Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 548

Sec. II)
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
523
The BhS states that Bhāratavarsa lies in the Jambūdvi pa island and mentions some mountains, such as, Culla-Himavanta, Varsadhara, Vaitādhya, etc. and the rivers—Ganga and Sindhu, etc.
Besides these descriptions, it does not give a clear systematic account of cosmography, but it refers to the JambūdvīpaPrajfiapti and the Jivābhigama Sūtra for the detailed treatment of the conception of the world, the location of Jambūdvīpa island and its shape, etc.?
According to the Jambūdvipa Prajftapti also the Jambūdužpa island is in the centre of all islands and seas and smallest of all; it is circular like the shape of apūpa (cake) soaked (or seasoned) with oil, that of a wheel of a cart, that of a pericarp of a lotus, that of the full moon ; it is one lakh Yojanas (leagues) by length and breadth, three lakhs two thousand and sixteen Yojunas, three hundred twenty-seven krošas, twenty-eight hundred dhanus and more than thirteen and half angulas by circumference."
It is further stated that the Jambūdvīpa consists of seven Kretras (or Vargas), viz. Bhārata, Haimavata, Harivarsa, Videha, Ramyaka, Hairanyavata and Airāvata.
These seven Kşetras are separated from one another by six Kulaparvatas, viz. Himavāna, Mahāhimavāna, Nişadha, Nīla, Rukmi and Sikhari.
of the above lands and mountains situated in the Jambudvzpa island the dividing mountain is double the preceding land; the next land is double the preceding mountain due to its circular shape.
This order is followed upto Videha which is in the centre of this island continent, the extension of the forward mountain is half of Videha, that of the next forward land is half of the
1 Bhs, 9, 1, 362. See Jambud diva Pannati. % Jambud diva Pannati, 1, 1, 3,