Bull.lnd.Inst.Hist.Med. Vol. XXIX - /999 pp 93 10 102

THE GEOGRAPHICAL DATA OF THE KASYAPA SAMHITA

JYOTIR MITRA *

ABSTRACT

One of the parameters in ascertaining the date of the Kashyapa Samhita is the

data of geography referred to there in. Geography abounds various spheres like country,

province, city, river, mountain and sea. The whole geographical material is mentioned

in the chapter "Bhojana Kalpa" of the Kalpasthana, 22nd and 25th chapters of the

Khilasthana.

The present paper deals with the dataof geography referred to in the KiisyapaSamhitd. This attempt is one of theparameters in ascertaining the date of theabove compendium. Despite the two stratavarying from 2000 RC. to 1st century A.D.by Kasyapa (Marica), Vrddha Jlvaka andVatsya as expounder, compiler and redactorrespectively, it gives the glimpse of theseperiods. Geography abounds variousspheres like country (desa), province(janapada), city (nagara), river, mountainand sea.

In spite of incompleteness of the abovesamhitd, we come across an abundantmaterial provided by Vatsya. the redactorwhile Vrddha Jivaka, the compiler does notgive less material than the former. Thewhole geographical material is mentionedin the chapter entitled "Bhojanakalpa" ofthe Kalpasthdna, 22nd and 25th' chaptersof the Kh ila sthana.

COUNTY AND ITSTRADITIONAL DIVISIONS

Ancient India has five traditionaldivisions and probably our Kasyapa

Samhita had followed it but it is subject ofgreat regret that the description pertainingto east (piirva), south (daksina) and central(madhya) is explicitly available to us andabout the rest two divisions, i.e. north andwest, seems to be lost. Vatsya refers, firstof all, to the Madhya desa, i.e. central zoneof the country, with its capital Kuruksetrahaving the boundary of hundred yojanas(one yojana is equal to 14 Kms.). Itsinhabitants are depicted as homologus toall the six tastes and fond of all sorts offood with repeated frequency (Khil.. XXV.5,6). Under the eastern zone (purva de.5a)are mentioned the janapadas likeKumaravartinl. Kativarsa, Magadha,Rss ab ha dvlp a, Paundr avardhanaka,Mrttikdvardhamanaka, Karvata, Mdtanga,Taniralipta, Clra, Pr iyangu, Kosala,Kalinga and Prsthap uraka. We shallgeographically identify them while dealingthe janapadas. Vatsya informs that thesubject of the aforesaid regions are seenusually suffered from spleenomagaly andgoitre. Its inhabitants are said to behabituated to treacle (guda), Sali rice and

• Formerly Prof. & Head of Dept. Basic Principles Institute of Medical Sciences. B.H.U., 19, Gandhinagar,Naria, Varanasi (India).

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fish. They prefer to sweet taste andaccordingly belong to the prakriti of Vataand slesman (Khi., XXV. 7-9). Thejanapadas coming under the south zone(daksina dik) are Kahcipoda, Navadhvana,Kavira, Vardnasi, Kumudd rajya, Ciripali,Cira rdjya, Co (r) la, Pulinda, Karaghaia,Videha, Kantara, VarahaandAbhira(Khil.XXV. 12-14). Here nothing is traceableregarding the homologation and fondnessof the people belonging to these regions asthe further portion is lost. We shall alsodiscuss its identity in that context wherethe former would be dealt with.

FOREIGN COUNTRIES- -Cina & Apara Cina

Cina and Apara Cina both the namesoccur together in the Bhojanakalpa chapterof Kalpa sthana of the present Samhita.People, belonging to it, are advised to takean alkaline free food due to homologationas it quenches the thirst and increasesstrength, gives nourishment and makesfood relishable. It alleviates vata andregulates the functions of all the organsincluding those of the excreta and urine andultimately they feel themselves asnourished.

The name of Cina came historicallyinto vogue after Chin dynasty (221-207B.C.) and its earliest reference occures inthe Mahabhdrata (Sabhd , L 1.23). AparaCina seem to be modern Tibet as it adjoinsto China.

BahlikaIts inhabitants are described like that

ofcina and Apara Ci~a (Ibid). Its antiquitycan be dated back to the period ofAtharvaveda (V. 22.5,7,9) and Papini(V.3 .117). Geographers are confused about

Bull.Jnd.lnst.Hist,Med. Vol.XXIX - 1999

the identification ofBahlika. There are twoschools, among them, one opines on thebasis of epics, that it was located betweenthe rivers Beas and Satluj of Punjab andthe others place it outside India. Prof.Majumdar, discussing all the views,concludes that it can be identified withBactria (district round Balakh in northernAfghanistan beyond the HindukushMountain.

JANAPADASThe term janapada, signifying the

small independent states, does not appearat all in the Kasyapa Sathhita. It occuresin Caraka and Susruta.

Madhya Desa

As stated above, the Kasyapa Sarhhitamentions Madhya desa, at the outset ofgeographical description. This region wasbounded by the river Sar aswati inKuruksetra, Allahabad, the Himalaya andthe Vindhya. The Antraveda (doab ofGanga and Yamuna rivers) was includedin. The janapadas of Pahcala, Kuru,Matsya, Yaudheya, Patacchara, Kunti andSaurasena were included in Madhyadesaas suggests Garuda Purana (I, Ch.55).Except Patacchara and Kunti, all thejanapadas are mention in the KasyapaSamhita.

AngaIt is one of the sixteen janapadas of

ancient India and referred to by Paniniunder eastern janapadas. It comprisedBhagalpur including Monghyr. Its capitalwas Champa. It first appears in the Atharvaveda (V.I4). Kasyapa mentions it withother eastern regions like Bango etc. whoseinhabitants are regarded as fond offish, Salirice, oil, meat and acrid substances and its

The Geographical Data Of The Kasyapa Sathhitd - Jyotir Mitra

constant use liquifies the accumulatedslesman and makes man emaciated (Kalpa ..Bhoj., 49, 50).

Anupaka

It also occures with Ahga in theKasyapa Sarhhita, According to ancientgeographers, this has been identified withsouth Malwa. It was located about Nimaron Narmada river. Its capital wasMahismati.

Abhira

It is included under southern zone. Thesouth-eastern portion of Gujrat about themouths of Narmada was called Abhira theAbaria of the Greeks. Me Crindle statesthat the country of the Abhiras lay to theeast of the Indus where it bifurcates to formthe delta (Ptolemy, p. 140). TheBrahmdnda Purdna also says that the Indusflowed through the country of Abhiras,According to the Mahabh arata(Sabha., 31), the Abhlras lived near theseashore and on the bank of the Saraswati,a river near Somanath in Gujarat. Sir HenryElliot says that the country on the westerncoast of India from the TaptI to Devgarh iscalled AbMra. (Supplemental Glossary,Vol. I, pp.2,3). Mr. W.H. Schoff is ofopin ion that it is the southern part ofGujarat which contains Surat (Periplus ofthe Erythroen Sea, pp. 39). The Taratantrasays that the country of Abhira extendedfrom Konkana southward to the westernbank of the river Tapti (Ward's History,literature and Religion of the Hindus, Vol.l,p.559).

~~abha Dvipa

It is mentioned under the eastern zone(Khil., XXV. 7-9). But geographers locateit in south. It is neighbouring place near

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the Plini hills in madura which form thenorthern portion of the Malay mountain andits local name is Baraha.

Kativarsa

It is also mentioned under the easternzone and has been identified with Katawaregion under the Bardaman district ofBengal.

Karaghata

It is mentioned under the southern zoneand has been identified with modernKarada in the district of Satara inMaharashtra on the confluence of theKrishna and Koina about 70 Kms. northof Kolhapur.

Karvata

It is mentioned under the eastern zonebut has not been so far identified.According to Mahabharata (Sabha,XXX.24) it was one of the easternjanapadas won by Bhimasena.

Kalinga

It is one of the eastern janapadasmentioned by Kasyapa has been identifiedwith modem Orissa province. Actually itis a region lying to the south of Odra orOrissa and extending to the mouths of theGodavari.

Kasmira

Kasyapa (Kalpa,) mentions it withother janapadas and countries like Khasaand China respectively and its inhabitantsare depicted like those of China and AparaChina.

It is said to have been originallycolonised by Kasyapa whose hermitage isstill pointed out in the Hari mountain nearSrinagar. He gave his name to Kasgar andKasm ir, and to the people originally called

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Kassias or Kasas, Vi~l}u is said to haveincarnated in Kasmira as the fish (Matsya-avatara) and bound the ship (nau) (intowhich form Durga had covered herself tosave the creatures from descruxtion in thegreat deluge) to the westernmost andhighest of the three snowy peaks situatedto the west of Banihal pass in the easternportion ofthe Pir Panchal range; hence thispeak is called Naubandhana tirtha. It is theNavaprabhramsana of the Atharv!lveda andthe Manoravasarpana of the SatapathaBrahrnarja. At the foot ofthis peak is theKramasara lake (now called Konsarang)which marks a foot step ofVisnu (Satapathaand Mahabharata). Visnu is also said tohave incarnated as the boar (Varaha-avatara) at Baramula, 50 Kms fromSrinagara on the right bank of Jhelum river.Kasrn ir once formed a part of Kingdom ofGandhara (Jataka).

Kancipada

It is mentioned under the south zone.Kanjivaram, the modem city of Tamilnaduhas been identified with it.

Kantara

It is mentioned under the southernzone. It is now comprised a great part ofAurangabad and southern Konkana. Itscapital was Tagara modem Daulatabad.

Kavira

Mentioned under the southern region,it seems to be the adjoining region of riverKaveri. Rajasekhara has mentioned it inhis work.

KaslKasl is also mentioned herewith

Pundra, Anga and Banga (Kalp.). The firstreference to Kasr is in the Atharvaveda

Bull./nd.Inst.Hist,Med. Va/.xXIX - 1999

(Paippalada recension, XIII. I. 12), wherea magician directs the fever of his patientto KasC Gandhara and Nagadha. In vedicperiod, Kasi was already known as anestablished janapada. At the time ofAtharvaveda, it formed the south-eastextrimity of the then Aryan settlements.The Brahmanic texts such as Satapatha(XIII.5.4. 19-22) and Samkhyayana (XVI.29.5) reveal indirectly vedic culture ashaving pervaded Kasl and the adjoiningterritories. The Bjhadaranyaka Upanisad(II.I.I.) also refers to Kasi~ Kas"( was thename of the Kingdom of which Varanasiwas the capital

Kumaravartanl

The Kasyapa Sarhhita mentions itunder the eastern zone and it has beenidentified with the adjoining region ofRewa of Madhya Pradesh.

Kumuda Rajya

It comes under the southern region. Itcan be identified with Kongoda situated inOrissa from where Mahanadi originates.

Kuru

Kuru is mentioned (Kalp.) withPancala and other japapadas. It wasextended from Hastinapur of Meerut uptoIndraprastha of Delhi.

Kiriita

Kasyapa has described it as one of theJanapadas along with Bang. It has beenidentified with modern Nagaland situatednear Assam. The well known plantKiratatikta also comes from this place.

Kosala

It has been described with the aforesaidjanapadas. It reminds modern Ayodhyaregion. It was divided into two kingdoms

The Geographical Data Of The Kasyapa Samhitd - Jyotir Mitra

called north Kosala (comprising thedistricts of Gonda and Baharaich) with itscapital Sravasti and south Kosala with itscapital Ayodya. At the time of Buddha, itwas powerful Kingdom which includedVaranasi and Kapilavastu. But about 300B.C. it was absorbed into Magadhakingdom.

Khasa

Khasa is mentioned along with Chinaand Kashmir. The country of the Khasawas on the south of Kashmir and extendedfrom Kishtvar in the south east to theVitasta in the west and it included the hillstates of Rajpuri and Lohara. The Khasa isidentical with the present Khakha.

Cira

Kasyapa Sarhhita has mentioned itunder the southern zone. It comprisedmodern Mysore, Coimbatore, Salem, southMalabar, Travancore and Cochin, Cira is acorruption of Kerala.Clripal]

It is mentioned under southern zoneand is identical with modern TrichinapalliofTamilnadu.Cor(L) A.

It occures with the above under thesouthern zone. It is now situated on thebanks of the Kaveri and said to cover thesouthern portion of Karnataka.

Tamralipta

It has been described under the easternzone and was well reputed seaport identicalwith Tamluk under the Medinipur districtof Bengal.

Dasarna

It is also mentioned with Matsya andsurasena. It was the Janapada through

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which flows the river Dahasan (dasarna).It was eastern part of Malwa, its Capitalbeing vidisha, situated on the betwa(vetrawati) river.

Dravida

It is mentioned under the Southernzone. It was the name of the Japapada southof the wild tract between the Krishna andthe Polar.Daseraka

It is also mentioned with Bahlika whichreminds us the Marwar region of Rajasthan.

PaticalaParicala has been mentioned by

Kasyapa along with Kuru and otherjanapadas (Kalp.,). Originally Paricala wasthe janapada north and east of Delhi, fromthe foot of the Himalayas to the riverChambal, and Ganga divided it into northand south. It roughly corresponds to themodern Badayun, Farukkhabad andadjoining district of U .P. Its north capitalwas Kampilaya known as Kampil.

PUI]~ra

&Paundravardhanka

Kasyapa Sarhhita hasreferred to it with Kasland other eastern janapadas. Both areregarded one. The name of Pundra firstappears in the Aitareya Brahmana.According to Pargiter Pundra and Paundrawere two different countries, and theformer comprised the district. of Malada,portion of Purnia to the east of the riverKosi and part of Dinajpur and Rajshah i ofBangia Desh.

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Pulinda

Pulinda has been mentioned by Vatsyain the southern zone. According togeographers, it included the westernportion of Bundelkhanda and the districtof Sagar. The Taratantra says that Pulindalies to the east ofSylhet and to the north ofKamrupa. Sm ith opines that it was situatedon the bank of Narmada in middle ofVindhya.

PrHhapuraka

Vatsya has mentioned It In easternzone. Thisjanapada was extended betweenGodavari and Mahanadi and modernKaraput of Orissa rem inds us its location.No detailed account is available in thisregard elsewhere.

Pau~~ravardhanaka

Vatsya has mentioned it in the easternzone.

Priyangu

It is also mentioned in the eastern zone.It has not been so far identified by theancient geographers.

Banga

It has been shown by Kasyapa alongwith other janapadas like Arigaka etc. It issomehow modem Bengal but is applied toonly the eastern portion of the delta of theGariga as Upabanga as to the centre of thisterritory and Arigaka to its western limit.According to Dr. Bhau Daji, Banga was thecountry between the Brahmaputra and thePadrna rivers. It was a country seperatedfrom PU~9ra, Sumha and Tamralipta at thetime of Mahabharata (Sbha, ch.29). Barigawas divided into five portions: (i) PUIJ~raor north Bariga, (i i) Samatata or east Bariga,(iii) Kama Suvarna or west Bariga, (iv)

Bull.Ind.Inst.Hist.Med. Va/.xXIX - 1999

Tarnra l ipta or South Bariga and (V)Kamrupa.Magadha

It is included under the eastern zoneby Vatsya. Magadha was south Bihar andits western boundary was Son river. Itsnames first appears in the Atharvaveda(V.22.14), modern Rajgir was its capital.The people of neighbouring districts stillcall the districts of Patna and Gaya by thename of Maga.

Matsya

The name ofMatsyajanapada appearsalong with those of Dasarna and Sllrasena(Kalp.) This can be identified with theterritory of Jaipur which included the wholeof the present territory of Alwar with aportion of Bharatapur. It was the kingdomof Raja Virata of the Mahabharata whereYudhishthira and his brothers resided incongnition during the last of theirbanishment. Modern Baorata is situated inJaipur now.

Mal}icara

Kasyapa Sarhhita has included it alongwith Paricala and Kosala, a neighbouringplace of Poona near Jejuri where the twoAsura brothers Malia and Malli molestedthe Brahmanas and theY,killed byKhandoba an incarnation of Siva. Somegeographers identify it with Manikarnasituated in Kullu valley.

Matafiga

It has been included under the easternzone by Vatsya and its location has beensaid to the south east of Kamarupa inAssam, celebrated for its diamond mines.

The Geographical Data Of The Kasyapa Sathhitd - Jyotir Mitra

Mrttikavardharnanaka

Included under the eastern regions,Mrttikavardhamanaka is identical with thedistrict of Burdamana of Bengal.Rarnana

Rarnana is mentioned along withBahlika and Daseraka. Prof. Sylvan Levi,pronouncing it as Ramatha, locates itbetween Gazni and Wakhan (J.A., 1918,p.12S).

Vasatija

Kasyapa has mentioned it along withSindhu and Kashmir. Me Grindle, on thebasis of Hemacandra's Abhidhana Kosa,places it between the Indus and the Jhelum(Invasion ofIndia, p.IS8 n.). It comprisedthe district of Rawalpindi of modernPakistan.

Varaha

Vatsya mentions it under the southernzone. Due to location in southward, it maybe identical with Barar region ofMaharastra.

Vanasi

Vatsya has mentioned it under thesouthern zone and during the Buddhistperiod the north Kanara was called by thisname. According to Buhler, it was situatedbetween the Ghats., the Tungabhadra andthe Vardha rivers (Intr. to Vikramankadevacarita, p.34, n.).

Vipa!a

Since it is juxtaposed with Sindhu, itseems to be located in the north region ofIndia and adjoining the place of river Beas(Vipasa) may be identified with it.,Satasara

It is also included with Bahlika and

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Daseraka, The vally of Satluj (Satadru)river may be identified with it.,Surasena

It has been described by Kasyapa alongwith the janapadas of Matsya and Dasarna,It was lying north to Matsya and Mathurawas the capital of this kingdom (Harivarnsaand Bharat Samhita). Sura, the father ofVasudeva and Kunti gave his name to theJanapada of which he was the king.

Saraswata

Persons residing in the valley ofSaraswati river are called Saraswatas andthey are mentioned by Kasyapa along withSindhu and Sauvira. We shall discuss theoriginating and merging place of the riverSaraswati while dealing with the rivers.

Sindhu

Sindhu is mentioned along withSaraswata and Sauviraka by Kasyapa. It isa modern Sind province of Pakistan.

Sauviraka

It is also mentioned with Sindhu andKuru janapadas in Kasyapa Samhita.Panini has mentioned it (V. 1.18). It hasbeen identified by Cunningham with Eder,a district in the province of Gujarat whichwas Badari of the Buddhist period at thehead of the gulf of Kambay. Actually itwas situated between the rivers Indus andJhelum and was spread upto Multan ofPakistan.

Harttapada

Kasyapa has mentioned, Haritapadaafter the Kosala and before Surasena. Itcan be identified with Ekaliriga, situated ina defile about 10 Kms. of Udaipur inRajasthana._ Here was situated the heritageof sage Harita.

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CITIES

Among the cities, we come across tonames of a few cities mentioned in theKasyapa Sarrlhita, Kuruksetra(KhiI.XXV.5) has been depicted as situatedin Madhya desa, Vrddha Jivaka had takena dip into Ganga at Kanakhala (Kalp.X11.22) near Hardwar in order to prove hisprudence and attain the authority. Naimisais the modern Nimsar, at a short distancefrom the Nimsar station of N.E. Railwayand 30 Kms. from Sitapur and 80 Kms. tothe north west of Lucknow. It was theabode of the sages on the bank of Homatiriver where several Pauranic works werecomposed. The city named Pattaqa (itselfof synonym of city) occures with Kalirigand river Narmada (Kalp.) and it seems tobe Prabhasa Pattana near Verawal inGujarat. Inhabitants of this city aredepicted to be the fond of Gruel (peya) andthey are homologous to Kangu, Adhaki,Yavaka, gram, peas and scum. (Kalp.Bhoj.,51,52).

MOUNTAINS

Directly only two mountains arereferred to in the Kasyapa Samhita, andthey are Sisiradri and Purva Saila signifyingthe Himalayas and Mahendragiri of Orissarespectively. (Kalp., bhoj., 41,49).

RIVERS

Saraswati, Ganga and Narmada areexplicitly\y mentioned in the KasyapaSarnhita. but rivers falling down to Bay ofBengal (praksrta) and Arabian sea

Bull.lnd. Inst. Hist.Med. Val.xXIX - /999

(Praticiga) are said along with t h e irproperties. Water of the eastward rivers isregarded as alkaline, allayer of slesrnan andprovoker of Pitta while the water ofwestward rivers is supposed to be light,provoker of vata and alJayer of kapha(KhiI.XXIV).

Saraswati

This river rises in the hill in Sirmur andemerges into aditirtha. It lost itself in thesand ata place called Chamasod. The threeSaraswaties of the Atharvaveda are theHemlend in eastern Afghanistan, the Indusin Pakistan and the Saraswati in kuruksetra.

Ganga

Kanakhala is depicted as situated onthe bank of ganga in which our Jivaka tookthe dip. It rises in the Himalayas, it appearsnear Gangotri in Garhwal and comes downfrom the hill at Rishikesh and runs throughU.P. Bihar and Bengal and discharges itswaters into the Bay of Bengal.

Narmada

It rises in the Arnarakantaka range andfalls into the gulf ofCambay near Baroach(ancient Bhrgukaccha).

SEA

Piirva Samudra and Pascima Samudrais explicitly mentioned denoting to Bay ofBengal and Arabian sea respectively. Themention of Sagara somehow indicates theIndian ocean.

The Geographical Data Of The Kasyapa Samhitd - Jyotir Mitra 101

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