brahma

 

Essence Of
Brahma Purana

 

8    Bharata, the Unique Karma Bhumi in Jambudwipa & an outline of other Dwipas

The entire Bhuloka (Earth) was divided into seven major Territories viz. Jambu, Plaksha, Shyalma, Kusha, Krouncha, Shaka and Pushkara surrounded by Sapta Samudras  (Seven Seas) viz. Lavana (Salt), Ikshurasa (Sugar cane juice), Sura (wine), Ghrita (Classified Butter or Ghee), Dadhi (Curd), Dugdha (Milk) and Swadu Jala (Sweet Water). Prithvi is stated to have a lotus-like shape, each one of the angles situated with Sapta Parvatas (Seven Main Mountians) with Himavan, Hemakuta and Nishadha in South; Nila, Sweta and Shringvan in North,  in the Center  is Meru with a height of eighty four thousand yojanas, sixteen thousand yojanas of depth, thirty two thousand yojanas of circumference. Bharata Varsha, Kimpurasha and Hari Varshas are to the south of Meru; Ramyaka Varsha is in North; Bhadraswa in East; and Ketumala in West. In Jambu Dwipa, there is Bharata Varsha above the Sea and below the Himalaya called Bharati with a width of nine thousand yojanas; this is known as Karma bhumi where Swarga and Moksha are accessible to those who are desirous and deserving. There are seven major Kula Parvatas / mountains in Bharat viz. Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Shaktiman, Ruksha, Vindhya and Pariyatra: Atah sampraapyatey Swargey Mukti tasmaatpraapyati vai, Tirvaktam narakamchaapichaapi yam thyatah purushah Dwijaah/ Itah Swargamcha Mokshamcha Madhyechaantey cha gacchati, Na khalvanyatra martaanaam karmabhumau vidheeyatey/ (It is in this Bharata from where attainment of Swarga becomes possible not only for human beings but even Pashu-Pakshis (animals and birds) with; ‘Sakaama Sadhana’ or Endeavors while in the materialistic world one could reach Swarga, whereas Nishkama Sadhana could even secure Moksha (Salvation). But negative results might be accrued in performing sins and would attract Narakas besides getting sucked into the whirlpool of births and deaths. There is no other place in one’s life excepting in Bharata Varsha or the Karma Bhumi where such a possibility ever exists. Spread over an area of thousand yojans long from North to South, this hallowed land is divided into Nine Regions viz. Indra dwipa, Kasetutana  also known as ‘Upto Setu’, Tamravarna, Gabhastimaan, Nagadwipa, Soumya dwipa, Gandharwa dwipa, Varunadwipa and the Sea-surrounded ninth dwipa. To the east-ward of Bharata is the abode of Kiratas while the west-ward is of  Yavanaas; inhabitants of the Central Region are Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishyas and Sudras whose professions are Yagnas, Yuddha, Vanijya and Seva ( Sacrifices, Battles, Commerce and Trade and Service) respectively. In this Bharata, are of residents of Kuru,  Panchala, Madhya desha, Purvadesha, Kamarupa (Assam), Poundya, Kalinga (Orissa), Magadha, Dakshina Pradesha, Aparanta, Sourashtra (Kathiyavad), Abhira, Arbuda (Abu), Maru (Marvada), Malva, Pariyatra, Souveera, Sindhu, Shalva, Madra, Ambashtha, and Parasika. The Yugas of Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali are applicable only to Bharata Varsha and nowhere else. While Bharata is the Karma Bhumi practising Yagnas and Daanaas, compared to all other Countries in Jambu Dwipa are Bhoga / luxury-oriented. Atraapi Bharatam sreshtham Jambudwipey Maha Muney, Yatohi Karmabhuresha yatonyaa bhogamayah/ Atra Janmasahasraanaam Sahstrairapi Satthama, Yadacchillabatey Janturmaanushyam punyasanchayaat/ Gaayanti Devaah kila geetakaani dhanyaastu ye Bharata bhumibhaagey, Swargaapa-vargaaspada hetu bhutey bhavanti bhuyah Purushaa Manushyaah, armanya samkalpita tat phalaani samnasya VishnoParamaatmarupey/ (Bharata Varsha is the best of all the Places in Jambu Dwipa as the former is the Karma Bhumi compared to all other Deshas which are primarily pleasure-loving. It would be only after lakhs of births that one could secure a human life after storing considerable Punya; in fact, Devas sing hymns saying that those who take birth as human beings are blessed since they are born as Manavaas who had great opportunity to qualify to attain Swarga and Moksha by following a religious and disciplined life and by following Nishkaama Dharma or without strings of ‘Plalaapeksha’ or fruits of returns).


Plaksha Dwipa is double the size of Jambu Dwipa’s one lakh yojanas under the Chief called Mehatidikh who had seven sons and the Kingship was surrounded by Seven major Mountains and Seven Rivers with the traits typical of Treta Yuga. Its inhabitants pray to Bhagavan Vishnu in the form of Chandra Deva. Compared to the salty taste of Sea water between Jambudwipa and Plaksha Dwipa, the taste was of Ikshu in the of intermediate region of Plaksha and Shalmala whose Chief was Vapushman and the latters’s size was double that of Plaksha. Here again there are seven mountains with mines of jewels / precious stones and seven Rivers and in this Dwipa Lord Vishnu is prayed in the form of Vayu Deva. Like in Plaksha Dwipa, the inhabitants of Salmala too, Varnashrama is followed and the colours of persons in these Varnas are Kapila, Aruna, Peeta and Krishna are for Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras respectively. Sura Samudra earmarks the inter-region of Salmala and Kusha Dwipa whose size was double that of Salmala and Kusha’s King is Jyotishman and the inhabitants are human beings practicing Varanashrama as also Daityas, Danavas, Devatas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Kinnaras and a great mix of Brahma’s creation. They all pray to the Multi Faced Janradana. Ghrita Samudra (Classified Butter) partitions the Kusha and Krouncha Dwipas; the size of the Krouncha is double that of Kusha. Rituman is the King of Krouncha where again Varnashrama is observed and the counter-part Varnas are Pushkala, Pushkara, Dhanya and Khyata corresponding to Brahmanas etc. Rudra Swarupa Janardana is the Deity revered in this Dwipa. Between Krauncha and Shaka Dwipas is the Dadhimandoda Samudra and the King of Shaka is Mahatma Bhavya, again with Seven Mountains and Seven Major Rivers as also seven Princes, where Siddhas and Gandharvas inhabit. Maga, Mahadha, Manasa and Mandaga are the corresponding Chaturvarnas. All the inhabitants of this Dwipa pray to Surya Swarupi Vishnu. From Shaka to Pushkara, the intermediate Samudra is of Ksheera and Pushkara which is double of Shaka is size is headed by Stravana and since it is a huge Dwipa, the King divided it to Mahavira Varsha and Dhataki varsha and the sons of the King awarded the two in their names after the two parts under his over-all control. These territories are mainly inhabited by human beings who have longevity of ten thousand years, devoid of illnesses and worries and of jealousies, fears, egos and crookedness; these humans as superior as Devas and Daityas and they are all devoid of Varnashrama as all the inhabitants are of equal status. The dividing line of Pushkara is surrounded by sweet water atop of which is Lokaloka Parvata, beyond which is stated to be of complete darkness; in fact, the Border of Pushkara of ten thousand yojanas, there were neither species nor life.



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