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CULTURAL DATA IN TILAKAMANJARI
reverentially, by the damsels of the kings of the eighteen dvipas (islands) made subservient (lit. captive) by him.
153
Even Candraketu, the sire of Samaraketu has been proclaimed as a king well known over the four oceans whose succour was fit to be sought by even the great kings; he has even been described as the only valiant in the entire Universe who had brought to the state of subsidiary vassals the kings reigning over the islands falling within the range of all the oceans. Samaraketu was the son of such a king.'
Dhanapala has also referred to the group of kings of the islands situated in between the unfathomable oceans and the earth having the seven repertories of water i.e. the oceans for her group of zone girdles having the victory columns at the extremities made of eight quarters by Meghavahana who had proclaimed victory over them as soon as he was consecrated to the throne while yet being a boy."
It obviously implies on the analogy of Dandin's conception that the globe was divided into seven continents said to be encircled by the same number of oceans. Dr. Kailasha Natha Dvivedi in his article edited "Saptadvipavati Prthvi" published in Sanskrita-vimarşaḥ xv. 2.1987 edited by Dr. Mandana Misra and Sampannarayanacharya published by Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, has identified Jambudvipa with Asia, plakṣa divipa as North America, Śālmalidvīpa as African Islands, Krauñcadvipa as Europe, Śakadvipa as Australia and Puskara as Antarctic region.
Meghavahana has been described as the incarnation in corporeal form of the sun with extremities of the four oceans overwhelmed by his sole chariot. Hence the four oceans formed the four extremities of the land of Bharata i.c. Bharatavarṣa which had Ayodhya, the capital of Meghavahana, forming the ornament of its middle portion or central part' The earth having extremities for the oceans having mountains, islands and groves in between has also been referred to in a number of places."
1. TM. Vol. II p. 227.
2. Ibid. Vol. I p. 70, p. 227, p. 402 Sm. ed. p. 402 Saptarnavi Salila.
3. Ibid. Vol. I p. 71, Vol. I p. 85.
4. Ibid. Vol. I p. 59.
5. Ibid. Vol. I p. 43.
6. Ibid. Vol. I p. 148, Vol. II p. 174, Vol. II p.204 Vol. I p. 127, Vol. I verses 40-41 p. 34. vol. III p. 178 100 vol. i.
