictual background ‘The geographical matter contained im different Puranas represents dis bnet stages in the progress of the gcographicil knowledge of tl ¢ world an general and of Bharata in particular In some Puranas we find a bire sketch of world geography whule others gue a detailed account of even distant lands ‘Thus expansion of geographical knowledge was due to (1) mubtary expeditions which carned Indians to far-off Jands (b) commercrl relations with lands across the northern mountam barners and southern seas (c) mtense rehgious and missionary actvities which made travel des rable uf not umperatve to distant and normally inaccessible regions and (d) political and d plomatic relations with foreign countmes This observation apples to the geograpl y of India as well Of all the Puranas the Vayu the Markandeya the Skanda the Brahmanda the Varaht the Matsya and the Bhagivali pay special attent on to and provide more de taled infornmton about the geography of Ind a and the world In some Puranas specs] regions or special lopies receive more attention than othersINTRODUCTION 13 for mstance m the Padma (Bhum: Khanda) ats greater part is allustrative of places of pilgnmage the Agni Purana emphasises details of the Gaya region the Brahmi and Varaha Puranas deal at length with the lands wound Mathura and Pur: the Vamani Purana with those of Thanesvari and the Padma Purana with the Aymer region ‘This as natural since the Puranas were evidently wntten in different periods and under different cx cumstances It may be possible to reconstruct 1 tentative chronology of the different Puranas on the basis of the progress of geographical hnowledge evidenced in them = Dr Hazra' and Dr Sircar™ have attempted a chrono- fogy for the Puranas on extra geographical considerations mamly Iingusstiu. and historical and at would be anteresting to compre their conclusions with those reached by the geographer However this aspect of the Puranas has nat been discussed here since it wis considered beyond the scope of this work Since the Puranas were not intended to be textbooks of geography, they cannot be expected to present geographical facts and ideas an a logical order though m some cases the logical order 1s muntuned Geographical information 1n them 1s only incidental and 1s inserted wherever it 13 consi dered relevant to the topic or theme under which at occurs In fact we do not find a definte or precise synonym for the term geography 1m the Puranas or even m contemporary ltertture Vanous names appear to denote geography im different works for mstince Bhusana hosa {treasure of Terrestnil Mansions) Bhuvana Sigia (Ocem of Terrestrial Mansions or Inhabited Lands) Bhusant Ahinda (Section of the Larth) Trlokjya Darpint (Mirror of the Worlds) ksetra Sumas? (Combinttion of coun tes) ete The chapters i this study have been arranged in the following order The first chapter deals with the sources of the Purinas and attempts to elinfy the carher notions on which the Purame geogriphy 1s apparently lnsed The nest chapter shows how the idea of the Parime dwapas and oceans evolved in course of time and vso deals with the extent of the Purante world and its different dwipis Tus 1s followed by 1 senes of chapters on the regional geography of the Jambu Dwipr which occupies + prominant place im the Purame geography The topogriphical {atures of these regions which could be identified hise been plotted and indicated on suitable mips to frcihtate the study of thar Purame deserpons ‘The chipter on Bharttas isa 1s not claimed to be comprehensive It only dials with the essunbals of its geography so that at may be kept sathin re isott able himits and on order that the repetition cf those geo,raphical facts regarding ths varci nny be woided about which there is hitle controsersy and winch are discussed in detail in te well krowa works of forugn and