Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
[Ch. IX
preceding mountain; thus this order should be known upto Airāvata land.1
According to this arrangement there are 190 divisions of Jambudvipa island, Bharata 1+ Himavana 2+ Haimavata 4+ Mahāhimavana 8+ Harivarsa 16+ Nisadha 32+ Videha 64 + Nila 32+ Ramyaka 16+ Rukmi 8+ Hairanyavata 4+ Šikhari 2+ and
Airavata 1.
In the Jambuddiva Pannatti, Harivarsa is located to the north of Bharatavarsa; the Himalayan range is divided by the Himalayan mountain into two, viz. Mahahimavanta or greater Himalayan and Culla-Himavanta or lesser Himalayan-the first one extending eastwards upto the eastern sea and the second westwards and then southwards below the Varsadhara mountain upto the sea".
Further it is described that Bharatavarsa lies to the south of the Himalayas and between the eastern and western seas.
Nomenclature of Bharatavarsa
According to the Jambuddiva-Pannatti the name of Bharatavarsa is derived from that of king Bharata, the first sovereign king of India'.
Shape of Bharatavarsa
Bharatavarsa resembles the shape of a bed-stead (couch) from the north and a bow from the south "uttarão pālankasamṭhānasamthie dahinão dhanupittha-samthie."
It is divided into six parts by the Ganga, the Sindhu and the Vaitaḍhya mountain-range and it is 526 leagues in area."
12 Jambuddiva Pannati Samgaho-2nd Uddesaka-2, 10 (gāthā). See also Introduction p. 113 (Jivarāja Jain Granthamālā). "Jambuddiva Pannatti 1. 9. Vide Dr. B. C. Law's India as
described in the early texts of Buddhism and Jainism. p 4. 4 Jambuddiva Pannatti, III, 41. 5 Jambudvipa-Prajñapti, 1, 9. Ib. It is described that Bharatavarsa is divided by the Vaitadhya into two halves, viz. the northern half and the southern half (Jambu. 1. 12). Vide, Dr. B. C. Law-India as described in the early texts