Bharatavarsha
Etymologically, Bharatavarsha or Bharatvarsh refers to the land governed by King Bharata. Bharata was a mythical monarch from Puranic traditions. Bharatakhanda refers to the area of the Country that was governed by King Bharata. The Rig Veda, along with the Itihasas and Puranas, refers to King Bharata. In the era of the Ramayana, Lord Rama’s younger brother, Bharata, governed the Kosala kingdom
Bharatiyas (Indians)
The Vishnu Purana depicts Bharatavarsha in the following manner:
उत्तरे यत समुद्र्यस्य हिमाद्रेष्छइवा दक्षिणम
वर्षी तद भारतम नामा भारती यात्रा संतती:
Meaning: The region situated to the north of the ocean and to the south of the Himalayas was referred to as Bharatavarsha. People born and residing there were referred to as Bharatiyas (Indians).
Another King Bharata existed, the offspring of Shakuntala and King Dushyanta. The Bharata mentioned in the Rig Veda is thought to be this Bharata. This Bharata is thought to be the ancestor of the Kuru lineage of the Maha Bharata. Clearly, Bharatakhanda must solely belong to Bharatavarsha. Let’s examine how India is mentioned in the Hindu ceremonies.
Sankalpa sutra
Let us recite this hymn from the ‘saMkalpa sutra,’ typically pronounced prior to the commencement of any Hindu Ritual, particularly during the puja for Lord Ganapathi,
ममॊपात्त दुरितक्षयायद्वारा श्री परमॆष्वर प्रीत्यर्थम,
शुभॆ शॊभनॆ मुहूर्ते श्री महा विष्णॊराज्ञ्नयाप्रवर्तमानस्याद्य ब्रह्मणः,
द्वितीय परार्धॆ श्वॆतवराहकल्पॆ वैवस्वत मन्वंतरे कलियुगॆ प्रथमपादे जंबुद्वीपे भरतवर्षॆ भरतखन्डॆ अस्मिन वर्तमान व्यावहारिक चांद्रमानॆ ……संवत्सरॆ …अयनॆ.. ऋतौ..
mamOpaatta duritakShayaayadvaaraa shree paramEShvara preetyartham,
SubhE SObhanE muhoorte shree mahaa viShNOraaj~jnayaapravartamaanasyaadya brahmaNaH,
dviteeya paraardhE SvEtavaraahakalpE vaivasvata manvaMtare kaliyugE prathamapaade jaMbudveepe bharatavarShE bharatakhanDE asmin vartamaana vyaavahaarika chaaMdramaanE ……saMvatsarE …ayanE.. Rutou..
This hymn mentions ancient India as Bharatavarsha, Jambudweepa, and Bharatakhanda. We need to recognize that the three names of ancient India are equivalent and can be used interchangeably.
Word Hindu derived from Sindh
The term Sindhu is recognized in the Vedas to signify a body of water. Currently, there is a significant river known as Sindhu, originating near Lake Manasarovar in the Himalayas and flowing to the Arabian Sea, passing through Kashmir, NWFP, and the Sindh province. The term Hind is of Persian origin, and it is believed that Persians used it to describe the Indians residing in and near the River Sindh and extending up to Prayag. The Greeks referred to ancient India as India. The Mesopotamians, known today as Iraq, called India Meluhha, as shown by archeological discoveries in that region.
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It is noteworthy that there exists a river named Swat (obviously the abbreviated form of Saraswati), which flows into the Kabul River in Afghanistan. The meeting point of these rivers is known as Prang today. Close to this location, we discover the remnants of an old city named Pushkalavati, which is thought to have been the historical capital of the Gandhara Kingdom. This area is still referred to as Kandahar. This city is believed to have been established by Pushkala, a child of Bharata.
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A lot of water has passed through the river over time. No ethnic group can preserve its ancestry for an extended period, due to the exogamy principle practiced by clans in every society. Are there any dynasties that have lasted more than five or six generations anywhere in the world? Men may arrive, and men may depart, yet Culture endures indefinitely. What defines us is not our biological makeup but rather the cultural characteristics that have endured over time.
Culture is passed down through generations not only by biological methods but also via social methods. Geography and genetics truly shape the identity of a community and its culture overall. However, geography can alter due to human migration patterns, leading to genetic changes over time, yet culture endures.
And it occurs. Under the impact of Aryanism, we currently refer to the geographical region encompassing the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala as South India. However, the Puranas and Hindu Scriptures refer to the land located south of the Vindya mountains as Dakshinapath. According to the Puranas, Dakshinapath can be defined to include regions of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Odisha as part of South India.
Jambudwipa
Jambudvipa or Jambudweepa is typically recognized as the name for ancient India, abundant in Jambol trees. However, it is not entirely accurate. In fact, Jamba translates to a bear. The accounts of Ramayana reveal that the city of Vaijayantam was deserted by its residents at a certain period, and wild bears overran the city. Consequently, the location was called Rukshabilam in the Ramayanam. It would not be an overstatement to claim that the modern nickname of India as Jambudwipa originated from the ancient Rikshabilam mentioned in the Ramayana. The Mahabharata’s cave of Jambavanta may be located in the same area.
(The following texts are extracts from Chapter 15, Vaijayantam in author’s BOOK: “A Tribute to the Ancient World of India”)
Considering the mentions in the Ramayana and other texts, the city of Vaijayanatam is likely the renowned Golden City of Tripura, constructed by Maya. However, we should not mistakenly believe that the city was abundant in gold. However, we must recognize that this city was as wealthy as gold regarding Divinity, evaluated by the standards of Sanatana Dharma.
Let’s examine the subsequent hymn,
ब्रह्मास्य शीर्षं बृहदस्य पृष्ठं वामदॆव्यमुदरमॊदनस्य
छन्दांसि पक्षौ मुखमस्य सत्यं विष्टारी जातस्तपसॊ धि यज्ञः
brahmAsya SIrShaM bRuhadasya pRuShThaM vAmadEvyamudaramOdanasya
ChandAMsi pakShau muKamasya satyaM viShTArI jAtastapasO dhi yaj~jaH
(Sloka 853, sUkta 34,kaaMDa 4)
The aforementioned Sloka indicates that Satyaloka represents the aspect of the Yajna of Panchaudana. Thus, Yaj~ja ceremonies must have begun in Vaijayantam of Matsyaraajya exclusively.
Krishna Dwipa
In the era of the Mahabharata, three historical figures were known by the name Krishna. They are Krishna, Draupadi, and Veda Vyas Krishna Dvaipayana. The name of Lord Krishna is widely recognized. Draupadi was the spouse of the Pandavas. Veda Vyasa was the ancestor of the Kuru lineage.