A region located in Central India. Even though the name Atharva is mentioned in Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa (Markandeyapurana), the other Purāṇas refer to this land occasionally as Āvanta (Avanta), or as Arvuda or even as Atharvā (Atharva). According to D.C.Sircar, Atharva is another variation of Avantī (Avanti).

In Sabhāparva(Sabhaparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), in course of describing the sabhā(sabha; court or assembley) of Varuṇa (Varuna, the god of water) Nārada(Narada) describes the major rivers present there. The name of one such river is Ātreyī(Atreyi), who has a special position in the court of Varuṇa. This river is mentioned along with Lauhitya or Brahmaputra. […]

A place of pilgrimage located in Himālaya (Himalaya; the Himalayas).  This holy place is also famous as a shrine suitable for performing the funeral rites of the manes. Performing last rites of one’s ancestors and giving away things in charity at this holy site earns one great puṇya (punya).  There is also a shrine called Aṭṭahāsa in […]

Auṣṭrakarṇa (Aushtrakarna) is a locality situated on the bank of the river Hlādinī (Hladini). The branch of Lohitya or Brahmaputra, flowing eastward is known as Hlādinī. Scholars think that the high flow of modern Brahmaputra is that very branch, and the site called Auṣṭrakarṇa was located by the river Brahmaputra in Eastern Himālaya (Himalaya). [See […]

Avantī was the capital of Indradyumna, king of Mālava (Malava). This is called the best city on earth. The sacred river Śiprā (Sipra) flows across the place. Śrī Hari (Sri Hari) resides here as Govindasvāmī (Govindaswami). In Purāṇa(Purana; Mythological Scriptures), we get a long description of Avantī (Avanti). The inhabitants of this beautiful, rich and […]

Āvravantī(Avravanti) is the name of a locality mentioned in Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana). Sugrīva(Sugriva) instructed the Vānara (Vanara), who were sent towards the south in search of Sītā, to visit this place as well, for the said purpose. Scholars consider that Āvravantī (Avravanti) as mentioned in Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana), and the placed named Ākara (Akara), found in Vṛhatsaṁhitā […]

The birthplace of the famous Rāmacandra (Ramacandra), also the place of his many deeds, and the land of Ādikavi (Adikavi) Vālmīki’s conception. In Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana), Kośala (Kosala) is described as a rich land, situated on the southern bank of Sarayū (Sarayu). The capital of this Kośala was Ayodhyā (Ayodhya). Rāmacandra (Ramachandra) ruled Ayodhyā. Manu, lord of […]

Ekaparvata is an ancient mountain. Kṛṣṇa (Krishna), Bhīma (Bhima) and Arjuna crossed this mountain while going to Girivrajapura, the capital of Jarāsandha. From the description of their route, it may be understood that the route from Kurujāṅgala (Kurujangala; the forest area of the Kuru teritory) to Magadha was extended across the rivers Gaṇḍakī (Gandaki) ,Mahāśona […]

Ekāsana (Ekasana) is an ancient non-Aryan tribe. According to the description of Sabhāparva (Sabhaparva) in Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), the Ekāsana (Ekasana) tribe dwelt in the bamboo grove located between the two mountains – Sumeru and Mandara– merumandarayormadhye śailodāmabhito nadīm ye te kīcakaveṇūṇāṁ chāyāṁ ramyāmupāsate. khasā ekāsanā hyarhāḥ pradarā dīrghaveṇavaḥ. On the occasion of the Rājasūya(Rajasuya) yajña(yajna) […]

Elāpura(Elapura) is a sacred Pitṛtīrtha (Pitritirtha; a site of pilgrimage dedicated to the spirits of forefathers). It is sacred place suitable for performing the śrāddha (sraddha; post-funeral ritual dedicated to the deceased) ritual. matsa This is probably located in modern Elora.  However, Cunningham has identified the place called Verawal in Kathiawad, as the ancient Elāpura.

Name of a river that has been mentioned along with Vedasmṛtā (Vedasmrita), Vedavatī (Vedavati) and Tridivā (Tridiva) in Jambukhaṇḍavinirmāṇaparva [Jambukhandabinirmanparva; a sub-chapter of Bhīṣmaparva (Bhishmaparva)] of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata). But the source of this river is not given in Mahābhārata. In Vāyupurāna (Vayupurana), river Ikṣulā (Ikshula), along with Trisāmā (Trisama), Ṛtukulyā (Ritukulya), Lāṅgulinī (Langulini), Vaṃśdharā (Vamsadhara), […]

A river that flowed through Kurukṣetra (Kurukshetra). It is said in the Ādiparva (Adiparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) that Takṣaka (Takshaka) and Aśvasena (Ashwasen) lived together at the banks of Ikṣumatī (Ikshumati). After Rāmacandra’s (Ramachandra) banishment to the forest,when Daśaratha(Dasharatha) died Vaśiṣṭha (Vasishtha) sent a number of messengers to the kingdom of Kekaya in order to […]

Indradvīpa(Indradwipa; the island called Indra) is one of the nine divisions of Bhāratavarṣa (Bharatavarsha; India). The Paurāṇika (Pauranika; mentioned in Puranas) river Nalinī(Nalini) falls into the sea near this Indradvīpa. Scholars opine that Indradvīpa mentioned in the Purāṇas refer to the modern Indonesia or Vietnam. Many think the the modern Andaman island is the ancient […]

According to Purāṇa (Purana; Mythological Scriptures), when Bhagīratha (Bhagiratha)brought Gaṅgā (Ganga) down to Martyaloka (the earthly abode), she divided herself in seven flows and flowed on earth. Sindhu was one of the three branches that flowed westward, and Indrapada was one pf the regions of the west across which the Sindhu had flowed. In Vāyupurāṇa […]

Several modern scholars think that there had been a river called Irāvatī (Iravati) in eastern India, too. It was not impossible that some river of eastern India was renamed as Irāvati(Iravati) during the Aryanisation of this region. According to scholars, Rāptī (Rapti) is the changed name of this Irāvati. This flows by Awadh or Ayodhyā […]

Oghavatī (Oghavati) is an ancient, sacred river of India. Oghavatī is one of the seven manifestations of Sarasvatī (Saraswati)– rājan saptasarasvatyo yābhirvyāptamidaṃ jagat āhūtā valavadbhirhi tatra tatra sarasvatī. suprabhā kāñcanākṣī ca viśālā ca manoramā sarasvatī coghavatī sureṇurvimalodā. People of both Ārya (Arya; Aryan)and Mleccha (Mleccha; foreigners) communities live on the water of Oghavatī. At the […]

Ṛṣabha (Rishabha) is a mountain situated in the southern part of India, on the seashore. In Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana), we have the mention of a hill area called Ṛṣabha (Rishabha). In search of Sītā (Sita), when Sugrīva (Sugriva) sent a team of Vānara(s) (Vanara) towards the south,  he asked them to cross Bhogavatī (Bhogavati) Purī (Puri; […]

Ṛṣyamūka (Rishyamuka) is a sacred parvata (mountain). It is located on the south bank of the Pampā (Pampa) lake. the hermitage of Maharṣi Matanga  was situated on the mountain Ṛṣyamūka (Rishyamuka). Pursued by Vālī (Vali), Sugrīva (Sugriva) along with his four followers, took shelter in a cave of this mountain. After killing the Asura Dundubhi, […]

According to Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), a locality called Udbhida existed in Southern India. D.C. Sircar identifies this place as identical with Ābhīra (Abhira).

Ujjantaparvata is a sacred mountain. Mahādeva (Mahadeva) resides here as Yogeśvara (Yogeswara; Lord of Yoga). Sage Vaśiṣṭha (Vasistha)had his hermitage there. In Matsyapurāṇa, Ujjanta or Ujjānaka (Ujjanaka) is referred to as a locality. The Girnar hill is also known as Ujjanta. It has several names — Urajayat, Urjayant etc. Many think that Raivataka mountain was […]

Utpalāvatatīrtha (Utpalavatatirtha) is a sacred woodland and site of pilgrimage, as described in Vanaparva of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata). Since it is a forest, in describing the glory of Tīrtha(s) (Tirthas or sights of pilgrimage) in Anuśāsanaparva (Anusasanaparva), it is referred to as Utpalāvana (Utpalavana). In Vanaparva it is described that once the great sage Viśvāmitra (Visvamitra) arranged […]