The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c4.24

c4.24

Another description of India is that of the Nava-Khanda, or Nine-Divisions, which is first described by the astronomers Parâsara and Varâha-Mihira, although it was probably older than their time,† and was afterwards adopted by the authors of several of the Purânas. According to this arrangement, *Pânchâla* was the chief district of the central division, *Magadha* of the east, *Kalinga* of the south-east, *Avanta* of the south, *Anarta* of the south-west, *Sindhu-Sauvira* of the west, *Hârahaura* of the north-west, *Madra* of the north, and *Kauninda* of the north-east.* But there is a discrepancy between this epitome of Varâha and his details, as *Sindhu-Sauvira* is there assigned to the south-west, along with *Anarta*.† This mistake is certainly as old as the eleventh century, as Abu Rihân has preserved the names of Varâha’s abstract in the same order as they now stand in the ‘Brihat-Sanhitâ.’‡ These details are also supported by the ‘Mârkandeya Purâna,’ which assigns both *Sindhu-Sauvira* and *Anarta* to the south-west.§