Tattvartha Sutra

SR No.: 006796
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sukhlal Sanghavi, K K Dixit
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 596
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Tattvartha Sutra, & Tattvarth
File Size: 10 MB

Page 314

CHAPTER THREE
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Varsadhara. They all run from east to west. The mountain Haimavata divides the region Bharata from Haimavata, the mountain Mahāhimavat divides Haimavata from Harivarsa the mountain Nişadha divides Harivarsa from Videha, the mountain Nīla divides Videha from Ramyaka, the mountain Rukmin divides Ramyaka from Hairanyavata, the mountain śikharin divides Hairanyavata from Airāvata.
In Jambūdvīpa shaped like a plate the above mentioned seven regions are situated one close to another and spread out like a sheet of cloth running from the eastern end upto the western. The region Videha lies in the middle of them all; and hence it is that the mountain Meru lies just in the middle of this region. It has just been stated that the mountain Nila divides the region Videha from Ramyaka while the mountain Nişadha divides it from Harivarşa. Now that crescent-shaped portion of the region Videha which lies in between the mountains Meru and Nila—a portion whose eastern and western limits are defined by two local mountains—is designated Uttarakuru; and the similar crescentshaped portion lying in between the mountains Meru and Nisadha is designated Devakuru. The two tracts Uttarakuru and Devakuru are a part and parcel of the region Videha (also called Mahāvideha), but being a residing place of the human beings born as a doublet they are distiguished from the rest. The whole of Mahāvideha that is left after Uttarkuru and Devakuru are excluded is divided into sixteen parts in its eastern flank and into sixteen in the western. Each of these parts is designated Vijaya. Thus there are 32 Vijayas in all—sixteen standing on the eastern side of the mountain Meru, sixteen standing on its western side.
In Jambūdvīpa the mountain Haimavata situated on the border of the region Bharata has its two ends extended in the eastern and western Lavaņa-ocean. The same is the case with the mountain Sikharin situated on the border of the region Airāvata. Since each of these mountain-ends is divided into two parts we have in the case of the two mountains eight parts in all that are situated in the Lavana-ocean. And since they are shaped like a canine-tooth they are called damstrā (Sanskrit for 'canine tooth').