The Geography of the Puranas c4: Contents

The Geography of the Purāṇas c4

Language: English

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Foreword v Preface vii INTRODUCTION 1 I SOURCES OF PURĀṆIC GEOGRAPHY 15 II PURĀṆIC CONTINENTS AND OCEANS 28 III THE MOUNTAIN SYSTEM OF THE PURĀṆAS 47 IV THE RIVER SYSTEM OF THE PURĀṆAS 60 V REGIONS OF THE JAMBŪ DVĪPA: NORTHERN REGIONS (RAMAṆAKA, HIRAṆMAYA AND UTTARA KURU) 73 VI REGIONS OF THE JAMBŪ DVĪPA: KETUMĀLA (OR THE BASIN OF THE OXUS) 88 VII REGIONS OF JAMBŪ DVĪPA: BHADRAVARṢA 99 VIII BHĀRATAVARṢA: PHYSICAL 109 IX BHĀRATAVARṢA: REGIONAL CLASSIFICATION 126 X BHĀRATAVARṢA: JANAPADAS OR COMMUNITIES 133 XI BHĀRATAVARṢA: JANAPADAS, TOWNS AND ROUTES (GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS) 170 XII BHĀRATAVARṢA: ADJACENT ISLANDS AND PENINSULAS 179 XIII COSMOGONY, COSMOLOGY AND COSMOGRAPHY 184 Notes and References 197 Appendix 205 Select Bibliography 208 the *Gesta Romanorum*, the *Legenda Aurea*, and the *Speculum Historiale* of Vincent of Beauvais. The *Gesta Romanorum* is a collection of moral stories, often with a classical or oriental origin, which were adapted for the use of preachers. The *Legenda Aurea*, or Golden Legend, by Jacobus de Voragine, is a collection of the lives of the saints, which was immensely popular in the Middle Ages. The *Speculum Historiale* is a vast historical compilation, which aimed to provide a complete history of the world from the creation to the author's own time. These works were not only important for their content, but also for the way in which they shaped the medieval understanding of history and morality. They provided a framework for interpreting the past and for understanding the role of the Church in the world.

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The influence of these works can be seen in the literature of the period, particularly in the works of Chaucer and Gower. Chaucer's *Canterbury Tales* and Gower's *Confessio Amantis* both draw heavily on the *Gesta Romanorum* and the *Legenda Aurea*. The *Speculum Historiale* was also a major source for medieval chroniclers, who used it to provide a context for their own accounts of contemporary events. The popularity of these works is a testament to the medieval interest in history and morality, and to the way in which the Church sought to shape the intellectual life of the period.

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The study of these works is essential for an understanding of the medieval mind. They reveal the values and beliefs of the time, and the way in which the Church sought to communicate these values to the laity. They also show the way in which the medieval world was connected to the past, and how it sought to integrate the classical and biblical traditions into a coherent worldview. The *Gesta Romanorum*, the *Legenda Aurea*, and the *Speculum Historiale* are not just historical curiosities; they are key texts for understanding the intellectual and cultural history of the Middle Ages.