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=== चतुःसमुद्राः ॥ Four Oceans ===

=== चतुःसमुद्राः ॥ Four Oceans ===

It is important to note that Rgvedic texts mention about the presence of a fourth sea in the northern region of India below the Himalayas. The following mantras mention the term '''"four seas (चतुःसमुद्राः)"'''<blockquote>रायः '''समुद्राँश्चतुरो'''ऽस्मभ्यं सोम विश्वत: । आ पवस्व सहस्रिण: ॥६॥ (Rg. Veda 9.33.6)</blockquote>Here Rshi Trita prays to Soma to help him bring the vast wealth found in the four seas.<ref name=":2">Upadhyaya, Baldev (1958) Vaidik Sahitya</ref><blockquote>स्वायुधं स्ववसं सुनीथं । '''चतुःसमुद्रं''' धरुणं रयीणाम् ॥ (Rg. Veda. 10.47.2)</blockquote>Rshi Saptagu prays to Indra that the treasures available in the four seas  may be bestowed on him to make him prosperous<ref name=":2" />.

It is important to note that Rgvedic texts mention about the presence of a fourth sea in the northern region of India below the Himalayas. The following mantras mention the term '''"four seas (चतुःसमुद्राः)"'''<blockquote>रायः '''समुद्राँश्चतुरो'''ऽस्मभ्यं सोम विश्वत: । आ पवस्व सहस्रिण: ॥६॥ (Rg. Veda 9.33.6)</blockquote>Here Rshi Trita prays to Soma to help him bring the vast wealth found in the four seas.<ref name=":2">Upadhyaya, Baldev (1958) Vaidik Sahitya</ref><blockquote>स्वायुधं स्ववसं सुनीथं । '''चतुःसमुद्रं''' धरुणं रयीणाम् ॥ (Rg. Veda. 10.47.2)</blockquote>Rshi Saptagu prays to Indra that the treasures available in the four seas  may be bestowed on him to make him prosperous.<ref name=":2" />

Dr. A. C. Das, points out that ascertaining the four seas in present times was not attempted with care, probably for the simple reason that there is only one sea to the south-west of Saptasindhu at the present time, namely, the Arabian sea, and it is difficult to identify the other three with any modern seas. The Bay of Bengal to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south of India are quite out of consideration, as it has been admitted by many scholars that people of those times did not go beyond the limits of Saptasindhu and were not acquainted with any land eastward or southward during Rgvedic times. However, it is clearly emphasized that merchants navigated the four seas in quest of wealth, in the mantra below<blockquote>ये अ॑स्या आ॒चर॑णेषु दध्रि॒रे स॑मु॒द्रे न श्र॑व॒स्यव॑: ॥३॥ (Rg. Veda. 1.48.3)<ref>Rgveda ([https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/rigveda/shakala-samhita/rigveda-shakala-samhitas-mandal-01-sukta-048/ Mandala 1 Sukta 48])</ref></blockquote>Geological evidence goes on to show that there were actually three seas on the three sides of Saptasindhu, i.e., the Eastern, the Western and the Southern and the fourth sea logically must have been somewhere on the north beyond the Himalayas. There is a mention that a deep trough (sea) did exist at the foot of the Himalayan range in ancient geological times as per Mr. Wadia (in his Geology of India book). This trough or sea lasted through long ages during which it was gradually filled up with alluvium into which were embedded the remains of a rich varied fauna "of herbivores, carnivores, rodents and of primates, the highest order of the mammals," brought down by the rivers and streams.  

Dr. A. C. Das, points out that ascertaining the four seas in present times was not attempted with care, probably for the simple reason that there is only one sea to the south-west of Saptasindhu at the present time, namely, the Arabian sea, and it is difficult to identify the other three with any modern seas. The Bay of Bengal to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south of India are quite out of consideration, as it has been admitted by many scholars that people of those times did not go beyond the limits of Saptasindhu and were not acquainted with any land eastward or southward during Rgvedic times. However, it is clearly emphasized that merchants navigated the four seas in quest of wealth, in the mantra below<blockquote>ये अ॑स्या आ॒चर॑णेषु दध्रि॒रे स॑मु॒द्रे न श्र॑व॒स्यव॑: ॥३॥ (Rg. Veda. 1.48.3)<ref>Rgveda ([https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/rigveda/shakala-samhita/rigveda-shakala-samhitas-mandal-01-sukta-048/ Mandala 1 Sukta 48])</ref></blockquote>Geological evidence goes on to show that there were actually three seas on the three sides of Saptasindhu, i.e., the Eastern, the Western and the Southern and the fourth sea logically must have been somewhere on the north beyond the Himalayas. There is a mention that a deep trough (sea) did exist at the foot of the Himalayan range in ancient geological times as per Mr. Wadia (in his Geology of India book). This trough or sea lasted through long ages during which it was gradually filled up with alluvium into which were embedded the remains of a rich varied fauna "of herbivores, carnivores, rodents and of primates, the highest order of the mammals," brought down by the rivers and streams.  

According to Dr. A. C. Das, geological evidence proves that such a sea did actually exist in ancient times, stretching from below the highlands of modern Turkestan towards Siberia on one side, and from the confines of Mongolia to the Black Sea, on the other, covering an immense area. This sea disappeared in comparatively recent geological times, leaving the Black Sea, the Sea of Aral, Lake Balkash, and an extensive depression low, dry and converted into steppes, as its remnants. The Black Sea was not at that time connected with the Mediterranean, and its western shores formed the Isthmus of Bosphorus linking Europe with Asia. On the confines of East Turkestan also there was in ancient times another immense Asiatic Mediterranean Sea, of which Lake Lobnor is the remnant. These stern geological facts are corroborated in Rgvedic mantras. We can see the effects of climate change reflected in the mantras and the disappearance of one of the four seas around the Sapta Sindhu, and the upheaval of a vast tract of arid desert in the South. Dr. Das's discussion about various geological evidences<blockquote>''"clearly proved the existence of the four seas mentioned in the Rgveda, round about the region, inhabited by the ancient Aryans, which included Sapta-sindhu on the south, Bactriana and Eastern Turkestan on the north, Gandhara on the west and the upper valleys of the Ganga and Yamuna on the east. The age of the Rgveda, therefore, must be as old as the existence of these four seas in ancient times."'' <ref name=":7" /></blockquote>The '''third sea''', according to '''Dr.''' '''A. C. Das''', once covered the area into which the Sarasvati river drained into, and which is now the sandy desert area of Rajasthan. P. L. Bhargava called this sea as the '''Sarasvat (सरस्वत् समुद्र) ocean'''. In Rigveda (1.164.52) it has been mentioned that Sarasvat river is filled with many medicinal properties and was the source of water for many lakes. In the sukta 7.96 the first three mantras are in praise of the Sarasvati river while the rest of the three mantras are a stuti to the Sarasvat sea. With many beautiful poetic comparisons the Sarasvat sea bears an important position during the Rigvedic times.<ref name=":4">Pt. Upadhyaya, Baldev. (2012 Second Edition) ''Samskrit Vangmay ke Brihad Itihas, Vol 1, Veda.'' Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Sansthan. (Pages 515-531)</ref> The husband-wife relationship of Sarasvat and Sarasvati is established even if Sarasvat (Sarasvan) is taken as the ocean and Sarasvati as the river of that name. In those ancient times, Sarasvati, the mightiest river is described to flow from mountains to ocean as follows<blockquote>एका॑चेत॒त्सर॑स्वती न॒दीनां॒ शुचि॑र्य॒ती गि॒रिभ्य॒ आ स॑मु॒द्रात् । (Rig. Veda. 7.95.2)<ref>Rigveda (Shakala Samhita) - [https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/rigveda/shakala-samhita-2/rigveda-shakala-samhita-mandal-07-sukta-095/ Mandala 7 Sukta 95]</ref></blockquote>Thus Sarasvat comes as the husband of Sarasvati. Sarasvat is called the source of water, of all plants, who delights all with rain. Sarasvan has close connection with river Sarasvati (Sukta 7.76).<ref name=":0" />

According to Dr. A. C. Das, geological evidence proves that such a sea did actually exist in ancient times, stretching from below the highlands of modern Turkestan towards Siberia on one side, and from the confines of Mongolia to the Black Sea, on the other, covering an immense area. This sea disappeared in comparatively recent geological times, leaving the Black Sea, the Sea of Aral, Lake Balkash, and an extensive depression low, dry and converted into steppes, as its remnants. The Black Sea was not at that time connected with the Mediterranean, and its western shores formed the Isthmus of Bosphorus linking Europe with Asia. On the confines of East Turkestan also there was in ancient times another immense Asiatic Mediterranean Sea, of which Lake Lobnor is the remnant. These stern geological facts are corroborated in Rgvedic mantras. We can see the effects of climate change reflected in the mantras and the disappearance of one of the four seas around the Sapta Sindhu, and the upheaval of a vast tract of arid desert in the South. Dr. Das's discussion about various geological evidences<blockquote>''"clearly proved the existence of the four seas mentioned in the Rgveda, round about the region, inhabited by the ancient Aryans, which included Sapta-sindhu on the south, Bactriana and Eastern Turkestan on the north, Gandhara on the west and the upper valleys of the Ganga and Yamuna on the east. The age of the Rgveda, therefore, must be as old as the existence of these four seas in ancient times."'' <ref name=":7" /></blockquote>The '''third sea''', according to '''Dr.''' '''A. C. Das''', once covered the area into which the Sarasvati river drained into, and which is now the sandy desert area of Rajasthan. P. L. Bhargava called this sea as the '''Sarasvat (सरस्वत् समुद्र) ocean'''. In Rigveda (1.164.52) it has been mentioned that Sarasvat river is filled with many medicinal properties and was the source of water for many lakes. In the sukta 7.96 the first three mantras are in praise of the Sarasvati river while the rest of the three mantras are a stuti to the Sarasvat sea. With many beautiful poetic comparisons the Sarasvat sea bears an important position during the Rigvedic times.<ref name=":4">Pt. Upadhyaya, Baldev. (2012 Second Edition) ''Samskrit Vangmay ke Brihad Itihas, Vol 1, Veda.'' Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Sansthan. (Pages 515-531)</ref> The husband-wife relationship of Sarasvat and Sarasvati is established even if Sarasvat (Sarasvan) is taken as the ocean and Sarasvati as the river of that name. In those ancient times, Sarasvati, the mightiest river is described to flow from mountains to ocean as follows<blockquote>एका॑चेत॒त्सर॑स्वती न॒दीनां॒ शुचि॑र्य॒ती गि॒रिभ्य॒ आ स॑मु॒द्रात् । (Rig. Veda. 7.95.2)<ref>Rigveda (Shakala Samhita) - [https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/rigveda/shakala-samhita-2/rigveda-shakala-samhita-mandal-07-sukta-095/ Mandala 7 Sukta 95]</ref></blockquote>Thus Sarasvat comes as the husband of Sarasvati. Sarasvat is called the source of water, of all plants, who delights all with rain. Sarasvan has close connection with river Sarasvati (Sukta 7.76).<ref name=":0" /> The ancient tradition which ascribes to Agasthya the extraordinary feat of sipping up the ocean dry, and depressing the top of the Vindhya hills in order to be able to go to the south pointed to the existence of a sea in Rajputana in Rgvedic times and even later.<ref name=":0" />

The '''fourth sea''', according to Pt. Baldev Upadhyaya, is called '''Sharyanavat (शर्यणावत् समुद्र).''' It has been mentioned along with the Paraavat (परावत्) and Arvaavat (अर्वावत्) seas (Rig. Veda. 9.64.22), thus considered as an sea. According to Hillebrandt, it is sea in the Kashmir region a remnant of which is the Wular sea in the present times. In the mantra 7.64.11, where Sharyanavat is referred along with the river Sushoma and as a place where the Soma creeper grows. Based on the association with Sushoma which is a northern tributary of the Indus river and as a place where Soma is found, it's location is inferred as the sea which is to the north of the Sindhu river.<ref name=":4" /> The term Sharyanavat finds a mention in Rigveda mantra 10.35.2 as follows<blockquote>दि॒वस्पृ॑थि॒व्योरव॒ आ वृ॑णीमहे मा॒तॄन्त्सिन्धू॒न्पर्व॑ताञ्छर्य॒णाव॑तः । (Rig. Veda. 10.35.2)</blockquote>According to Sayanacharya, Sharyanavat means the mountains of the lake Sharyanavat. According to him, Sharyanavat is a lake in the district of Kurukshetra. According to P.L. Bhargava, Sharyanavat is the mountain, which now surrounds the Kashmir valley.<ref name=":0" />

The '''fourth sea''', according to Pt. Baldev Upadhyaya, is called '''Sharyanavat (शर्यणावत् समुद्र).''' It has been mentioned along with the Paraavat (परावत्) and Arvaavat (अर्वावत्) seas (Rig. Veda. 9.64.22), thus considered as an sea. According to Hillebrandt, it is sea in the Kashmir region a remnant of which is the Wular sea in the present times. In the mantra 7.64.11, where Sharyanavat is referred along with the river Sushoma and as a place where the Soma creeper grows. Based on the association with Sushoma which is a northern tributary of the Indus river and as a place where Soma is found, it's location is inferred as the sea which is to the '''north of the Sindhu''' river.<ref name=":4" /> The term Sharyanavat finds a mention in Rigveda mantra 10.35.2 as follows<blockquote>दि॒वस्पृ॑थि॒व्योरव॒ आ वृ॑णीमहे मा॒तॄन्त्सिन्धू॒न्पर्व॑ताञ्छर्य॒णाव॑तः । (Rig. Veda. 10.35.2)</blockquote>According to Sayanacharya, Sharyanavat means the mountains of the lake Sharyanavat. According to him, Sharyanavat is a lake in the district of Kurukshetra. According to P.L. Bhargava, the Wular lake of Kashmir is the only remnant of a sea surrounded by mountains in that part. It is stated that the large lake occupying the valley of Kashmir was the Sharyanavat sea in the Rgvedic times. The Satisar and Dal lake in the Kashmir seem remnants of the vast Sharyanavat sea or the Northern sea.<ref name=":0" />

Thus, we see valuable geographical evidences in the Rgveda which have important bearings on humanity. It is time we delve deeper into the geological testimony which supports the vast antiquity of Rgveda stretching back to times immemorial.<ref name=":7" />

Thus, we see valuable geographical evidences in the Rgveda which have important bearings on humanity. It is time we delve deeper into the geological testimony which supports the vast antiquity of Rgveda stretching back to times immemorial.<ref name=":7" />

== References ==

== References ==