India As Described In Early Texts Of Buddhism and Jainism

Author(s): Bimla Charn Law
Publisher: Bimlacharan Law

Page 13

GEOGRAPHY
5 India into two halves, the northern half (uttarārdha), later called Aryävarta, and the southern half (dakşiņārdha), later called Dākşinātya or Deccani
The Himalaya mountain is known in Pali by such names as Himavā, Himācala, and Himavanta. It is one of the seven mountain ranges that surround Gandhamādana.? According to. traditional description, it extends over a distance of three hundred thousand yojanas (loaguos), and contains eighty-four thousand peaks (kūtas), the highest of them being five hundred leagues. Here the length, the number and the altitude given are all cvidently fabulous. We have montion of seven great Himalayan lakos: Anotatta, Kaņņamunda, Rathakāra, Chaddanta, Kunāla, Mandākini and -Sihappapātaka, that are never heated by the sun. Each of them is fifty leagues in length, breadth and depth.5 Their names are such as to defy all attempts at a correct identification, and the description of their length, breadth and depth is too symmetrical to inspire confidence. The Kuņāla
1 Jambudiva-pannatti, i, 12: Bharahe väse Veyaddhe pămam pavvaye pannatte: utwaraddha-Bharahavõsassa dähinepam dahiņabharahavāsagga uttarenam.
2 Paramatthajotikā, II, p. 66; Malalasekera, Dict., of Pal Proper Names, ii, p. 1325.
8 Paramatthajotikā, II, p. 224.
4,8 Anguttara, iv, p. 101; Manorathapūrani, u, K. Iud; Paramatthajotikā, TI, p. 443.