The Geography of the Puranas c9.39

c9.39

Besides these mountains, valleys and the rivers Tarim and Hwangho (called Sītā) the Purāṇics also mention forty-two other streams of Bhadravaṛṣa (North China or the basin of the Hwangho)¹⁵. It is difficult to identify them for two reasons: (1) the Chinese names of these streams differ considerably from the Indian names; (2) the changing courses of the rivers of North China have produced a drainage pattern which is substantially different from what it was about a thousand years ago. However, the long list of rivers brings out the fact that the major part of Bhadravaṛṣa is a well-watered land of ample rainfall, crossed by innumerable streams irrigating a level land. This confirms the identify of Bhadravaṛṣa with northern China where identical conditions of rainfall and drainage prevail.