40 - The arrangement of the Universe

The sages said: 

1. The sages of the Naimiņa forest who were thus addressed, asked Sūta, the great sage, about the definite theories on the position of the Earth1 (planets, etc.) 

1. According to Purānas, the world comprises of seven dvipas which means "land between two arms of water and may include an island, a peninsula or a doab. These are named after the seven sons of Priyavrata who were the pioneers or founders of colonies in those "dvipas'. The idea of seven dvipas or seven 'climates' or empires is commonly held by ancient peoples (Greeks, Persians, Arabs) but it appears for the first time in the Mbh. Scholars differ about the identification of these dvipas. Prof. S. M. Ali, in his The Geography of the Puranas has discussed these theories and tentatively proposed the following identifications: 

(1) Shaka-dvipa: South-East Asia comprising of Malaya, Siam, Indo-China and Southern China. 

(2) Kusha-dvipa: Iran, Iraq and the fringing lands of the hot desert to which Ali adds Ethiopia as well. 

(3) Plaksha-dvipa: Placia and Pelagsia. Ali approves of V.V. Iyer's identification of Plakṣha with Greece and adjoining lands. 

(4) Pushkara-dvīpa: North-eastern seaboard of Asia i.e. Japan, Manchuria and S.E. Siberia. 

(5) Shalmala (li)-dvīpa: Tropical part of Africa bordering the Indian Ocean on the west and it includes Madagasgar as well. 

(6) Krauncha-dvipa: The basin of the Black Sea.

(7) Jambu-dvipa: Prepartition India (pp. 26-46) 

The ascetics said: 

2. The auspicious creation of the Svāyambhuva Manu has been recounted by you. Now we wish to hear about the spheres of the three worlds. 

3-4. It behoves you to recount here everything succinctly regarding matters such as-how many are the oceans and islands, continents, sub-continents, mountains, forests, rivers as well as the situation of the Sun and planets, the details of the earth on which everything depends and about the kings to whom the earth belonged since ancient times. 

Sūta said: 

5. After making obeisance to Vişhņu, the mighty, incomprehensible, overlord of Devas, I shall report to you what has been formerly narrated by that intelligent one. 

6. Priyavrata who has been mentioned before as the son of Svāyambhuva Manu had ten sons who were on par with Prajāpatis. 

7-8. They were Āgnidhra, Agnibåhu, Vapuşhmān, Dyutimān, Medha, Medhătithi, Havya, Savana, Putra and Jyotişhman the tenth among them who was endowed with great strength and prowess. He was pious, engaged in charitable gifts and sympathetic with all living beings. 

9. The three sons viz. Medha, Agnibāhu and Putra were devoted to Yoga Those highly blessed ones, who were capable of remembering their previous births, did not feel inclined to rule over the kingdom. 

10. King Priyavrata crowned the other seven sons to rule over the seven continents. He made his son Agnidhra the ruler of Jambūdvīpa. 

11. Medhătithi was made the ruler of Plakshadvīpa by him. He crowned Vapuşhmān as the ruler of Shālmalidvīpa. 

12. The lord appointed Jyotişhmän as the king of Kuśhadvipa. He ordered Dyuti to be the king of Krauñchadvipa. 

13. Priyavrata made Havya the monarch of Shakadvipa. Prajāpati Priyavrata installed Savana the ruler of Puşhkara. 

14-15. Mahävita and Dhătaki, these two were the sons of the ruler of Puşhkara.1 These were the most excellent of those who have sons. The sub-continent of that noble soul is known as Mahāvītavarşha. The sub-continent of Dhataki is called Dhātakīkhanda. 

1. From VV 14 ff we are told how the subdivisions of Dvipas were divided among the sons of the original founder-rulers. These subdivisions were named after the Princes to whom that particular sub-division was allotted by his father. Thus the sub-continent given to Mahāvita came to be known as Mahāvita-Varşha and the one given to Prince Dhātaki as Dhātaki Khanda. A Dvipa is generally divided into seven sub-continents or Varşhas. 

16-17a. Havya, the ruler of Shakadvipa, had the following sons viz. Jalada, Kumāra, Sukumāra, Manichaka, Kuśhottara, Modāki and the seventh was Mahādruma. 

17b-19a. Jalada, the sub-continent ruled over by Jalada, is said to be the first Varsha. The Varsha of Kumāra is Kaumara and the third one is Sukumāraka. The fourth one is Manichaka and the fifth is Kuśhottara. The sixth Varşha is said to be Modāka and the seventh is Mahādruma. 

19b-21. Dyutimān, the overlord of Krauńchadvipa, too had seven sons. Kuśhala was the first among them, the second was Manohara. Uşhņa is said to be the third and the fourth is named as Pivara. The other sons were Andhakāra, Muni and Dundubhi. Thus they were seven in all. The lands (sub continents) named after them, situated in Krauñchadvīpa, are very auspicious. 

22-23. In Kushadvipa, seven sons endowed with great prowess, were born to Jyotişhmān. They were: Udbheda, Veņuman, Aśhvaratha, Lambana, Dhruti, the sixth one Prabhākara and the seventh one known as Kapila. O sages of good vows, sub-continents under their rule bore their names as the characteristic feature. 

24-25. In the other Dvipas, the Varşhas should be known thus: The method of naming them is considered to be the same. Vapushmān the ruler of Shālmalidvipa also had the following) sons. They were: Shveta, Harita, Jimūta, Rohita, Vaidyuta, Mānasa and the seventh one is considered to be Suprabha. 

26-27a. Medhātithi, the ruler of Plakshadvīpa had seven sons. The eldest among them was Shantamaya. The others were -Shishira, Sukhodaya, Ananda, Shiva, Kshemaka and Dhruva. 

27b-28a. In all Dvīpas beginning with Plakṣha and ending with Shaka-dvipa, the performance of one's own duty in accordance with the division of the castes is considered to be conducive to liberation. 

28b-30a. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, the sons of Agnidhra, the ruler of Jambūdvipa, too had sons of great strength. Please know their names. They were Nabhi, Kimpuruşha, Hari, Ilāvruta, Ramya, Hiranvān, Kuru, Bhadrāśhva, and Ketumála. 

30b-35. Āgnidhra, the king of great intellect, the ruler of Jambūdvipa, divided his kingdom into nine parts and handed over to them in the legally right manner. The father gave Nābhi the southern Varşha called Hima. He assigned the Hemakūța Varsha to Kimpuruşha. The father entrusted Hari the third Varsha (called) Naişhadha. He conferred on Ilāvruta, the Varsha known as Ilavruta which is situated in the middle of Meru. The father gave Ramya the Varsha surrounding Nīladri (the Blue Mountain). The northern Varsha which was Shveta was assigned to Hiranvān by the father. He gave Kuru the Varsha lying to the north of Srungavān mount. 

He handed over to Bhadråśhva the Varsha that was to the east of Meru. He gave Ketumala the Gandhamādanavarsha. 

36. The overlord of men crowned those sons as Kings of these Varşhas (sub-continents). After realising the worthlessness of the world, he went to the forest for performing penance. 

37. The noble-souled Näbhi whose sub-continent was named Hima, begot of Merudevi the highly brilliant son Ruşhabha.1 

1. Ruşhabha is the first Tirthankara of Jainas. Purānas try to assimilate even non-Vedic sects such as Pañcharātra, Pāśhupata, Jainism, Buddhism and others and try to create one homogeneous Indian society out of diverse elements, faiths and sects. 

38-40. Ruşhabha had a hundred sons, the eldest of whom was the heroic Bharata. The Lord of the Earth-Ruşhabha-crowned his son Bharata and entering Vänaprastha stage of life (i.e. forest hermit's life), he performed penance in accordance with injunctions. He became very much emaciated due to penance. He was continuously engaged in the path of knowledge. He became a great devotee of Pashupati. Sumati was the extremely virtuous son of Bharata. 

41. Taijasa was the off-spring of Sumati. From him was born Indradyumna of great brilliance. From him was born the son Parameşhthin and Pratihāra was a scion of his family. 

42. The son born to him became well-known as Pratihartā. From him was born Bhava whose son was Udgitha. Prastāvi was his son. 

43. From him was born Pruthu, whose son was Nakta; Nakta's son is known as Gaya; Nara was Gaya's son; his son was Virāj. 

44-48. His son was Mahāvīrya from whom was born Dhiman. Then from Dhīmān was born Rauvana whose offspring was Tvashtr. Tvaşhtr's son was Viraja whose son was Raja. His son was Satajit from whom was born Rathajit. O Brāhmaṇas, Rathajit gave birth to one hundred sons. Of these Viśhvajyoti is known as the most important and the mighty one. After propitiating god Brahma, he begot a son called Kşhemaka, a virtuous and mighty king, the conqueror of enemies. These were the early kings of great might and prowess. Formerly, this Earth was enjoyed by the kings. born in the family of these kings.