Cosmography and Geography in Early Indian Literature c6.s4.27

c6.s4.27

As regards the two longitudinal varṣas, Bhadrāśva is sometimes called Mālyavat,⁷³ Pūrva-dvīpa⁷⁴ or Supārśva⁷⁵ while Ketumāla is given the name Gandhamādana.⁷⁶ Many of the alternative names are derived from those of the mountains, called varṣa-parvata, which separate any two of the varṣas lying to the south and north of the Meru or Ilāvṛta-vaṣa. Thus (1) the Himavat stands between Bhārata and Kimpuruṣa, (2) the Hemakūṭa between Kimpuruṣa and Hari, (3) the Niṣadha between Hari and Ilāvṛta, (4) the Meru at the centre of Ilāvṛta, (5) the Nīla between Ilāvṛta and Ramyaka, (6) the Śveta between Ramyaka and Hiraṇmaya, and (7) the Śṛṅgin, Triśṛṅga or Śṛṅgavat between Hiraṇmaya and Uttara-Kuru⁷⁷ which is, however, sometimes located to the south of the Nīla range and on the border of the Meru.⁷⁸