जम्बूद्वीपे भारतवर्षे भरतखण्डे आर्यावर्ते ...!

Vedic description of Bharatvarsh. 

According to Puranas and Vedas, the earth had seven islands- Jambu, Plaksh, Shalmali, Kush, Crunch, Shak and Pushkar. Jammu Island is located in the middle of all the islands. Aryavarta sub-continent is also known as 'Bharatkhand' or 'Bhrat Bhoomi'. 

The name “Bharat” was symbolic in nature revealing the fact that the whole country was highly enlightened spiritually. Bharat means “devoted to light as against darkness”. Bha means Light and Knowledge, rata means Devoted. Arya" means "knowledgeable" and "vart" means "residence" means the state where the ultimate knowledgeable used to live was called Aryavarta. 

Vishnu Puran being one of the oldest and most authentic puranas has a great description of Bharatvarsh although many details need researches to be understood. Vishnu Puran describes Bharat;

रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम्।

ब्रह्मराजर्षिरत्नाढ्याम वन्देभारतमातम्॥

Salute to my mother India, whos' feet are washed by the sea, adorned with Himalaya, she, who possess many Brahmarishi and Rajarishi. The country that lies north of the ocean, and south of the snowy mountains, is called Bharata, for there dwelt the descendants of Bharat. 

Even Identification of Hindu from Rigveda Barhaspatya Agam says;

हिमालयं समारभ्य: यावत् इंदु सरोवरं।

तं देवनिर्मितं देशं हिंदुस्थानं प्रचक्षते।।

Starting from Himalayas and extending upto the Indian Ocean is the nation built by Gods, Hindusthan.

आसिंधु सिंधुपर्यंताः यस्य भारत भूमिकाः l

पितृभूः पुण्यभूश्चैवः स वै हिंदुरिति स्मृतः ll

A Hindu is a person who regards this land of Bharatavarsha, from the Indus to the seas as his Fatherland as well as his holy land, that is the cradle land of his religion. 

 According to the Puranas, this country is known as Bharatavarsh after the king Bharata Chakravarti. This has been mentioned in Vishnu Purana (2,1,31), Vayu Purana,(33,52), Linga Purana(1,47,23), Brahmanda Purana (14,5,62), Agni Purana ( 107,11–12), Skanda Purana, Khanda (37,57) and Markandaya Purana (50,41) it is clearly stated that this country is known as Bharata Varsha. Vishnu Purana mentions:

ऋषभो मरुदेव्याश्च ऋषभात भरतो भवेत्

भरताद भारतं वर्षं, भरतात सुमतिस्त्वभूत्

Rishabha was born to Marudevi, Bharata was born to Rishabh, Bharatavarsha arose from Bharata, and Sumati arose from Bharata —Vishnu Purana (2,1,31)

ततश्च भारतं वर्षमेतल्लोकेषुगीयते

भरताय यत: पित्रा दत्तं प्रतिष्ठिता वनम (विष्णु पुराण, २,१,३२)

This country is known as Bharatavarsha since the times the father entrusted the kingdom to the son Bharata and he himself went to the forest for ascetic practices —Vishnu Purana (2,1,32)

The realm of Bharata is known as Bharatavarsha in the Mahabharata (the core portion of which is itself known as Bharata) and later texts. The term varsa means a division of the earth, or a continent. Inhibited portion of Bhumandala has 7 concentric islands (Jambu dvipa, Palakshdvipa, Shamli dvipa, Kusha dvipa,  Krauncha dvipa, Shaka dvipa, Pushkar dvipa) and seven oceans in between. Each island is twice bigger in size than the previous one. Smallest island is Jambu dvipa with One Lac Yojana diameter. Our earth (1000 yojana diameter) is a portion of Jambu dvipa at the south. Jambudvip word came from a particular Jamun (black berry) tree, which is 1100 Yojan high and found in this island.

During the 2nd half of first Manu, Maharaj Priyavrat (eldest son of Swayambhuv Manu) ruled. He created 7 islands and 7 oceans,  when he found that the Sunlight was not equally distributed on Bhumandal during Uttarayan and Dakshinayan. He appointed his 7 sons as the ruler of these islands. 

 Agnidhara was the son of Priyavrat Maharaj,  who was given Jambu dvipa. Agnidhara's son was Nabhi Maharaj, on whose name, Bharatvarsh was earlier known as Ajnabh Varsh. His son was Lord Rishabh dev and his son was Bharat Maharaj,  on whose name the word "Ajnabh Varsh" was changed to "Bharatvarsh".  Bharatvarsh was further divided in 9 islands and one among them is Bharat Khand or Sudarshan dvipa or our earth. Nine Varsha’s in Jambudvipa are Kuru varsh, Hiranmay Varsh, Ramyak Varsh, Ilavrat Varsh, Ketumala Varsh, Bhadrashva Varsh, Hari Varsh, Kimpurush Varsh and Bharat Varsh.

A version of the Bhagavata Purana says, the name Bharata is after Jata Bharata who appears in the fifth canto of the Bhagavata – Vishnu Purana (2.3.1)

उत्तरं यत्समुद्रस्य हिमाद्रेश्चैव दक्षिणम् ।

वर्षं तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र संततिः ।।

The country (varṣam) that lies north of the (Indian) ocean and south of the snowy mountains (Himalayas) is called Bharatam; there dwell the descendants of Bharata.

Aryavarta ( आर्यावर्त, abode of the Aryans) is a name for North India in classical Sanskrit literature. The Manu Smriti (2.22) gives the name to “the tract between the Himalaya and the Vindhya ranges, from the Eastern (Bay of Bengal) to the Western Sea (Arabian Sea)”.

 एवं दक्षिणेनेलावृतं निषधो हेमकूटो हिमालय इति प्रागायता यथा, नीलादयोऽयुतयोजनोत्सेधा हरिवर्षकिम्पुरुषभारतानां यथासङ्ख्यम् ॥ (भागवत पुराण 5.16.9)

In Devi Bhagavata Mahapuruana; Bharatavarsha Varnan (8th Skanda 11th Chapter) where Indian subcontinent has been clearly laid out.

Narayana said “ O Narada ! In this land of Bharatavarsha I dwell as the aadi purusha Narayana. I will describe the rivers and mountains of this land. By looking at the mountains Malaya, MangalaPrastha, Mainaak, Trikuta, Rishabha, Kutaka, Devagiri, Rishyamuka, Shrishaila, Vyenkataadri, Mahendra, Vindhya, VaariDhaara, RikshaParvata, Drona, Chitrakuta, Govardhana, Raivataka, NeelaParvata, Gouramukha, KamaGiri and others a man acquires punya. 

The Vayu Purana says ‘he who conquers the whole of Bharata-varsa is celebrated as a samrat’ (Vayu Purana 45, 86).

सप्तद्वीपपरिक्रान्तं जम्बूदीपं निबोधत।

अग्नीध्रं ज्येष्ठदायादं कन्यापुत्रं महाबलम।।

प्रियव्रतोअभ्यषिञ्चतं जम्बूद्वीपेश्वरं नृपम्।।

तस्य पुत्रा बभूवुर्हि प्रजापतिसमौजस:।

ज्येष्ठो नाभिरिति ख्यातस्तस्य किम्पुरूषोअनुज:।।

नाभेर्हि सर्गं वक्ष्यामि हिमाह्व तन्निबोधत। 

(वायु पुराण 31-37, 38)

 

The Mahabharata depicts an advanced ancient civilisation. An era with fantastic weapons such as the Bhrahmastra which were as powerful as modern day nukes and other modern technologies like cloning, surrogacy and long distance telecast. Its hard to imagine that a civilisation this awesome could have existed so long ago. 

 The earth plates (land mass) started taking the division into 7 continents. In Jambu Dweep Nirmana parva ( pay attention to name of this sub chapter ) which is part of Bhishma Parva of Mahabharata; seven islands- Jambu, Plaksh, Shalmali, Kush, Crunch, Shak and Pushkar.

The seven main chains of mountains in Bharata are - Mahendra (Chain of hills extending from Odisha), Malaya (Southern portion of Western Ghats), Sahya ( Northern parts of Western Ghats), Suktimat, Riksa ( Mountains of Gondwana), Vindhya ( Chain of mountains across Central India), Paripatra ( Northern and western parts of Vindhya or mountains of Gujarat).

 

The name of our country, sometimes known as Bharatvarsha and Aryavarta, is today India. But the India we have today is only a small piece of Jambudweep (Asia).

Hundreds of rivers take birth from these mountains. By taking bath and drinking the waters of those holy rivers or even just by seeing them and uttering their auspicious names, a man is freed of sins acquired through body and mind. Some of the rivers are Tamraparni, Chandravashaa, Kritamaal, Kaaveri, Payaswinii, Tungabhadra, Venaa, Krishnavena, Godavari, Bheemarathi, Sharkaraa, Vartakaa, Nivivandhya, Taapi, Revaa, Narmadaa, Mandaakini,  Saraswati, Sindhu, Andha, Sonana, RishiKulyaa, Trisomaa, VedaSmriti, Kaushiki, Ganga, Yamuna, Drishadvati, Gomati, Sarayu, Oghavati, Saptavati, Sushamaa, Shatadru, Chandrabhaga, MarudVridhaa,  Bitastaa, Baitarani, Aslikee, Biswaa etc. Being born in this land of BharataVarsha, sattvick and sometimes rajasik individuals attain divine, human and hellish realms respectively, according to their own karmas. And they also attain moksha by observing sannyasa vanaprastha etc rules according to their respective varnas. 

Narayan said; O Narada, this is how the sages, siddhas and rishis sing the glories of the land of Bharatavarsha.

Earth geography is given with map of earth and moon together. It has two meaning. One is map of earth as she appears from sky and other is reflection of Earth. Thus a question came about of how the earth looked like reflected from the sky, described in the great immortal Sanskrit epic of the Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva (Ch 5), Jamvu-khanda Nirvana Parva (Ch 6 verses 15 / 16) give a description of the world (called Sudarshana). This is how he described the face of the world: 

 

सुदर्शनं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्वीपं तु कुरुनन्दन। परिमण्डलो महाराज द्वीपोऽसौ चक्रसंस्थितः।। 

यथा च पुरुषः पश्येद आदर्शे मुखम आत्मनः (Just like a man sees the reflection of his face in the mirror) 

एवं सुदर्शन दवीपॊ दृश्यते चन्द्रमण्डले (Similarly, the reflection of Sudarshan (earth) is seen in the lunar mansion (universe)

दविर अंशे पिप्पलस तत्र दविर अंशे च शशॊ महान (In two parts of Sudarshan there are Peepal (fig) leaves, and two parts have a giant rabbit) 

सर्वौषधिसमावापैः सर्वतः परिवृंहितः (The land masses are covered with medicinal plants and herbs) 

आपस ततॊ ऽनया विज्ञेया एष संक्षेप उच्यते (Everything apart from these land masses are covered with water) 

 

Oh Kurunandan (Kaurava’s King), describe to the island called Sudarsana. This island is circular and of the form of a wheel. The planet named Sudarshan (Earth) looks spherical. Like a man views himself in the mirror the same way it appears from space. One of its parts looks like a big Peepal Tree (sacred fig) Leaves and the other part looks like one big Rabbit standing on its foot. 

 And it is surrounded on all sides with the salt ocean. As a person can see his own face in a mirror, even so is the island called Sudarsana seen in the lunar disc. Two of its parts seem to be a peepul tree, while two others look like a large hare. In the first phase, you see Peepal leaves and the next phase you see a rabbit.  

 

Years later the attempt was made by Indian saint/sage Ramanujacharya (1017–1137 CE), a Hindu theologian, philosopher sketched out the map, the verses made him analyse the image in detail, following which the drawing was made and the map was created, below is a sample of what he came up with leaves and a rabbit. Some scholars claim that Sriman Thiruvenkata Ramanuja Jeeyar (1806-1877) came up with this map. 

Tulsidasji has mentioned in the Uttarkand of Ramcharitmanas how spread was the kingdom of Lord Shriram : 

 

भूमि सप्त सागर मेखला। एक भूप रघुपति कोसला l भुअन अनेक रोम प्रति जासू। यह प्रभुता कछु बहुत न तासू ॥1॥ 

सो महिमा समुझत प्रभु केरी। यह बरनत हीनता घनेरी l सोउ महिमा खगेस जिन्ह जानी॥ फिरि एहिं चरित तिन्हहुँ रति मानी ॥2॥ 

Shri Raghunathji in Ayodhya is the only king of the earth with a belt of seven seas. For those who have many universes in each / this dominion of seven islands is not much; Rather, on understanding that glory of the Lord, in saying (that He is the sole emperor of the seven island earth surrounded by seven oceans) He has great inferiority, but those who have known that glory, they also believe in great love in this pastime.

First world map based on Mahabharata