Holy Abu

Author(s): Jayantvijay
Publisher: Yashovijay Jain Granthmala

Page 86

Arbudāchala )
the archæan granites, schists and limestones, the Ābu has a long and narrow shape, its top spreading out into a picturesque plateau nearly 4000 ft. above sea-level, about 12 miles in length and 3 miles in breadth. Its principal or the highest peak, situated towards the Northern end, is 5650 ft. above sea-level and is the highest point between the Himālayas and the Nilgiris.
As pointed out by Dr. Sten Konow, Arbuda is referred to in some of the oldest hymns of the ægveda (X. 68. 12 and I. 51.6), where it is described as the stronghold of Shambara and other dāsas or dasyus, who descending the hill-top carried away the cows of and otherwise harassed the Aryans. Indra is therefore praised for treading down the great Arbuda, in short, for conquering Arbuda and its lord Shambara.
The later tradition of Arbuda has for its origin possibly the Vedic version, namely, that the mountain was placed in its present position by Indra, who cut it off from some big mountain range, perhaps the Himalaya. The current tradition about the mountain is based on the Skanda Purāņa, Prabhāsakhaņda, (adhyāya 2. 37-66 and 3.14), according to which Mountain Ābu was formerly a level plain (stretching upto Aravalli. When the snake-king Takshaka carried off the ear-ornaments (kuņdalas) of Uttanka and concealed himself in a subterranean spot, Uttanka tried to dig open the spot. Indra helped him with his thunderbolt which being an extraordinary weapon, made an unfathomable chasm 2000 x 3000 ( Yojanas ?) in length and width. It is further said that formery it was inhabit
1 Aryan Gods of the Mițāni People, Kristiania, p. 25; Also see, Dr. H.D. Sankalia, “A Brief Summary of studies in Historical Geography and Cultural Ethnography of Gujarāt,” Journal of the Gujarāt Research Society, Vol. VII, No. 4.