Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana
by Chaitali Kadia | 2021 | 91,183 words
This page relates ‘Saptadvipa (7): Pushkaradvipa� 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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Sapta屹ī貹 (7): ʳṣk屹ī貹
There is another 屹ī貹 which is famous by the name ʳṣk , because it is infused with ʳṣk (Lotus). It is twice the size of the Gomedaka 屹ī貹 and is surrounded by the ṣuǻ岹첹 岵 . There is a beautiful great Mountain called 侱ٰԳ (peculiar peaks) in the ʳṣk屹ī貹 . It is adorned with many types of graceful peaks and rock formations. This great Mountain is located in the first half of 侱ٰԳ 屹ī貹 . This great Mountain extends up to twenty-seven yojana , and is high up to twenty-four yojana . On the beach in the western part of this island, there is a Mountain called Բ , which is beautiful like the moon emanating in the east. It is fifty thousand yojanas planks high. Despite being located in the first half of the Բ Mountain, another Mountain, which is considered as his son protects the western half of the Mountain island named Ѳ屹ٲ . Thus the region is said to be divided into two parts. The ʳṣkdvipa is surrounded by delicious water oceans. It is twice as large as the Gomedakadvipa in expansion and circumambulation.[1]
Thus, in the chapter 123 of the Matsya ʳܰṇa , the Gomedaka屹ī貹 and the ʳṣk 屹ī貹 are described in the verse 1-10 and 12-20 respectively. Other than the Gomedaka屹ī貹 , the description of the ʳṣk屹ī貹 are almost in all other ʳܰṇa . We can get the description of the ʳṣk屹ī貹 in the (Ch-49), 岵ٲ (Ch-20), վṣṇ (2nd part, Ch-4), ṅg (Ch-46, 52) and Garuda (ĀԻ岹 , Ch-39). But there only the descriptin of the Gomedaka屹ī貹 in the Matsya ʳܰṇa . Excluding the ʳܰṇa , the description of this 屹ī貹 is found in the ҴDZⲹ of the Գٲśdzṇi (3/25).
In addition to these there are more geographical descriptions in the Matsya ʳܰṇa. As in the chapter 123 of the Matsya ʳܰṇa , there are described about the tide of the sea.
There are broadly narrated about the cause of the tide of the sea because of the Sun and the Moon at the time of the Śܰ貹ṣa and ṛṣṇa貹ṣa �
udayāt payasā� yogāt puṣṇantyāpo yathā svayam |
tathā sa tu samudro'pivardhane śaśinodaye ||
anyunānatiriktātmā vardhantyāpo hrasanti ca |
udaye'stamayecandoḥpakṣayoḥśuklakṛṣṇayo� ||
kṣayavṛddhī samudrasya śaśivṛddhikṣaye tathā |
daśottarāṇi pañcāhuraṅgulānā� śatāni ca ||�Matsya (Ch-123/32-34)
Thus, in the 123rd chapter of the Matsya ʳܰṇa , there are descriptions of the Gomedaka屹ī貹 and ʳṣk屹ī貹 , verses 1-11 and 12-20 respectively. Except the Gomedaka屹ī貹 almost all the other ʳܰṇa described about the ʳṣk屹ī貹 like the վṣṇ ʳܰṇa (Ch-26.6), Kūrma ʳܰṇa (Ch-48.1), ղ ʳܰṇa (Ch-89) etc. But compared to that, the description of the Gomedaka屹ī貹 are only in the Matsya ʳܰṇa and little bit in the ղ ʳܰԲ (Ch-89). Except ʳܰṇa there are some description about the the Gomedaka屹ī貹 in the �Siddhāntasiromaṇi Golādhyaya � (3/25).
Apart from these, some other short geographical descriptions can be found in the Matsya ʳܰṇa . For example, chapter 123 describes the tidal waters, which are now a special part of natural geography. Matsya ʳܰṇa says that just as the moon’s rays connect with the water, when the moon rises, the water starts bouncing on itself; similarly the sea also starts to rise. Although water rises and decreases during the rise and fall of the moon in the Śܰ貹ṣa and ṛṣṇa貹ṣa , the sea’s dignity does not appear to be inferior or excess. The sea also rises and ablates on the occasion of moon rise and decay. This ups and downs of water is said to be one hundred and fifteen intervals. On the occasion of the ups and downs, this tide of the waters of the seas comes in clear view. Due to being surrounded on two sides, the sea island is called the �ٱī貹 � and due to the holding of the sea, the sea is called �Udadhi �. Due to the assimilation of (all things), the name �Giri � and (Earth) due to tying the joint place has got the name �Parvata �. (Matsya ʳܰṇa Ch-123/32-35).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Matsya ʳܰṇa, Ch.�123/12�20