14 - The race of Priyavrata - Description of Continents and their Sub-Divisions

Suta said:

1. In all the Manvantaras of the past and the future, all the subjects are born with similar identification in regard to names and forms.2 

2. This is the main thesis of the Purana. This chapter deals with Puranic Cosmography. It associates the names of continents (dvipas) with the descendants of Svayambhuva Manu. For similar description vide A.P.107, KP.I.40 Bh. P.V 16.1-26, Mt.P.112, 121, 122. 

2. The Devas who are of eight types are the overlords in that Manvantara. The sages and the Manus-all of them serve the same purpose. 

3. The creation of the great sages was already recounted. Now understand the race of Svayambhuva Manu, that is being recounted in detail and in due order. 

4-5. Svåyambhuva Manu had ten grandsons who were similar to him. The entire earth consisting of seven continents was colonised by them along with its towns, oceans and mines in every sub-continent in the first Tretå yuga of the Svayambhuva Manvantara. 

6. This (Earth) was colonised by those sons of Priyavrata, the grandson of Svayambhuva (Manu) who were endowed with progeny, strength and penance. 

7. Kamya that extremely fortunate daughter of Kardama the Prajapati, bore unto Priyavrata heroic sons endowed with their own progeny.1 

1.    The race of Priyavrata:

Names of Priyavrata's Sons                Names of the Dvipa assigned as kingdom

1. Agnidhra                        Jambu

2. Agnibahu                                   -

 3. Medhas                         -

4. Medhātithi                                Plakšha

5. Vasu (Vapuşhmăn)   Salmala

 6. Jyotishmån                              Kusha

7. Dyutiman                                  Krauncha

8. Havya                                          Saka

9. Savana                                        Pushkara

10. Sattra                                                    -

8-9. She gave birth to two daughters, viz.: Samråț and Kukshi. Both of them were splendid. She gave birth to ten sons also. The brothers of those two daughters were ten in number, valorous and similar to the Prajapatis. They were Agnidhra, Agnibahu, Medhas, Medhåtithi, Vasu (later mentioned as Vapušhmån), Jyotişhmān, Dyutimản, Havya, Savana and sattra.

10. Priyavrata crowned seven of them in seven-continents as kings with due religious rites. Understand them as well as those continents. 

11. He made the excessively powerful Agnidhra, the lord of Jambūdvipa. Medhätithi was made by him the lord of Plakshadvipa. 

12. He crowned Vapuşhmån (Earlier mentioned as Vasu) as king in the Salmala dvipa. The lord made Jyotişhmån, the king in Kušha dvīpa. 

13. He coronated Dyutimän as the king in Krauñcha dvipa; Priyavrata made Havya the lord of sāka dvipa. 

14-17. The lord made Savana the overlord of Puşhkara. In Pushkara dvipa, Savana had two sons, viz.: Mahävita and Dhataki. These two sons were the most excellent ones that parents could desire. In accordance with the name of that noble soul, his sub-continent is remembered as Mahāvita varsha. In accordance with the name of Dhataki, his sub-continent is called Dhatakikhanda. 

Havya (the lord of Sakadvipa) begot seven sons, rulers of Sākadvipa. They were, viz.: Jalada, Kumāra, Sukumara, Manivaka, Kusumottara, Modáka and the seventh one Mahådruma. 

18-21.1 The first sub-continent of Jalada is called Jalada. The second sub-continent of Kumára is glorified as Kaumāra. 

1. VV.18-22. The seven sub-divisions of Sakadvipa are named after the seven sons of Havya. 

The third one Sukumara is remembered as the sub-continent of Sukumara. The fourth one is called Manivaka, the sub-continent of Maniva. 

The fifth sub-continent Kusumottara is that of Kusumottara. Modaka the sixth sub-continent is glorified as that of Modāka. 

The seventh sub-continent is Mahådruma in accordance with the name of Mahadruma. 

All those seven sub-continents there are called after their names. 

22-23. There were seven sons born of Dyutimän, the lord of Krauńchadvipa1 viz.: Kushala, Manonuga, Ushna, Pavana, Andhakaraka, Muni and Dundubhi. These were the sons of Dyutimān. They have after their own names, the splendid sub-continents situated in thc Krauńchadvipa. 

1. VV.22-26 enumerate seven sub-divisions of Kraunchadvipa which are named after the seven sons of Dyutimän. 

24-26. The land of Kušhala named Kaušhala was very famous. Manonuga is remembered as the land of Manonuga. 

Ushna is remembered as the land of Ushna and Påvana that of Pavana. That land of Andhakāra is glorified as Andhakara. 

Maunidesa was the land of Muni and Dundubhi is remembered as the land of Dundubhi. 

These seven lands in the Krauñchadvipa were radiant ones. 

27-30. Jyotişhman too in the Kušhadvipa had seven very powerful sons2 viz.: Udbhijja, Venumán, Vairatha, Lavana, Dhruti, the sixth one Prabhakara and the seventh one remembered as Kapila. 

2. VV.27-30. The seven sub-divisions of Kushadvipa are named after the seven sons of Jyotişhman, king of Kushadvipa. 

The first sub-continent is called Udbhijja; the second sub-continent was Venumandala; the third sub-continent was Vairathākāra; the fourth sub-continent is remembered as Lavaņa; the fifth sub-continent was Dhrutimat; the sixth sub-continent was Prabhakara; the seventh sub-continent named Kapila was glorificd as that of Kapila. Their lands in the Kushadvipa have the same names as they. 

31. The Lords of Sälmala were (as if) embellished with subjects endowed with the disciplined conduct of life pertaining to the various Aśhramas (stages of life). 

They were the seven sons of Vapushmän.3 

3. The seven sons of Vapushmån mentioned in the next verse bave given their names to the Varshas or sub-continents they headed. 

32. They were:--Shveta, Harita, Jimūta Rohita, Vaidyuta, Manasa and Suprabha, the seventh one. 

33-34. Shveta was the land of Shveta; Suharita was that of Harita; Jimūta was the land of Jimūta and Rohita that of Rohita. Vaidyuta was the land of Vaidyuta and Manasa that of Manasa. Suprabha was the land of Suprabha. All these seven were the protectors of the lands. 

35. I shall recount Plakshadvipa after the Jambūdvipa. The seven sons of Medhätithi were the kings ruling over Plakşhadvipa. 

36-371. These were the sons of Medhătithi who are mentioned as follows :) The eldest was named Säntabhaya; the second is remembered as Sisira: Sukhodaya was the third; the fourth is called Nanda; Shiva was the fifth among them; Kšhemaka is called sixth, and Dhruva should be known as the seventh. 

1. VV.36-40 enumerate seven sons of king Medhåtithi, who became kings of seven Varshas-sub-continents which were named after their founder-kings. 

38-43. Those seven Varshas (sub-continents) are known after the names of those seven (sons). Therefore, the following (are well known), viz.: Santabhaya, Shishira, Sukhodaya, Ananda, Shiva, Kšhemaka and Dhruva. Those Varshas were all equal (to one another). They were colonized in the different parts formerly in the Svayambhuva Manvantara by those sons of Medhătithi who were kings and rulers of Plakšhadvipa. The subjects in the Plakshadvipa were made to closely adhere to the disciplined conduct of life of the various castes and stages of life. 

It is the Dharma2 (piety, virtue) that is the criterion for the classification of the Varņas and Aśhramas in the five continents beginning with Plakshadvipa and ending with Sakadvipa (i.e. Plaksha, Salmala, Kušha, Krauncha and Säka). Happiness, span of life, beauty, strength and Dharma (Virtue) are remembered to be common to all perpetually, in these five Dvipas. Plakshadvipa has been described. Understand the Jambūdvīpa. 

2. VV.41-43 describe the common features of the five continents from Plaksha to Sakadvipa. 

44. Priyavrata installed Agnidhra, the extremely powerful son of Kamyå and his eldest successor as the king and overlord of Jambūdvipa. 

45-47. Nine sons were born to him.1 They were on a par with the Prajapatis. 

1. VV.45-52 enumerate the sub-continents in Jambüdvipa. For the identification of mountains vide Ch. 1 Footnotes on pp. 11, 12. 

The eldest was well known as Nábhi. Kimpurušha was his younger brother. Harivarsha was the third and the fourth was Ilavruta. Ramya was the fifth son, Hiranvån is mentioned as his sixth son. Kuru was the seventh among them. Bhadraśhva is remembered as the eighth and the ninth was Ketumála. 

Understand their realms. 

48-52 The father gave Nábhi the southern Varšha named Hima; he gave Kimpurušha that Varšha, called Hemakūta, He gave Harivarsha that sub-continent which is remembered as Naişhadha. He gave Ilavruta the sub-continent that was in the middle of Sumeru. The father gave Ramya, the sub-continent that is remembered as Nila. The sub-continent Shveta that was situated to the north of it was given by the father to Hiranvån. He gave to Kuru the sub-continent that was to the north of Shrungavån. Similarly, he allotted to Bhadrāśhva the sub-continent Malyavat. He assigned the sub-continent Gandhamådana to Ketumala. Thus these nine sub-continents have been narrated by me, part by part. 

53. Agnidhrá crowned thosc sóns in due order in those sub-continents. Thereafter, that pious-souled one became engaged in penance. 

54. Thus the entire carth consisting of the seven continents was colonized by the seven sons of Priyavrata, who were the grandsons of Svayambhuva Manu. 

55. Thus, when annihilation takes place, these seven settlements (continents) are created again and again by the kings in all the seven sub-continents. 

56-58. This is the nature of colonization of the continents and the Kalpas. 

With regard to the eight sub-continents beginning with that of Kimpurušha (the following things should be noted). Their attainment is natural. Without effort they are generally happy. There s no annihilation or calamity in them. There is no fear from old age and death. There is neither Dharma (Virtue) nor Adharma (evil) among them. There is no classification of people as the excellent, the middling and the base. In all those eight Kšhetras (i.e. Varshas, sub-continents) there is no Yugavastha (the state of Yugas). 

59-61. I shall recount the procreation by Nábhi in the sub-continent called Hima. Understand it. Nábhi begot a highly lustrous son, of Meru-Devi. He was Ruşhabha,1 the most excellent of all kings. He was the eldest of all Kšhatriyas. Heroic Bharata was born of Ruşhabha. He was the eldest of hundred sons. Ruşhabha crowned his son and engaged himself in Mahapravrajyă (the great migration of renunciation i.e. journey or pilgrimage till death). He allotted the southern sub-continent named Hima to Bharata. 

1. He is regarded as the first Tirthankara by Jains. He is mentioned in the Bh.P.V.Chs. 4, 5 and in VP. II.1-28. 

62-63. Hence learned men know this sub-continent as Bharatavaršha2 after his name. Bharata's son was a virtuous scholar named Sumati. Bharata crowned him in that realm. After transferring the royal glory to his son the king entered the forest.

2. Jaina tradition supports this theory regardin the name of Bharatavarsha. 

 64. His son Tejasa was a lord of the subjects and conqueror of enemies. The great scholar, Indradyumna is remembered as Tejasa's son. 

65-66. Parameşhthin, his son, was born after his death and his son was Pratihära and the family came to be known after his name. In his family a son well known as Pratihartra was born. To that intelligent Pratiharta, son Unnetra was born. Bhüman is remembered as his son. 

67. His son was Udgitha. Prastavi was his son. Vibhu was the son Prastavi and Pruthu was his son. 

68. Pruthu's son was Nakta, Gaya was Nakta's son. Nara was born as the son of Gaya and Virăț was the son of Nara. 

69. Mahavirya was the son of Virāț. His son was Dhiman. Mahån was the son of Dhiman and Bhauvana was the son of Mahăn. 

70. Tvaşhțr was the son of Bhauvana. His son was Virajas. Rajas was the son of Nirajas and Sutajit was the son of Rajas. 

71. He had hundred sons. All of them were kings. The important one among them was Vishvajyotis. It is through them, that these subjects flourished. 

72. This Bhårata sub continent was marked by them as one with seven islands. Formerly, this Bharati land was enjoyed by those born of their family. 

73-75. Each set of Yugas consists of Kruta. Tretă etc. (The Manvantara consists of) such seventy-one sets of Yugas. People belonging to their family had been kings throughout the past Yugas in the Svayambhuva Manvantara. They were hundreds and thousands. 

Thus is the creation (race) of Sväymbhuva by which this universe is filled with sages, deities, Pitrus, Gandharvas, Rákşha sas, Yakšhas, Bhūtas, Pishachas, human beings, animals and birds. This is said to be their creation. It undergoes change along with the Yugas.