Report
Shri Shankar Shikshayatan organised a National Seminar on Bharatavarsha-Seema Prasanga (geographical contours of Bharatvarsha) on February 29,2024. It was the second seminar in the series of vedic discussions the centre has decided to hold throughout the year on Pandit Madhusudan Ojha’s Indravijayaha (translated into English as Bharatavarsha–The India Narrative). The second seminar focused on the geographical contours of Bharat or India.
Pandit Ojhaji has explained the nation named Bharat, its identity, geographical contours and history. On the geographical boundary, Ojhaji has presented a vivid explanation of the contours of the boundary and neighbouring regions. The section on geography is divided into two parts–east and west. Fourteen proofs have been presented to establish the geographical contours of Bharatavarsha. Five of these proofs were discussed at the seminar.
Prof. Santosh Kumar Shukla, convener, Shri Shankar Shikshayatan and Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the limits of the boundaries were anchored on the river Indus. In the ancient period, Bharatavarsha was known as Sindhustan. The western region was known as Parasthan. In the modern times, it is known as Iran. The entire Parasthan stretched from Indus to Red Sea. Indravijayah includes detailed explanation of the region.
‘अद्यत्वे यद् ब्रुवते भारतवर्षस्य सीमानम् ।
सिन्धुनदं सा हिन्दुस्थानस्यैतस्य सीमा स्यात् ॥
पूर्व्यं भारतवर्षं सिन्धुस्थानाख्या ब्रुवते ।
पश्चिमभारतवर्षं पारस्थानं पुरातना ऊचुः ॥
निखिलं पारस्थानं सिन्धोरालोहिताम्भोधेः ॥’ इन्द्रविजय, पृ. २३
Adyatve yad bruvate bharatavarshasya seemanam
sindhunandam sa hindustansyetasya seema syat
purva bharatavarsha sindhusthanakhya bruvate
pashchimbharatavarsha parasthanam puratana uchhuha
nikhilam parasthanam sindhoralohitambhodeha. –Indravijayah page 23
Explaining a verse related to two evidences, Prof. Shukla referred to a kingdom known as Kanyakubj ruled by King Vishwamitra. One day, the King had a desire to steal a cow named Nandini belonging to Rishi Vashishta. But the cow refused to go with the king. In anger, the cow scratched the earth with her hoofs. Rishi Vashishta sought the help of his friend, Varuna, to prevent the theft of his beloved cow. The reference to the friendship between Vashishta and Varuna can be found in the Vedas: Such references are unique in establishing the geographical boundaries of Bharatavarsha.
‘विश्वामित्रः पूर्वं राजासीत् कान्यकुब्जदेशस्य ।
स वसिष्ठस्य कदाचिद्धर्तुं गां नन्दिनीमैच्छत् ॥
सा नन्दिनी तु नैच्छत् तं विश्वामित्रमनुगन्तुम् ।
क्रोधात्सा बहुवारं खुरतो भूमिं तदा व्यखनत् ॥
तत्र वसिष्ठो वरुणादैच्छत् साहाय्यमात्मकुलसुहृदयः ।
उक्तं वेदे सख्यं वरुणेन हि तद्वसिष्ठस्य॥’, वही, पृ. २७
Prof. Krishna Kant Sharma, formerly with Kashi Hindu University, Varanasi, in his address pointed out that the eastern region of Bharatavarsha was known as Aryavrat and the western region was known as Aryayana. In today’s time, Aryayana is known as Iran. The region on the east of the Red Sea, on the west of Sindhu river, on the north of Indian Ocean, on the south of Aral Sea and Caspian Sea, was known as Oriyans. Thus it is clear that the western region of Bharatavarsha was the abode of Aryans. This reference is found in Indravijayaha:
‘आर्यावर्तः शब्दो भवति यथा भारते पूर्व्ये ।
पाश्चात्येऽपि तथास्मिन् आर्यायणशब्द ईराने ॥
रक्तसमुद्रात्प्रागथ सिन्धुनदात् प्रत्यगर्णवात्तूदक् ।
आरालकाश्यपीयजलधिभ्यां दक्षिणान् देशान् ॥
प्रागोरियंस नाम्नाऽनार्याः पूर्वे वदन्ति स्म ।
तेन च पश्चिमभारतमार्यनिकेतनमिति प्रतीतं नः ॥’, वही, पृ. २३
Dr Thakur Shivalochan of Kashi Hindu University spoke about the third evidentiary support–the debate among the learned men about Indra and Varuna. The reference is based on the Rigveda. According to Mimamsa school of philosophy, there is no history in the Vedas. If the Vedas have to accepted as historical, then the texts would lose its importance of being beyond human. But Ojhaji’s disciple, Pandit Motilal Shastri has convincingly argued that it was not so; the Vedas contain history and remain true to being beyond human. This is evident from this verse, सर्वं वेदात् प्रसिध्यति’ (sarva vedat prasidhyati--everything from past, present and future is included in the Vedas). He referred to Zarathustra and his animosity towards Indra. He therefore faced strong criticism. He was born in Bahlika and had completed sautramani-yajnana. He entered into conflict with Brahmanas during this ceremony. He too was a Brahmin but was rude towards other Brahmins. He favoured Varuna over Indra and had adopted asura dharma. He redefined the terms sura and asura; asu means prana and those who have prana are asuras and those who are bereft of prana are sura. Hence, he argued, devas are weak and incapable. Ojhaji has made referred to this aspect:
‘आसुरधर्मे प्रविशतो जरथुस्त्रस्य देवेन्द्रनिन्दकत्वं विरोधहेतुः।
बाह्लीके यो जज्ञे जरथुस्रस्तस्य समये प्राक् ।
सौत्रामण्यामिष्टौ ब्राह्मणवृन्दे विरोधोऽभूत् ।।
आर्ज्राश्वो जरदष्टिर्ब्राह्मण आसीत् तथाप्ययं धृष्टः ।
विद्विष्य देवमिन्द्रं वरुणस्तु धर्ममासुरं दधे ।येऽसून् प्राणान् दधते तेऽमी असुरा महाप्राणाः ।
असुरत्वं तु न येषाम् तेऽमी देवाः ‘सुरा स्म’ इत्यूचुः ॥’ , वही, पृ. ३२
Dr Vikas Sharma of Allahabad University, spoke about the fourth and fifth documentary evidence. He said while describing the territorial limits of Bharat, Ojhaji had in fact established the structure of the earth. He drew references from Padmapurana and Matsyapurana. A lotus had risen from the navel of Bhagwan Narain and it was a many splendoured flower. It shone like the Sun. From this golden lotus emerged four Brahmas. This lotus is the earth. Since the lotus is known as Pushkar, the earth is also known as Pushkarasambhava.
‘पद्मं नाभ्युद्भवं चैकं समुत्पादितवाँस्ततः ।
सहस्रवर्णं विरजं भास्कराभं हिरण्मयम् ॥
पद्मे हिरण्मये तस्मिन्नसृजद् भूरि वर्चसम् ।
स्रष्टारं सर्वलोकानां ब्रह्माणं सर्वतोमुखम् ॥
तच्च पद्मं पुराभूतं पृथिवीरूपमुत्तमम् ।
यत्पद्मं सा रसादेवी पृथिवी परिकथ्यते।
एवं नारायणस्यार्थे मही पुष्करसंभवा ।।
प्रादुर्भावोप्ययं तस्मान्नाम्ना पुष्करसंज्ञितः ॥’ वही, पृ. ९१
It is clear from this verse that the earth resemble a lotus. This lotus has four leaves. Markandeyapurana explains the four leaves as Ketumalavarsha, Bhadravarsha, Bharatavarsha and Kuruvarsha. In Indravijayha, it is written thus:
‘तदेतत्पार्थिवं पद्मं चतुष्पत्रं मयोदितम् ।
भद्राश्वभारताद्यानि पत्राण्यस्य चतुर्दिशम् ।
भारताः केतुमालाश्च भद्राश्वाः कुरवस्तथा ।
पत्राणि लोकपद्मस्य मर्यादा शैलबाह्यतः॥’, वही, पृ. ९२
The seminar was organised and managed by two senior staff of Shri Shankar Shikshayata, Dr Lakshmi Kant Vimal and Dr Mani Shankar Dwivedi. The meeting was attended by teachers, students and scholas from several universities .