Rivers in Ramayana

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Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (Retd.)

Here are the sections in Ramayana dealing with Rivers.

Combined List of Rivers in Ramayana

Kishkindha Kanda Sarga 40

Kishkindha Kanda Sarga 40 of Ramayana The Empire of Holy Vanaras where Sugreeva orders vanara-s to search Sita in east under the leadership of Vinata, a mighty vanara. Sugreeva commissioning Vinata explains the topography and geography of Eastern side of the Jambudwipa, 'the Indian subcontinent,' and its eastward, comprising whole of South-East Asia. This is the first chronicle ever recorded about the lands and oceans, islands and dwellers in there, as far as Ancient Indian Geography is concerned.

19b, 20a."There in the East, the forests, mountains and impassable places shall be searched for the princess from Videha kingdom, namely Seetha, and even for the residency of Ravana. [4-40-19b, 20a]

The east side is not the east side of Kishkindha, but to the East of jambuu dviipa 'Indian subcontinent... inclusive of South-East Asia...' The meridian of the Saraswati Triveni - the confluence of rivers Ila, Bharati, and Saraswati - is still the prime meridian for Indian astronomers. The first observatory Ujjain Observatory is on this meridian. uddicya pascimottara× tasy˜× þar˜vaty˜× avadhe× ya× pascimotta× - sa uddicya iti ucyate Taking Ujjain, the place where one ancient river flowed circuitously in Central India, named Sharavati, as the centre of the country, the ancient astronomers have decided the quarters. So, Sugreeva said about the absolute east of India but not about the east of his small kingdom.

20b, 21, 22, 23. "Search shall be conducted at the riversides of heartening rivers like River Bhagirathi, another name for Ganga River, and Sarayu River, like that at Kaushiki River, and at the pleasing surrounds of Yamuna River, and on Mt. Kalinda, as well at Saraswati River, Sindhu River and at the river whose waters are lustrous like gems, namely Shona River, and further at Mahi River and Kalamahi River which rivers are brightened by mountains and forests surrounding them. And the kingdoms like Brahmamala, Videha, Malva, Kashi, and Kosala, and in Magadha, which kingdom has grand villages, and in that way, also in the kingdoms of Pundra and Anga, and in the countries of the kings called Koshakara, and in the provinces of silver mines search is to be conducted. [4-40-20b, 21, 22, 23]

The mention of these two western rivers, Saraswati River and Sindhu River, at this eastern place, to where Vinata is being sent, is a disputed matter. The River Saraswati is the river of Vedic period that once coursed but later disappeared or is coursing underground. This river is 'this creative centre of Man, River Saraswati, was made by the deva-s...' Rig Veda, 3.33.4, and 'all life takes its origin from your Saraswati womb... Rig Veda, 2-4, 9-17. Presently research work is undertaken to find out this river under the banner 'Saraswati Nadi Shodh Abhiyaan' and they are trying to find out the palaeodrainage, the buried course of this river. It is believed that this perennial river was flowing from Himalayas through Punjab, Haryana, Western Rajasthan, and through the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, and it is said that if this could be traced an abundant source of underground water could be established.

Likewise, the mention about Sindhu River at this place does not relate to westerly Indus River, because any river or rivulet is generally called Sindhu: deshe nada visheSe abdau sindhurnaa sariti striyaam - amara kosha. Sugreeva separately indicates Indus river at 15th verse, chapter 42: sindhu saagarayoH caiva sangame... Hence it is taken as another easterly river called Indusa.

So also the Mahi River as said in next verse, on which Griffith says that 'The Mahi River rises in Malwa, Malwa Plateau, Madhya Pradesh, and falls in the Gulf of Cambay after a westerly course of 280 miles...' But the Ancient Geography of India says that 'the mention of this river is out of place here and is probably due to erroneous transposition of the verses...'

It is generally accepted that many verses in these episodes of Sugreeva's narrating the geography are shuffled. The River Shona is present day Shon, and Kaushiki is Koshi, and she is the sister of Vishvamitra. That sage explains about the emergence of this river in Bala Kanda.

Videha is Mithila, the kingdom from where Sita came to Ayodhya, this and Anga kingdoms were roughly present West Bengal. Magadha is the famous post Buddhist period kingdom, ruling from present-day Bihar. Huen Tsong recorded that 'to the north of Magadha, River Ganga courses, to the west of it Kashi province is there, and in east Hiranyaparvata (Manghir) is there, and in south Kirana Suvarna (Singhbhum) is there... and its capital is Kusumapura (Pataliputra) present day Patna. Next, the word 'koshakara is literally a silkworm or one who makes scabbards or a lexicographer. It is also referred to the kings of these clans.

अधिगच्छ दिशम् पूर्वाम् स शैल वन काननाम् ।
तत्र सीताम् च वैदेहीम् निलयम् रावणस्य च ॥४-४०-१९॥
मार्गध्वम् गिरि दुर्गेषु वनेषु च नदीषु च ।
नदीम् भागीरथीम् रम्याम् सरयूम् कौशिकीम् तथा ॥४-४०-२०॥
कालिंदीम् यमुनाम् रम्याम् यामुनम् च महागिरिम् ।
सरस्वतीम् च सिंधुम् च शोणम् मणि निभ उदकम् ॥४-४०-२१॥
महीम् कालमहीम् चैव शैल कानन शोभिताम् ।
ब्रह्ममालान् विदेहान् च मालवान् काशि कोसलान् ॥४-४०-२२॥
मागधाम् च महाग्रामान् पुण्ड्रान् अंगाम् तथैव च ।
भूमिम् च कोशकाराणाम् भूमिम् च रजत आकराम् ॥४-४०-२३॥

Alphabetical list of Rivers:

Kishkindha Kanda Sarga 41

Sugreeva sends Vanaras to southward which troop includes Hanuman, Jambavanta, Nila and others and Angada is its leader. Sugreeva gives a vivid picture of the southern side of Jambudvipa up to the south-most part of passable regions...

8,9,10. "Search the thousand crested Vindhya mountains abounding with numerous tress and climbers, then the delightful Narmada River coursing a little southerly to that range, which is adored by great snakes, along with wonderful Godavari River, as well as River Krishnaveni and Maha Nadi, and then the greatly auspicious Varada River which is an adoration to great snakes. And the territories of Mekhala, Utkala, the cities of Dasharna, kingdoms of Abravanti, Avanti, and Vidarbha, also thus the charming kingdom of Mahihaka, are to be searched thoroughly. [4-41-10]

सहस्र शिरसम् विंध्यम् नाना द्रुम लता आयुतम् ।
नर्मदाम् च नदीम् रम्याम् महोरग निषेविताम् ॥४-४१-८॥
ततो गोदावरीम् रम्याम् कृष्णावेणीम् महानदीम्
वरदाम् च महाभागाम् महोरग निषेविताम् ।
मेखलान् उत्कलाम् चैव दशार्ण नगराणि अपि ॥४-४१-९॥
अब्रवंतीम् अवंतीम् च सर्वम् एव अनुपश्यत ।
विदर्भान् ऋष्टिकान् चैव रम्यान् माहिषकान् अपि ॥४-४१-१०॥

11, 12. "Like that Vanga, Kalinga territories shall be searched along with Kaushika territories available on their fringes, then cast about the Dandaka forest all over its mountains, rivers, and its caves, then River Godavari that courses through Dandaka forest, and then the provinces of Andhra, Pundra, Chola, Pandya, Kerala are to be searched thoroughly. [4-41-11, 12]

तथा वन्गान् कलिन्गाम्कौशिकान् च समंततः ।
अन्वीक्ष्य दण्डक अरण्यम् स पर्वत नदी गुहम् ॥४-४१-११॥
नदीम् गोदावरीम् चैव सर्वम् एव अनुपश्यत ।
तथैव आन्ध्रान्पुण्ड्रान्चोलान् पाण्ड्यान् केरलान् ॥४-४१-१२॥

14b, 15a. "From there you shall go and see the divine River Kaveri there, a receptacle of limpid waters, to where throngs of apsara-s will be making pleasure-trips. [4-41-14b, 15a]

ततः ताम् आपगाम् दिव्याम् प्रसन्न सलिलाशयान् ॥४-४१-१४॥
तत्र द्रक्ष्यथ कावेरीम् विहृताम् अप्सरो गणैः ।

17b, 18a. "She whose water is overlapped with amazing copses of sandalwood trees and islands that Tamrapani River will be drifting for a rendezvous with her much yearned lover, namely the ocean, as with a young woman who will be coursing to have a rendezvous with her yearned lover. [4-41-17b, 18a]

ताम्रपर्णीम् ग्राह जुष्टाम् तरिष्यथ महानदीम् ।
सा चन्दन वनैः चित्रैः प्रच्छन्ना द्वीप वारिणी ॥४-४१-१७॥
कान्ता इव युवती कान्तम् समुद्रम् अवगाहते ।

Alphabetical list of Rivers:

External links

References


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