Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.636

c6.636

Sarasvatī.—The Sarasvatī and the Dṛṣadvatī are the two historical rivers of northern India that flow down independently without belonging to the Indus group. Manu locates the region of Brahmāvarta between these two sacred streams. The Sarasvatī is described in the Milindapañha as a Himalayan river. It flows southwards through the Simla and Sirmur States forming a bulge. Manu applies the name of Vinaśana to the place where it disappears from view.¹ The Taittirīya Saṃhitā (VII. 2, 1, 4), Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa (XXV. 10, 1), Kauṣitakī Brāhmaṇa (XII. 2, 3), Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (I. 4. 1. 14) and the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa (II. 19. 1. 2) mention this river. It is also mentioned in the Ṛgveda (I, 89. 3; 164, 19; II. 41, 16; 30, 8; 32, 8; III. 54, 13; V. 42, 12; 43, 11; 46, 2; VI. 49, 7; 50, 12; 52, 6; VII. 9, 5; 36, 6; 39, 5; X. 17, 7; 30, 12; 131, 5; 184, 2). The Padmapurāṇa (Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, Ch. 32, v. 105) refers to the Gaṅgodbhedatīrtha which is the meeting place of this river with the Ganges. The Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra (XII. 3, 20; XXIV. 6, 22), Lāṭyāyana Śrautasūtra (X. 15, 1; 18, 13, 19, 4), Aśvalāyana Śrautasūtra (XII. 6, 2, 3) and Sāṅkhyāyana Śrautasūtra (XIII. 29) refer to the sacrifices held on the bank of this river as of great importance and sanctity. Kālidāsa mentions it in his Raghuvamśa (III. 9). The Yoginītantra (2/3; 2/5; 2/6) also mentions this river. In the Siddhāntaśiromaṇi the Sarasvatī is correctly described as a river which is visible in one place and invisible in another. The river which still survives flows between the Śatadru and the Yamunā. It was known to the Vedic Aryans as a mighty river which flowed into the sea (Max Müller, Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, p. 46). This river issued forth from the Himalayas. It rises in the hills of Sirmur in the Himalayan range, called the Sewalik and emerges into the plains at Ād-Badri in Ambala. It is considered sacred by the Hindus. According to the Mahābhārata (83, 151; 84, 66) people offer piṇḍas to their ancestors on the bank of this sacred river. There existed on its bank a forest sacred to Ambikā known as the Ambikāvana (Bhāgavatapurāṇa, X. 34. 1–18).