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Geographical Aspects in Rigveda (ऋग्वेदोक्त भौगोलिकविषयाः) (view source)
Revision as of 23:31, 11 December 2021
, 23:31, 11 December 2021→Places in Rgveda
== Places in Rgveda ==
== Places in Rgveda ==
According to Shrikant Talageri, place-names directly or indirectly in the Rgveda can be classified into five basic geographical regions, from west to east, on the basis of present-day terminology:<ref name=":1" />
A. Afghanistan.
A. Afghanistan.
'''Afghanistan''': The ancient place-name for Kandahar (कन्धार) that we find in the Rigveda is Gandhari (गन्धारि), and this name is a only once in the whole of the Rigveda. There is a mention of the wool bearing sheep.<ref name=":6">Dvivedi, Kapil Dev. (2000) ''Vaidika Sahitya evam Samskrti (Vedic Literature and Culture).'' Varanasi: Vishvavidyalaya Prakashan. (Pages 252-255)</ref>
'''Afghanistan''': The ancient place-name for Kandahar (कन्धार) that we find in the Rigveda is Gandhari (गन्धारि), and this name is a only once in the whole of the Rigveda. There is a mention of the wool bearing sheep.<ref name=":6">Dvivedi, Kapil Dev. (2000) ''Vaidika Sahitya evam Samskrti (Vedic Literature and Culture).'' Varanasi: Vishvavidyalaya Prakashan. (Pages 252-255)</ref>
'''Punjab''': The geographical area covering the present-day Punjab is identified to be the Saptasindhu region mentioned in the Rigveda by many scholars. It is the land of the five rivers enclosed between two more rivers: the Indus in the west and the Sarasvati in the east.
'''Punjab''': The geographical area covering the present-day Punjab is identified to be the Saptasindhu region mentioned in the Rigveda by many scholars. It is the land of the five rivers enclosed between two more rivers: the Indus in the west and the Sarasvati in the east.<ref name=":1" />
'''Haryana''': There are many places in Kurukshetra referred to in the Rigvedic mantras. The references to Haryana are fairly distributed throughout the Rigveda, 6.1.2. refers to Agni being established at Ilaspada, more so 3.23.4 tells us the Devavaata, an ancestor of Divodasa, established Agni at that spot.<ref name=":1" />
'''Uttar Pradesh''': There are no direct references to any place in Uttar Pradesh, but the Anukramanis provide us with priceless clues. Suktas 9.96 and 10.179.2 are composed by Bharata rshi, who attributes his compositions to his remote ancestor, Pratardana. He uses the epithets of his ancestor: in 9.96, the epithet is DaivodasI (दैवोदासी) son or descendant of Divodasa and in 10.179.2 the epithet is Kasiraja (King of Kasi).
Pratardana was a ruler of Kasi, which is in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Shrikant Talageri, infers that the Bharata kings ruled over the land between Kashi in the east and Kurukshetra in the west.<ref name=":1" />
'''Bihar''': The most historically prominent part of ancient Bihar was Magadha, also known as Kikata (कीकट). While the word Magadha is not found in the Rigveda, the word Kikata is found in 3.53.14.<ref name=":1" /> Some scholars do not agree with this view and refer to Kikata as a place between the rivers Sutlej and Beas and is not Magadha.<ref name=":2" />
According to Pt. Baldev Upadhyaya,<ref name=":2" /> in the northwestern countries and the people we find the names Gandhari, Kambhoj, Kikata, Balhika, and Vahika.
* In Rigveda mantra (3.53.14) we learn that between Vipash (Beas) and Shutudri (Sutlej) rivers is a land where cows are found in plenty. That region was called as '''Kikata (कीकट)'''.
* In the Rigveda mantra (1.126.8) we find the term '''Gandhari (गन्धारि)''' referring to the famous place Gandhar. From a reference in the Chandogya Upanishad, we learn that Gandhar is a place far far away from where the Rigvedic people lived. As the settlements happened more towards the eastern regions, it is but natural that Gandhar would be far away for them. "गान्धारीणामिवाविका" refers to the beautiful haired (wooly) sheep that were famous in the Rigvedic times.<ref name=":2" /> The present Kandahar (कन्धार) is a vikriti form of Gandhar. In ancient times the region from Takshashila to Kabul was said to be Gandhar. This region also includes the cities Rawalpindi and Peshawar presently situated in Pakistan.<ref name=":6" />
== References ==
== References ==