‘Kings of the four quarters of the world and of the nine distinct peoples’ , Map of Jambudvipa of Ptolemy, and the concept of Chakravartin Kings
- 05
- Oct, 2018
The meaning of the ‘four quarters of the world’ can be understood only from the ‘peripheral map’ of the ‘inhabited world’ of Ptolemy which gives the primordial human settlements an egg-shaped or an oval-shaped picture showing the great ocean encircled on its four sides. Ptolemy calls this peripheral map of the ‘inhabited world’ as Jambudvipa.
The ‘four quarters’ means the north, south, west, and east parts of the main land again presents themselves as having forms of islands encircled by seas.
Asoka’s Minor Rock Edict I refers to Asoka’s Empire as Jambudvipa and calls the king as Dvipa-Chakravartin or King of the Island..
Chinese pilgrim Hiouen Tsiang describes the four quarters of the Jambudvipa in a different way as he found them in 7th c A.D. during his visit to ancient India. He mentions of the ‘four-lands’ or the four islands , on the east was the ‘Purva Videha; on the south Jambudvipa, on the west Godhanya, and on the north Kuru.
A golden-wheel monarch rules the ‘four’ righteously; a silver-wheel monarch rules the ‘three’(except Kuru); a copper-wheel monarch rules over ‘two’ (except Kuru and Godhanya) ; and an iron-wheel monarch rules Jambudvipa only.
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Hi Akhilji,
Wonderful findings. Let me complement these with some more findings.
Here are some excerpts from the epic “Mahabharata” (English translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli) that would give us some clues about the geography of Ancient India in Mahabharata times :
Mbh.6.6.334 / “Besides Meru are situated, O lord, these four islands, viz, Bhadraswa, and Ketumala, and Jamvudwipa otherwise called Bharata, and Uttar-Kuru which is the abode of persons who have achieved the merit of righteousness.”
Mbh.6.6.353 / “On the western side of Meru, O king, is Ketumala.”
Mbh.6.7.399 / “Sanjaya said, On the south of the Nila mountain and the northern side of Meru are the sacred Northern Kurus, O king, which are the residence of the Siddhas.”
Mbh.6.7.436 / “That juice of the Jamvu, becoming, O king, a river, and passing circuitously round Meru, cometh to the region of the Northern Kurus.”
Mbh.12.14.562 / “Thou hadst also, O ruler of men, swayed with might that other region called Kraunchadwipa situate on the west of the great Meru and equal unto Jambu-dwipa itself.”
Mbh.12.14.563 / “Thou hadst swayed with might, O king, that other region called Sakadwipa on the east of the great Meru and equal to Krauncha-dwipa itself.”
Mbh.12.14.564 / “The region called Bhadraswa, on the north of the great Meru and equal to Sakadwipa was also swayed by thee, O tiger, among men!”
Accordingly, we may interpret the legends upon Ptolemy’s Map of Jamvu Dvipa as follows :
Koor Khund = (Uttara) Kuru Dvipa / Budrasoo Khund = Bhadraswa Dvipa / Kietmal Khund = Ketumala Dvipa / Hurry Khund = Hari Dvipa etc
We have to consider if Hiuen Tsang’s misspelt “Godhanya” is indeed “Gandharva”. Ketumala would be the land of the Gandharvas (primarily the Kandhas, the Gandas, the Binjhals etc).
All said and done, what would be there (upon Ptolemy’s map of Jambu Dvipa) the reference point for enumeration of the cardinal points of the compass, viz. east, west, north and south?
It is the Meru.
What is the Meru? Where is the Meru?
That’s the Bhubaneswar Tableland. That’s the place of origin of Aryan Civilization.
How do we go about the interpretation of the legend “ocean” of four quarters upon Ptolemy’s map of Jambu Dvipa? How do we interpret the idea of Meru’s being central to landmass?
That’s quite apparent. Odishan promontory has been the primary terrestrial content of Jambu Dvipa and if you make a circle with this promontory as a sector, that would – more or less – pass for Prithvi, the kingdom of Prithu, daughter of Prithu metaphorically.
Bhubaneswar Tableland, the erstwhile Meru (Sumeru, Maha-Meru), thus takes up the central location geographically in this context, with Mahanadi and its numerous distributaries around to provide an unparalleled topography.
River Daya is the most important river of deepest historicity insofar as the Meru Civilization happened to be on her bank, as if she provided the womb for this ancient civilization. Congratulation to you for your deep realization on this matter.
However, Daya River may not be the erstwhile Indus. There are numerous evidences, some being infallible, that would suggest that this small river is indeed the erstwhile Sarasvati River of unsurpassable renown.
Aryans have been the Brown Aryans all the way. There isn’t any need for exaggeration about involvement of global races in origination of the Aryan Civilization at Meru.
This one is after all the Second Meru cradling the Second Phase of the Greater Trans-Aryan Civilization which had the Pre-Aryan Gandharva Civilization as its First Phase.
The arena for enactment of the first phase would be the First Meru. That was probably the modern Gandhamadana forming the boundary of the districts of Bargarh and Balangir in Western Odisha.
Global spread of Aryan influence is true, but global participation in its inception may be an exaggeration. It isn’t that we wouldn’t be happy to acknowledge such a grand historicity. It’s a matter of plausibility in the absence of trustworthy evidences. We shall welcome you if you manage to set the proof right about primordial global participation in founding of this ancient culture.
Looking forward to your further research work, with plentiful gratitude – (Bhanu Padmo)