The River 骋补峁単腻 or Ganges

Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana

by Chaitali Kadia | 2021 | 91,183 words

This page relates 鈥楻iver Ganga or Ganges鈥� of the study on the historical elements of the Matsya-purana: one of the eighteen Mahapuranas which are Sanskrit texts that have preserved the cultural heritage, philosophy, religion, geography, etc of ancient India. This Matsyapurana was originally written in 20,000 verses and deals with topics such as architecture, ancient history, polity, religion and philosophy.

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The River 骋补峁単腻 or Ganges

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The 骋补峁単腻 or Ganges is an international river flowing into India and Bangladesh. This river is also the national river of the Republic India. West 贬颈尘腻濒补测腻蝉 in Uttarakhand is the source of the river 骋补峁単腻 . The source of the main 骋补峁単腻 River is the confluence of the 叠丑腻驳墨谤补迟丑墨 and the 础濒补办腻苍补苍诲腻 river. In Hindu culture, 叠丑腻驳墨谤补迟丑墨 is considered as the main stream of the 骋补峁単腻 . The source of 叠丑腻驳颈谤补迟丑颈 is the 骋补苍驳辞迟谤墨 glacier of the Gomukha . After that the river flows over the Gomukha . After that the river flows over the plains to the south and east and merges into the Bay of Bengal. The river has many tributaries.

According to mythology, the river 骋补峁単腻 is of considerable importance. There is a story about the arrival of the 骋补峁単腻 in the Martya and the blocking of the 骋补峁単腻 at the head of Lord 艢颈惫补 in the chapter 121 (verse鈥�30 to 38) of the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . There is also a lot of geographical information about the 骋补峁単腻 in this chapter (verse-39 to 82).

According to the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 three streams of 鈥�Tripathaga鈥� 骋补峁単腻 flowed eastward and three backward oriented streams and the seventh stream itself was 叠丑腻驳墨谤补迟丑墨骋补峁単腻 . Thus they were divided into seven streams. Among them the currents flowing in the east direction are named the 狈补濒颈苍墨 , 贬濒腻诲颈苍墨 and 笔腻惫补苍墨 and the three streams flowing in the west direction are called the 厂墨迟腻 , 颁补办峁 and Sindhu . Among them, the seventh stream followed 叠丑腻驳墨谤补迟丑补 in the south direction and entered the south ocean; hence she became famous as 叠丑腻驳墨谤补迟丑墨 . These seven steams make the 贬颈尘补惫补谤峁 inundation. Thus these seven rivers originate from Bindusarovar .^[1] All of these irrigate those Mlechcha countries which are known as the Mountainous Kukura, Raudhra, Barbara, Yavana, Khasa, Pulinda, Kulatha , Angalokya , and Vara .^[2]

In this way, the 骋补峁単腻 has divided 贬颈尘补苍惫腻苍补 into two parts and entered the south. After this, the 颁补办峁 river the 痴墨谤补尘补谤耻, 碍腻濒颈办补, 艢奴濒颈办补 , 罢耻峁Ｄ乺补, Barbara, 碍腻谤补, Pahlava, 笔腻谤补诲补 , and 艢补办补 鈥搕hese countries have been absorbed and got into the sea. The Sindhu (Indus) river the Darada , Urjaguda , 骋腻苍诲丑腻谤补, Aurasa, 碍耻丑奴, 艢颈惫补paura, Indramaru, Vasati, Saindhava Urba艣a, Varba , Kupatha , 叠丑墨尘补谤辞产丑补办补 , 艢耻苍腻尘耻办丑补 and Urdamaru 鈥�flow into these countries. The prosperous 骋补峁単腻 the Gandharva, Kinnara, 驰补办峁, 搁腻办峁蝉补 , 痴颈诲测腻诲丑补谤补, 狈腻驳补, Kal膩pagr膩mav膩s墨 jana, 碍颈尘辫耻谤耻峁, 碍颈谤腻迟补, Pulinda, Kuru, 叠丑腻谤补迟补, 笔腻帽肠腻濒补, 碍补耻艣颈办补, Matsya (Virata), Magadha, Anga, Ultarasuhma , Vanga and 罢腻尘谤补濒颈辫迟补 鈥搒anctify these Arya countries. In this way, they (coming out of the 贬颈尘腻濒补测腻蝉 ) have been blocked by the Vindhya Mountain and moving towards the east and have joined the south ocean.^[3]

Similarly, the holy 贬濒腻峁囜笉颈苍颈 , which flows eastward, 鲍辫补办腻 , 狈颈峁Ｄ乨补 , 顿丑墨惫补谤补, 峁氠梗颈办补, Nilamukha, Kekara, Anekakarna, 碍颈谤腻迟补, K膩lanjara, 痴颈办补谤峁嘺 , 碍耻艣颈办补 and Svargabhaumaka has flowed through the countries and join the sea. The 狈补濒颈苍墨 river also originates from the Bindusara and flows towards east. It has moved to the Kupatha , Indradyumnasara , Kharapatha , 痴别迟谤补诲惫墨辫补 , 艢补苍办耻辫补迟丑补 etc and flowed through the middle part of 鲍箩箩腻苍补办补 Maru (闯耻苍腻驳补诲补 ) (Gita Press Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 page 413, Chapter-21) and then joined the 尝补惫补峁嘺蝉腻驳补谤 near 滨苍诲谤补诲惫墨辫补 . From the same (original) lake, the 笔腻惫补苍墨 river flows eastward in great Velocity. The 笔腻惫补苍墨 river would reach the eastern countries, irrigating the Tomar, Hansmarg and the other community countries. There, by dissecting the Mountain in many ways, it reaches the 碍补谤峁嘺辫谤腻惫补谤峁嘺 and goes to 础艣惫补尘耻办丑补 country. After the river Meru crossing the Mountains, it goes to the country of 痴颈诲测腻诲丑补谤补 and enters the great lake called 艢补颈尘颈尘补峁囜笉补濒补办辞峁ａ弓丑补 . It (Meru) also has thousands of small and large tributaries, which have been founded separately.^[4]

On the backdrop of the Hemakuta Mountain situated a lake, named the lake of snake, from which two rivers 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 and 闯测辞迟颈峁补迟墨 are originated. The two rivers join the east and west sea respectively. On the top of the Mountain 狈颈峁诲丑补 there is a lake named 痴颈峁ａ箛耻辫补诲补 , which is derived from the front of the same Mountain (狈颈峁诲丑补 ). Both of them (狈腻驳补 & 痴颈峁ａ箛耻辫补诲补 ) the lake are friendly to the Gandharva . From the polar part of the Meru a great lake named 颁补苍诲谤补辫谤补产丑腻 and the great holy river 闯补尘产耻苍补诲墨 are originate. In the Jambunadi , there are found gold called Jambunanda . At the same place there are two more lakes named Payoda and 笔耻峁囜笉补谤墨办补惫腻苍补 , whose water are blue and white respectively. From these lakes Payoda and 笔耻峁囜笉补谤墨办补惫腻苍补 , two more water bodies have appeared. Among them one of the lake is famous as the Uttara m膩nasa , from which two another river the 鈥�惭峁沢测补 鈥� and 惭峁沢补办腻苍迟腻 have emerged. In the 碍耻谤耻诲别艣补 there are twelve deep and vast lakes, which are filled with lotus and fishes. The twelve lakes are known as 鈥�Vaijaya 鈥�. From the 鈥�Vaijaya 鈥� two rivers named 鈥�艢腻苍迟颈 鈥� and 鈥�惭补诲丑惫墨 鈥� have emerged.^[5]

The 鈥�叠补濒腻丑补办补 鈥�, 鈥�峁氠梗补产丑补 鈥�, 鈥�Cakra鈥� and 鈥�Mainaka 鈥�-these four Mountains are spread in four directions respectively to the 尝补惫补峁嘺蝉腻驳补谤a . The 颁补苍诲谤补办腻苍迟补 , 顿谤辞峁嘺 and Sumahana 鈥搕hese Mountains extend to the north-eastern ocean. The Cakra , Badhiraka and 狈腻谤补诲补 鈥搕hese Mountains are spread in the western direction. They extend to the ocean. The 闯墨尘奴迟补, 顿谤腻惫补峁嘺 , 惭补颈苍腻办补 and Candra 鈥搕hese are the 惭补丑腻辫补谤惫补迟补 in the South and extend to the south sea.^[6]

In addition to the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 , the seven sections of the river 骋补峁単腻 are mentioned in the other 笔耻谤腻峁嘺s like the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 (Ch.-47/31-43) and K奴rma 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 (Ch.-44). Also some of the descriptions are in the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻-顿丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . Only the names of the rivers are mentioned in the Padma 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 and the 搁腻尘腻测补峁嘺 . Although the river鈥檚 names are same in the all 笔耻谤腻峁嘺s but the countries, situated on the river bank are different.

The Sirindhras , which is on the banks of the 厂墨迟腻, is written in the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . But in the Matsya and the 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补笔耻谤腻峁嘺 the name is 厂补艣补颈濒补蝉 and 艢颈濒墨苍诲丑谤补蝉 respectively. On the other side there is the name Kuntalas in the 痴腻测耻 and 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 but the Matsya read this Kukuras .^[7] This country was later identified as the Kathiawar in some places and in some other places this was identifies as a city of South India. But no accurate information was found. On the other hand, in the 痴腻测耻 and Brahmanda call the country as Chinas which is named the Raudhra in the Matsya . Where the Matsya and Brahmanda call Yavanas , the 痴腻测耻 mentions Yavasas . In the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 the country is known as Khasas which is named in the 痴腻测耻 and 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 as Druhas and Andhrakas respectively. The Khasas were basically the resident of Central Asia butthe Druhas and Andhrakas could not be identified. According to the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 those who are known as 搁耻峁Ｄ乶补蝉 , in the 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 it is as 笔耻峁补谤补蝉 and in the Matsya it is as Pulikas . The 搁耻峁Ｄ乶补蝉 probably were the inhabitant of Tadzhik republic. The country which is mention as Kulinda in the Brahmanda , also mention in the 痴腻测耻 and Matsya as Kuninda and Kulatthas respectively. Probably the Kuninda were the resident of Punjab. Alberuni has mentioned it as Kulutas . Wherethe name Angalokavaras is in the 痴腻测耻 , in the Matsya and 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补笔耻谤腻峁嘺s it is called as Angalokyasvaras and Ancholadbicharas respectively.

The 颁丑墨苍补-惭补谤耻 is the country on the banks of the river 颁补办峁 . This name is in the 痴腻测耻 and 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . But the Matsya are in 痴墨谤补-maru^[8]. It is probably a city of Turkestan . There is aname 罢补苍驳补峁嘺蝉 in the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . But in the Matsya and Brahmanda 笔耻谤腻峁嘺s respectively it is known as 碍腻濒颈办补s and 罢腻濒补蝉 . It is considered that the 碍腻濒颈办补 were inhabitant of Kerki . The country is named in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 as 艢奴濒颈办补s which is known as 惭奴濒颈办补蝉 in the 痴腻测耻 and 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 . The 笔腻谤补诲补s is mentioned in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 but the Brahm膩峁噉da 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 calls it 笔腻谤补迟补蝉 . The 艢补办补 was a native of valleys of Jaxartes and Oxus. In the 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 this is known as 碍丑补艣补蝉 .

The Aurasas , which is on the bank of the Indus River, is mentioned in the Matsya^[9] and 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . But in the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 it is known as Varapas . The name Kuhu is found in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 and 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . Although the name is also found in the 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 as Kuhas and in the 痴腻测耻 as Hardas . This resident is probably on the valley of 碍耻产丑腻 or on the bank of the Kabul River. 艢颈惫补pauras has mentioned in the 痴腻测耻, Matsya and 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补 , but also has mentioned in the 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 as 艢颈惫补艣ailas . This is probably the native of 艢颈惫补pura . This city is also mentioned in the 础峁ａ弓腻诲丑测补测颈 and the Shorkot inscription. The 滨苍诲谤补丑腻蝉补蝉 is mentioned in the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 but the name is mentioned in the Brahmanda and Matsya as Indrapadas and Indramarus^[10] respectively. Except the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 , all the other 笔耻谤腻峁嘺s have the name 痴补蝉腻迟颈蝉 which has been called Vad膩tis in the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . According to the 贬补谤颈惫补峁兣沘 this city was strong enough. In the Matsya and 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补 the country is known as Urvasas which is read in the 痴腻测耻 and Brahmanda as Randhrakarakas . The 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 reads the country as Bhramaras which is 碍耻辫补艣谤补蝉补 according to the Matsya . The 痴腻测耻 and Brahmanda 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 read Rohakas which is Romakas according to the Matsya and 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补 . Probably this is the resident of Rohri area.

On the banks of the Ganges, the 碍腻艣颈 , this is mentioned in the Matsya as 碍补耻艣颈办补37. Alberuni called it Kaushaka. It is referred to as 碍腻艣颈 in all other 笔耻谤腻峁嘺s . In all the other 笔耻谤腻峁嘺s , what is known as 鈥楳atsya鈥� is identified as 鈥�Vatsya鈥� in the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . The Brahmottaras resident which is mentioned in the 痴腻测耻, Matsya and 痴颈峁ａ箛耻诲丑补谤尘辞迟迟补谤补 , also mentioned in the Brahmanda as Suhmottaras .

There is mentioned a country named Upakas on the bank of river 贬濒腻诲颈苍颈 in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺.^[11] This name is changed in the 痴腻测耻 and 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补笔耻谤腻峁嘺 as Upabhogas . Kekaras which is mentioned in the Matsya^[12] and 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 , is mentioned as Keralas in the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . Kerala is a resident in the South India. Matsya describes the name Kusikas which is known to 碍耻尘腻谤补蝉 in the 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 and 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . A country is mentioned as Svarna-bhumikas in the 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补, as Svar峁嘺 bh奴峁tas in the 痴腻测耻 , and as Svarga-bhaumakas in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . Probably this is the resident of Suvarna-产丑奴尘颈 or Burma.

On the bank of river 笔补惫补苍墨 , the country 痴别迟谤补艣补苍办耻辫补迟丑补蝉 which is mentioned in the Matsya^[13] and 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 , is changed as 滨苍诲谤补艣补苍办耻辫补迟丑补蝉 in the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 .

Sahuhukas , the country on the bank of river 狈补濒颈苍墨 is mentioned in the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 mainly. But the Matsya and 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉补 also mention the country as 厂补尘奴丑补办补蝉^[14] and Sahaihayas respectively.

In the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 , the descriptions of the river 骋补峁単腻 and the countries, offshore of the river 骋补峁単腻 are not done properly. But in the 痴腻测耻笔耻谤腻峁嘺 these descriptions are done properly. Among them, the river 厂颈迟腻, 颁补办峁 and Sindhu (Indus) fall into the western sea. The 颁补办峁 is named after the Oxus. The 厂颈迟腻 is quite different from the famous 厂颈迟腻 River, which falls through the 叠丑补诲谤腻蝉惫补惫补谤峁 in the eastern part. The 痴腻测耻 says that 厂颈迟腻 crosses the Sindhu (Indus) Maru (vast desert) and falls into the western sea through the Mlechcha countries. The 颁补办峁 was a large river which flowed through the regions of Chinamaru (Chinese-Turkistan), 艢奴濒颈办补 (艢奴濒别 or 碍补艣补驳补谤丑 ), 罢耻峁Ｄ乺 , Barbar , 笔腻谤补诲补 and 艢补办补 regions. The main quarters of the Uttarapatha used to meet in this province. The Sindhu or Indus is our Sindh which flows through Punjab. The 贬濒腻峁囜笉颈苍墨 would be a huge river of eastern Asia. This river cannot be identified today. The 狈补濒颈苍墨is possibly the 滨谤腻惫补诲墨 (Irrawaddy) of Burma, which falls into the sea near the 滨苍诲谤补诲惫墨辫补 . The 笔腻惫补苍墨 may be the 惭别办腻苍办补 (M膩i 骋补峁単腻 ) River which flows to south of Siam. The 骋补峁単腻 is our familiar the 叠丑腻驳颈谤补迟丑墨 .