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373 CHAPTER TEN鈥擨n keeping with the intention of basing the story of the Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala on Jain canonical literature, Dhanapala has naturally chosen the Jainistic geographical background for the plot. As has been noted by Shri J.C.Jain, the Jain point of view of geography is governed by two conditions, mythological and scientific. To the first category belongs the fantastic geography of Jambudvipa, which is divided into seven zones bounded by six mountain ranges from which flow the fourteen great rivers. But so far as the visible world is concerned these primitive geographers retained certain true observations in their geographical descriptions. And the Jain texts in general seem to be closer to the Puranic concept with regard to their concept of the Dvipas, though there is a difference in their nomenclatures. And Dhanapala, being 2 a Brahmin convert to Jainism, seems to be conversant with both these traditions, which at times get mixed up in his work. 1. Life in Ancient India as depicted in the Jain Canons, p.245. 2. GF,p.32.

374 According to the Jain conception, the world consists of innumerable spheres, continents and oceans each one surrounding the preceding one like a sheath. 3 As Dhanapala has fully adopted the Jainistic view, his geographical background is partly mythological and hence fanciful, and partly material and hence realistic. CELESTIAL GEOGRAPHY Dhanapala refers to Loka and Aloka 4 which are the twine spheres encompassing the whole universe in its fold; the souls bound down to the transmigratory condition cannot go beyond Loka while only the emancipated souls sore to Aloka and settle there. Within Loka are situated the upper regions of the gods. Among these Dhanapala mentions 5 Patala-svarga, Purva and Apara Videha-vijayas and and Lilavatamsa-vimana 7 Puskaravati-vijaya, (as the regions of the gods of 'Vimanavasi' class. It is interesting to note that he refers also to the semen 'Lokas'. 8 6 Of the Dvipas, Dhanapala specifically names only three, viz. Jambu-dvina, 鈻♀枲 Nandisvara-dvipa and 9 Dhataki-khanda, though the others are indirectly suggested. 3. Life in Ancient India as depicted in the Jain Canons,p.245. 4. Tilakamanjari, p.412(8). 5. ibid., p.154(9). 6. ibid.,p.412(5ff.). 7. ibid.,p.407016). 8. ibid., p.412(9).' 9. ibid.,pp.239(4); 407(13); 40(6); 409(4); 421(3); 409(13).

375 In the opinion of Mr. S. Muzafar Ali 10 the word 'Dvipa' originally signified a land bounded by water (ocean, sea, river, lake or by a combination of these) on all or three or two sides. Thus it was equally applied to an island, a peninsula or a 'doab' and later on it came to signify the territory of a nation or a human group. The names of the nine 'Dvipas' have been given by Ratnasekharasuri as Jambu, Dhataki, Puskara, Varuni, Ksara, Grta, Iksu, Nandisvara 11 and Aruna. The Puranic tradition admits of only seven 'Dvipas', viz. Jambu, Puskara, Saka, Salmali, Kusa, Plaksa and Kraunca. In the centre is the Jambu-dvipa, which is divided into seven Ksetras 12 or zones, viz. Bharata, Airavata, Hemavata, Hiranyavata, Harivarsa, Ramyaka and Videha. Of these Dhanapala has mentioned Bharata, Airavata, Hemavata 13 and Harivarsa ; each of these units is called 'yarsa' which, according to Hemacandra, is a synonym of 'Dvipa' 14 10. The Geography of the Puranas, pp.36-37. 11. Lxs, p.15, vss. 6 - 7: padhamo jambu bio 6-7: padhamo jambu bio ghayaisamdo a pukkharo tahao| varunavaro cahattho khikharom pamcamo di vo || 6 || anurupa ghayavaradivo chatto ikkhuraso santa mo . a atthamao | gamdisa ro a aruno, javamo iccai samkhijja || 7|| 12. Tattvartha-sutra of Umasvati, II 1,10: tamtra bharata hemavataharivideha ramyaka hairanyavattairavattavarsah ksetrani | Shri Laghu Ksetrasamasa or Jain Geography, p. 44, vss 23: bharaharevaya durga durgam ca hemavayarannavayakha harivasa rammayadugam majjhi videhutti sagamvasa || 23 || 13. Tilakamanjari,p.7(23);239(5);412(5);421(1);412(5);412(10ff.). 14. Anekartha-samgraha of Hemachandra,II,583: varsastu samadvipabda vrstisu |

376 Bounding these zones are six mountain ranges (Varsaparvatas), Viz., Himavat, Maha-himavat, Nisadha, Nila,Rukmin, and Sikharin. In the centre of Jambudvipa is located Meru, 16 also named Sumeru. Over and above these Dhanapala has also mentioned the frontier mountains (Varsanta-giri) of which two are named, viz., Saumanas and Vidyutprabha 17 and others are only suggested. Saudhrma-svarga is above the crest of Sumeru. In Jambudvipa there are thirty-four 18 Vijayardha mountains and each one of them has one hundred 19 ten cities of the Vidyadharas . There are natural eternal Jain temples on Meru, Gajadanta, Kulacala, Vaksara-giri, Vijayardha, Jambuvrksa and salmalivrksa.20 22 According to the Jainistic muthological view 21 Lavanasamudra surrounds Jambudvipa. Then comes the continent Dhataki-khanda which surrounded the Lavanasamudra and is twice in extent. Then we have the Kaloda ocean and then Puskara-dvipa. In the middle of Puskaradvipa is situated the mountain range Manusottara, referred to by Dhanapala as 'Manuja-lokacala' like a city-wall, which is the 23 15. Tilakamanjari, p. 412 (10) ; Tattvartha-sutra of Umasvati, III, 11: tadvibhajinah purvapasyata himavanmahahimavannisa dhanila rukmisikharino varsa gharaparvatah 1 16. ibid.,p.276(22拢f.);407(16);421(1). 17. ibid,,p.412(1L). 18. Padma-purana of Acharya Ravisena, III,31-37. 19. ibid., III,38-39. 20. ibid.,III,40-42. 21, Life in Ancient India as depicted in the Jain Canons,p.249. 22. Tilakamanjari,p.409(13). 23. ibid., p.411(14).

377 the ultima thule of the Human World. Thus, according to the Jain conception, the human world consists of two and a half continents, viz., Jambudvipa, Dhatakikhanda and 24 half of Puskaradvipa. surrounding the Puskaradvipa we have various other oceans and continents which are each twice as large as the preceding one. The eighth continent is Nandisvaradvipa which is described as land of the gods with beatiful gardens. Here are the eternal statues of the Arhats in the Siddhayatanas, which, according to 25 Dhanapala, exceed a hundred and seventy in number and which are frequented by the gods. The last continent is Svayambhuramana. Upto this point we are in the mythological world of fantacy. But with the above-mentioned two and a half Dvipas of the Human World we are firmly on the solid physical plane.