Dhenukā (River)
Dhenukā · dhenukā, “she of the cows”
Dhenuka has other meanings too: see all meanings of Dhenuka.
Dhenukā is a river of Śāka-dvīpa, one of the seven dvīpas of the earth. Lomaharshaṇa names it sixth among the seven rivers of that dvīpa in Chapter 20 of the Brahma Purāṇa, in his account to the munis of the dvīpas that lie beyond Jambūdvīpa. The seven are Sukumārī, Kumārī, Nalinī, Reṇukā, Ikshu, Dhenukā and Gabhasti. They are rivers of great puṇya that take away the fear of pāpa, and they came from svarga.
Śāka-dvīpa
Bhavya is the lord of Śāka-dvīpa, and the varshas there bear the names of his seven sons: Jalada, Kumāra, Sukumāra, Manīraka, Kuśamoda, Modāki and Mahādruma. Its varsha mountains are Udayagiri, Jaladhāra (also called Raivataka), Śyāma, Ambhogiri, Astikeya and Kesarī. There stands a great tree called Śāka, served by siddhas and gandharvas; when the wind that touches its leaves blows, it gives supreme joy.
There are settled lands of pure people of the four varṇas, without fear, without hindrance and free of disease. Besides the seven rivers there are thousands of small streams and hills, and the people who live on Jalada and the other mountains drink the waters of these rivers. Among them there is no loss of dharma, no pleasure and pain, and no going beyond the bounds of śāstra. The four varṇas there are called the Magas (brāhmaṇas), the Māgadhas (kshatriyas), the Mānasas (vaiśyas) and the Mandagas (śūdras). Their family deity (kula-daiva) is Bhagavān Vishṇu, and they worship Śrī Hari in the form of Sūrya according to the rule. Śāka-dvīpa is surrounded by the ocean of milk, of the same measure as the dvīpa.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 20
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 20