The Geography of the Puranas c8.9

c8.9

The Purāṇic account of this source river (Swargaṅgā) runs as follows: It rises from under the foot of Viṣṇu, at the polar star, passing through the circle of the moon, it falls upon the summit of Meru, where it divides into four streams flowing towards the four cardinal points. According to the Genesis, the river went forth watering the garden of Eden, and, of course wandering through it, divided itself into four heads. The Purāṇic accounts use the same expression, but in a literal sense, and suppose that these four branches pass actually through four rocks carved into the shape of four heads of various animals. The Gaṅgā running towards the south passes through a cow's head, hence India is called the Land of Cows (cf. Govansas and Go-pālas or simply Pallis or shepherds). In the west is a horse's head from which flows the Chakṣu; and the inhabitants of the countries bordering on it are of course Aśvas or Turaṅgamas, horses or rather horsemen. Towards the east is the head of an elephant, from which flows the river Sītā. To the north is the lion's head, from which flows the Bhadra-Somā, hence this country is called the country of the Lions, and there is actually a powerful Tartarian tribe there, called the 'Tribe of the Lion'. All the four rivers after running through the various regions of Jambū Dvīpa, fall into their respective oceans.