Bharatavarsha in the Brahmanda Purana: A Descriptive Map in Today’s Terms

Sacred Rivers – The Lifelines of Ancient India

The Purana describes a vast network of rivers radiating in all directions from the Himalayas and other mountain ranges.

Northern Rivers:
- Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sindhu (Indus) – flow from the Himalayas (present-day Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Nepal into north India and Pakistan).
- Sarayu – Modern-day Ghaghara in Uttar Pradesh.
- Gomati, Gandak, Kosi – Still known by these names in UP and Bihar.
- Shatadru = Sutlej, Vipasha = Beas, Iravati = Ravi, Vitasta = Jhelum (all in Punjab/Kashmir).
- Chandrabagha = Chenab, flowing through Jammu and Kashmir and into Pakistan.
Eastern Rivers:
- Tridiva, Rishikulya – likely rivers in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
- Kumari, Mandaga = Mahanadi, which flows from Chhattisgarh to Odisha.
- Subarnarekha = between Jharkhand and Odisha.
- Kaveri, Krishna, Godavari – major rivers of south and central India.
Western Rivers:
- Tapi, Narmada, Sabarmati, Mahi – modern Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Southern Rivers:
- Tamraparni, Vaigai, and Palar – found in Tamil Nadu.

Mountains – The Sacred Spines of the Subcontinent

Himalayas – the divine origin of rivers, described as the abode of gods and sages.
Vindhyas – central Indian mountain range, defining the cultural north-south divide (Madhya Pradesh).
Malaya – Western Ghats in Kerala/Tamil Nadu.
Sahya – Northern Western Ghats, possibly Maharashtra-Goa region.
Rishabha, Mandara, Mahendra, Trikuta, Shuktimanta – identified as peaks in Odisha (Mahendra Giri), or speculative locations across the eastern Ghats.
Kumarika – Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India.
Nishadha – Deccan Plateau area.
Sumeru – symbolic central peak (often mythical, could refer to Mount Kailash or central axis of the world).
Shuktimati – associated with the Vindhya region.

Kingdoms and Janapadas – The Cultural Landscape

The Purana lists ancient kingdoms that align with today’s states and territories.

North and Central India:
- Kosala = eastern Uttar Pradesh.
- Kuru, Panchala = western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
- Magadha = Bihar.
- Videha, Malla, Lichchhavi, Anga, Vanga = Bihar, Jharkhand, and Bengal regions.
- Avanti = western Madhya Pradesh (Ujjain region).
- Chedi = Bundelkhand (MP-UP border).
Western India:
- Saurashtra = Gujarat.
- Kamboja, Sindhu, Gandhara = Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Kashmir region.
- Maru = Rajasthan (especially Marwar).
- Malava = Malwa plateau (MP and Rajasthan).
Eastern India:
- Odra, Utkala, Kalinga = modern Odisha.
- Pundra, Gauda = Bengal region.
- Rarh = Western Bengal and eastern Jharkhand.
Southern India:
- Dravida, Chola, Chera, Pandya = Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
- Andhra, Kuntala, Karnata = modern Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka.
- Mahisha, Kishkindha = central-southern Karnataka and coastal regions.
- Pulinda, Sabaras = Tribal and forested areas of central India (MP, Chhattisgarh).
- Vanavasi, Abhira, Mushika – tribal and southern coastal areas (Maharashtra to Kerala).
Northeast & Beyond:
- Kirata, Kiratakas = Himalayan and Northeast tribal areas.
- China, Tusharas, Hunas, Yavanas – refer to outer tribes beyond traditional India (Tibet, Central Asia, Greeks, etc.).
- Shakas, Pahlavas, Bahlikas – tribes from Central Asia or northwestern frontiers.

Civilizational Reach

The reach of Bharatavarsha, as per the Brahmanda Purana, goes beyond just present-day India:

To the northwest: Into Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of Iran and Tajikistan (Gandhara, Kamboja, Bahlika).
To the southeast: Mentions of Sumatra and Borneo (as Soma/Varuna islands), hinting at Indonesian archipelago ties.
To the northeast: Tribal lands of Tibet, China, and Southeast Asia.
Across the Indian Ocean: Possibly symbolic or actual sea routes to Lanka, Maldives, and Southeast Asia.

🌸 Summary: Bharatavarsha – Not Just a Nation, But a Sacred Geography

From the Himalayas to the oceans, the Brahmanda Purana envisions Bharatavarsha as a civilizational landscape bound by:

Rivers that flowed like veins of sacred energy,
Mountains that acted as spiritual beacons,
Communities diverse in language, origin, and custom, yet united in dharma and cosmic alignment.

This is simply an attempt to interpret and compare the descriptions from the Brahmanda Purana translation I am currently reading with what those places and features might correspond to in today’s geography. It is not intended as a definitive claim or scholarly assertion, but rather a reflective exploration of how ancient narratives might align with the modern world.

nakul sardesai