The Geography of the Puranas c6.88

c6.88

Since the Purāṇas were not intended to be textbooks of geography, they cannot be expected to present geographical facts and ideas in a logical order, though in some cases the logical order is maintained. Geographical information in them is only incidental and is inserted wherever it is considered relevant to the topic or theme under which it occurs. In fact, we do not find a definite or precise synonym for the term 'geography' in the Purāṇas or even in contemporary literature. Various names appear to denote 'geography' in different works; for instance, Bhuvana-Kośa (treasure of Terrestrial Mansions), Bhuvana-Sāgara (Ocean of Terrestrial Mansions or Inhabited Lands), Bhuvana Khaṇḍa (Section of the Earth), Trilokya Darpana (Mirror of the Worlds), Kṣetra-Samāsa (Combination of countries), etc.