Indian Antiquary Vol 59

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 222

204
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
-
OCTOBER, 1930
THE NINE DVIPAS OF BHARATAVARSA.
BY SASHIBHUSHAN CHAUDHURI, M.A. REGARDING the nine dvipas of Bhäratavarsa there is a story in the Skanda Purana (i, 2. 39, 67 f.) which may be told here. There it is said that one Rşabha had a son named Bharata.1 Bharata had a son named Sataśnga,' who had eight sons and one daughter. The name of the sons are Indradvipa, Kaseru, Tamradvipa, Gabhastiman, Naga, Saumya, Gandharva, Våruņa; while the daughter was called Kumarika. Then it is said :
Idam Bharatakhandam ca navadhaiva bibhajyasah
Dadavastau svaputrânám Kumaryai navamam tatha (110). Thus the eight sons and the daughter divided BhAratavarga among themselves, and the nine dvipas grew up accordingly. The story is further continued (i, 2, 39, 125 f.), and it is said that each of the eight brothers had nine sons, while the sister remained unmarried. On arriving at a mature age the seventy-two cousing approached their aunt to divide the whole of Bhåratavarşa (including her portion too) into seventy-two equal portions. She thus made seventy-two divisions, and the seventy-two districts or eountries that are mentioned may, more or less, be located within the boundaries of India proper (excluding Burma and the outlying islands); but regarding some of the countries we feel sure that we can extend their identification to the islands of the Far East, which suggests that India has been treated in the Skanda Purana in a wider sense.
In almost all the Puranas4 we are told that Bhäratavarga is cut up into nine parts (khanda or bheda"), or dvipaso as they are called. Rajasekhara also says: tatredam Bharatam vargam asya ca navabhedah.? Then he enumerates the nine dvipas. As for the nine dvipas, all the Puranas speak unanimously of Indradvîpa, Kaserumat, Tamravarna, Gabhastimat and Någa. The sixth and the seventh dvípa are called Saumya and Gandharva by all the Purdnas except the Garuda and Vamana, which read KatAha and Simhala in their place.9 The eighth dvípa is unanimously called Varuna. Regarding the ninth dvípa there is much confusion. It is necessary, therefore, to give the full texts bearing on the ninth dvipa.
Mark. 57, 7. Ayam tu naramasteşám dvípah sdgarasamurlah
Yojanánam sahasrám vai dvipo'yam dakpinotlardt.
8. Parve kiráta yasyante paécime yavandstatha
Brahmanah ksatriyah vaisyah sudrüscántansthità dvija. These slokas, in the same form and in exactly the same setting, are to be found in the Br. (27, 16-17), Kar. (46, 25-26), Vix. (ii, 3, 7-8). The Agni gives (118, 4-6) the first bloka in the same form, but the second one has been slightly distorted.
Vám. 13, 11. Ayam tu navamastesám dvípah sdgarasamurlah
Kumáråkhyah parikhyato dvipo'yam daksinottarah 1 Elsewhere it is said that Bharata named India, whence it is called Bharatavarga (Skanda Purda, 1, 2, 37, 67; vii, 1, 172, 2).
But in all other Purdnas it is said that Bharata's son was Sumati. 3 Teadm námdmkeitdnyeva tato dufpdni jajnire (Skanda Purdna, vii, 1, 172, 6). . va. 45, 78 f. Vdm. 13, 8 f.
| Viş. ii, 3, 1 f. Bd. 49, 10 f.
Gar. 55, 4 f. Mat. 114, 7 f.
Kúr. 46, 22 f. Mark. 57, 5 f.
Var. 85, 1f.
Br. 27, 14 f. 6 Bhdratasydoya varaasya napabheddn nibodha me (Mark.). All the Purdnas commence the enumers. tion of the nine parts with this statement.
6 Wtad Bharatam wargam navadofpamp nildcars (Vdm.). Kdoyamimdmdd (Delavibhdga), p. 92.
It is variously called Timreparni (Mal.), Tâmraparna (Kdr.), TAmravarni (Skanda). • Ndgadelpah kafdhasca simhalo udrunastatha. Vdm. 13, 10-11. Gar, 68, 8.