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Dvipa

Dvipa (Sanskrit: द्वीप, lit.'island', IAST: Dvīpa)[1] is a term in Hindu cosmography. The Puranas describe a dvipa to be one of the seven islands[2] or continents that are present on earth, each of them surrounded by an ocean.[3] The same terminology is also used to refer to the seven regions of the cosmos.[4][5]

In the geocentric model of Hinduism, the seven dvipas are present around Mount Meru, which is present at the centre of Jambudvipa,[6] the term employed for the Indian subcontinent.[7] Dvipa is also sometimes used to refer to the abodes of deities, such as Manidvipa.[8]

Etymology edit

The word dvipa is a portmanteau of the Sanskrit words dvī (two) and apa (water),[9] meaning "having water on two sides".[10] It is cognate with the Young Avestan 'duuaēpa', which means the same.[11]

Description edit

According to the Matsya Purana and the Bhagavata Purana, the world is divided into seven dvipas, termed as the sapta-dvīpa (the seven islands).[12] The Mahabharata names the following as the seven islands of the world:[13]

Name Ocean Etymology
Jambudvīpa Lavaṇoda Syzygium cumini
Plakṣadvīpa Ikṣurasa Ficus religiosa
Śālmaladvīpa Suroda Bombax tree
Kuśadvīpa Ghṛta Desmotachya bipinnata
Krauñcadvīpa Kṣīroda The Krauñca hill
Śākadvīpa Dadhi Teak
Puṣkaradvīpa Jala Lotus

The British author Benjamin Walker offers the following description of the dvipas:[14]

Beneath the celestial regions, the earth is arranged in these seven concentric rings of island continents.

  • Jambudvipa is the innermost of these island continents, shaped like a disc. The earth rests upon the head of Shesha, the cosmic serpent, who is himself supported by the tortoise named Akupara, who is supported by the Ashtadiggajas, the eight celestial elephants that stand on the shell of Brahmanda.
  • Plaksha is the second of the ring-shaped continents, surrounded by a sea of sugarcane juice.
  • Shalmala is the third of the ring-shaped continents, surrounded by a sea of wine.
  • Kusha is the fourth of the ring-shaped continents, surrounded by a sea of clarified butter (ghee).
  • Krauncha is the fifth of the ring-shaped continents, surrounded by a sea of curds.
  • Shaka or Shveta is the sixth of the ring-shaped continents, whose shores are surrounded by a sea of milk.
  • Pushkara is the seventh of the ring-shaped continents, surrounded by a huge circular sea of freshwater.

Bordering the outermost sea is a land named Lokāloka, which separates the known world from the world of darkness. This realm comprises a range of mountains ten thousand yojanas high. The shell of the cosmic egg known as Brahmanda lies beyond this darkness, cradling all of creation.

Literature edit

Brahma Purana edit

The Brahma Purana describes the sapta-dvīpa as such:[15]

O brahmins, there are seven continents viz—Jambū, Plakṣa, Śālmala, Kuśa, Krauñca, Śāka and Puṣkara. These are encircled by seven oceans, the briny ocean, sea of the sugarcane juice, wine, ghee, curds, milk and sweet water. The Jambūdvīpa is situated in the middle. In its centre, O leading brahmins, is the Meru the mountain of gold.

— Chapter 16

Chaitanya Charitamrita edit

The Bengali text Chaitanya Charitamrita, written c. 1557, describes the concept in the following manner:[16]

"The "planets" are called dvīpas.
Outer space is like an ocean of air.
Just as there are islands in the watery ocean,
these planets in the ocean of space are called dvīpas, or islands in outer space"
— Chaitanya Caritamrita Madhya 20.218, Purport

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Hazra, Rajendra Chandra (1975). Studies in the Purāṇic Records on Hindu Rites and Customs. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. p. 81. ISBN 978-81-208-0422-7.
  2. ^ Sears, M.; Merriman, D. (2012-12-06). Oceanography: The Past: Proceedings of the Third International Congress on the History of Oceanography, held September 22-26, 1980 at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA on the occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the founding of the Institution. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 782. ISBN 978-1-4613-8090-0.
  3. ^ Shastri, J. L. (2014-01-01). The Siva Purana Part 3: Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology Volume 3. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 1151. ISBN 978-81-208-3870-3.
  4. ^ Warrier, Shrikala (December 2014). Kamandalu: The Seven Sacred Rivers of Hinduism. MAYUR University. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-9535679-7-3.
  5. ^ Schnepel, Burkhard; Alpers, Edward A. (2017-10-30). Connectivity in Motion: Island Hubs in the Indian Ocean World. Springer. p. 352. ISBN 978-3-319-59725-6.
  6. ^ Taylor, W. Munro (1870). A Hand-book of Hindu Mythology and Philosophy: With Some Biographical Notices. Higginbotham and Company. p. 76.
  7. ^ Ray, Himanshu Prabha (2020-11-18). The Archaeology of Knowledge Traditions of the Indian Ocean World. Taylor & Francis. p. 53. ISBN 978-1-000-22067-4.
  8. ^ Campbell, Joseph (2020-11-06). The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Joseph Campbell Foundation. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-61178-032-1.
  9. ^ Suarez, Thomas (2012-08-07). Early Mapping of Southeast Asia: The Epic Story of Seafarers, Adventurers, and Cartographers Who First Mapped the Regions Between China and India. Tuttle Publishing. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-4629-0696-3.
  10. ^ Thompson, Richard L. (2007). The Cosmology of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa: Mysteries of the Sacred Universe. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. p. 20. ISBN 978-81-208-1919-1.
  11. ^ Vaan, Michiel de. 2008. Etymological dictionary of Latin and the other Italic languages. Leiden: Brill. p.19.
  12. ^ Klostermaier, Klaus K. (1994-08-30). A Survey of Hinduism: Second Edition. State University of New York Press. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-4384-0933-7.
  13. ^ Mahabharata 6.604
  14. ^ Walker, Benjamin (2019-04-09). Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In Two Volumes. Volume I A-L. Routledge. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-429-62465-0.
  15. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2018-03-17). "Seven Continents (sapta-dvīpa) [Chapter 16]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  16. ^ Thompson, Richard L. (2004). Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 72. ISBN 978-81-208-1954-2.

dvipa, sanskrit, island, iast, dvīpa, term, hindu, cosmography, puranas, describe, dvipa, seven, islands, continents, that, present, earth, each, them, surrounded, ocean, same, terminology, also, used, refer, seven, regions, cosmos, geocentric, model, hinduism. Dvipa Sanskrit द व प lit island IAST Dvipa 1 is a term in Hindu cosmography The Puranas describe a dvipa to be one of the seven islands 2 or continents that are present on earth each of them surrounded by an ocean 3 The same terminology is also used to refer to the seven regions of the cosmos 4 5 In the geocentric model of Hinduism the seven dvipas are present around Mount Meru which is present at the centre of Jambudvipa 6 the term employed for the Indian subcontinent 7 Dvipa is also sometimes used to refer to the abodes of deities such as Manidvipa 8 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Description 3 Literature 3 1 Brahma Purana 3 2 Chaitanya Charitamrita 4 See also 5 ReferencesEtymology editThe word dvipa is a portmanteau of the Sanskrit words dvi two and apa water 9 meaning having water on two sides 10 It is cognate with the Young Avestan duuaepa which means the same 11 Description editAccording to the Matsya Purana and the Bhagavata Purana the world is divided into seven dvipas termed as the sapta dvipa the seven islands 12 The Mahabharata names the following as the seven islands of the world 13 Name Ocean Etymology Jambudvipa Lavaṇoda Syzygium cumini Plakṣadvipa Ikṣurasa Ficus religiosa Salmaladvipa Suroda Bombax tree Kusadvipa Ghṛta Desmotachya bipinnata Krauncadvipa Kṣiroda The Kraunca hill Sakadvipa Dadhi Teak Puṣkaradvipa Jala Lotus The British author Benjamin Walker offers the following description of the dvipas 14 Beneath the celestial regions the earth is arranged in these seven concentric rings of island continents Jambudvipa is the innermost of these island continents shaped like a disc The earth rests upon the head of Shesha the cosmic serpent who is himself supported by the tortoise named Akupara who is supported by the Ashtadiggajas the eight celestial elephants that stand on the shell of Brahmanda Plaksha is the second of the ring shaped continents surrounded by a sea of sugarcane juice Shalmala is the third of the ring shaped continents surrounded by a sea of wine Kusha is the fourth of the ring shaped continents surrounded by a sea of clarified butter ghee Krauncha is the fifth of the ring shaped continents surrounded by a sea of curds Shaka or Shveta is the sixth of the ring shaped continents whose shores are surrounded by a sea of milk Pushkara is the seventh of the ring shaped continents surrounded by a huge circular sea of freshwater Bordering the outermost sea is a land named Lokaloka which separates the known world from the world of darkness This realm comprises a range of mountains ten thousand yojanas high The shell of the cosmic egg known as Brahmanda lies beyond this darkness cradling all of creation Literature editBrahma Purana edit The Brahma Purana describes the sapta dvipa as such 15 O brahmins there are seven continents viz Jambu Plakṣa Salmala Kusa Kraunca Saka and Puṣkara These are encircled by seven oceans the briny ocean sea of the sugarcane juice wine ghee curds milk and sweet water The Jambudvipa is situated in the middle In its centre O leading brahmins is the Meru the mountain of gold Chapter 16 Chaitanya Charitamrita edit The Bengali text Chaitanya Charitamrita written c 1557 describes the concept in the following manner 16 The planets are called dvipas Outer space is like an ocean of air Just as there are islands in the watery ocean these planets in the ocean of space are called dvipas or islands in outer space Chaitanya Caritamrita Madhya 20 218 PurportSee also editJambudvipa Manidvipa Shakadvipa Kshira SagaraReferences edit Hazra Rajendra Chandra 1975 Studies in the Puraṇic Records on Hindu Rites and Customs Motilal Banarsidass Publishers p 81 ISBN 978 81 208 0422 7 Sears M Merriman D 2012 12 06 Oceanography The Past Proceedings of the Third International Congress on the History of Oceanography held September 22 26 1980 at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole Massachusetts USA on the occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the founding of the Institution Springer Science amp Business Media p 782 ISBN 978 1 4613 8090 0 Shastri J L 2014 01 01 The Siva Purana Part 3 Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology Volume 3 Motilal Banarsidass p 1151 ISBN 978 81 208 3870 3 Warrier Shrikala December 2014 Kamandalu The Seven Sacred Rivers of Hinduism MAYUR University p 18 ISBN 978 0 9535679 7 3 Schnepel Burkhard Alpers Edward A 2017 10 30 Connectivity in Motion Island Hubs in the Indian Ocean World Springer p 352 ISBN 978 3 319 59725 6 Taylor W Munro 1870 A Hand book of Hindu Mythology and Philosophy With Some Biographical Notices Higginbotham and Company p 76 Ray Himanshu Prabha 2020 11 18 The Archaeology of Knowledge Traditions of the Indian Ocean World Taylor amp Francis p 53 ISBN 978 1 000 22067 4 Campbell Joseph 2020 11 06 The Hero with a Thousand Faces Joseph Campbell Foundation p 145 ISBN 978 1 61178 032 1 Suarez Thomas 2012 08 07 Early Mapping of Southeast Asia The Epic Story of Seafarers Adventurers and Cartographers Who First Mapped the Regions Between China and India Tuttle Publishing p 33 ISBN 978 1 4629 0696 3 Thompson Richard L 2007 The Cosmology of the Bhagavata Puraṇa Mysteries of the Sacred Universe Motilal Banarsidass Publishers p 20 ISBN 978 81 208 1919 1 Vaan Michiel de 2008 Etymological dictionary of Latin and the other Italic languages Leiden Brill p 19 Klostermaier Klaus K 1994 08 30 A Survey of Hinduism Second Edition State University of New York Press p 120 ISBN 978 1 4384 0933 7 Mahabharata 6 604 Walker Benjamin 2019 04 09 Hindu World An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism In Two Volumes Volume I A L Routledge p 254 ISBN 978 0 429 62465 0 www wisdomlib org 2018 03 17 Seven Continents sapta dvipa Chapter 16 www wisdomlib org Retrieved 2021 10 18 Thompson Richard L 2004 Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy Motilal Banarsidass Publ p 72 ISBN 978 81 208 1954 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dvipa amp oldid 1206423212, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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