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Therefore Vishnu incarnated in Rishabha so that spirituality miidit
be stored in our planets, for the evolution of those Jivas that dwelt
over it. Look at a Parama Hansa; the ascetic that neither speaks
nor moves. Judging from outside, he is no better than a mute animal,
but he is all spirituality within. Such is the nature of our mother
Earth.
The thrusting of stones into the mouth of Rishabha is sugges-
tive.
The sons of Rishabha are the countries of our Earth. Of
these Bharata (India) was the first-born. The spiritual character of
this holy land is shewn by the story of Bharata.
Bharata was obeyed and imitated by nine brothers, of whom
Brahma-varta is well-known as dscribed by Manu. Malaya is Mala-
bar. Vidarbha is Berar and Kikata is Bihar.
The sons of Rishabha very likely include all the countries of
the Earth.
Rishabha called his sons and asked them to follow Bharata.
Will other lands now follow that advice?
THE EARTH CHAIN, BHUVANA KOSHA.
SKANDHA V. CHAP. 16.
Said Parikshit: "Thou hast given the bare outline of these
regions of the universe which are lighted by the sun and where the
moon and the luminous starry host are also seen.
Thou hast hereby mentioned the seven oceans and the seven
Dvipas, but thou hast not given the details thereof. Suka replied:
Imagine the Bhu-mandala or the Earth chain to be the peri-
carp of a lotus. Imagine there are seven sheaths immersed in it the
seven Dvipas. The central sheath is Jambu Dvipa. It is Niyut
Yojanas in area (Niyut= 1,000,000 But Sridhara Svami here ex-
plains Niyuta as meaning one laksha or 100,000. So according to
Sridhara the area of Jambu Dvipa is 800,000 miles). Jambu Dvipa
is round like the lotus leaf.
There are nine Varshas in Jambu Dvipa, each nine thousand
Yojanas in area completely divided by eight mountain ranges. (Bha-
drasva and Ketumala form exceptions, for they extend over 34,000
Yojanas. Some take nine thousand Yojanas to be the expanse be-
tween the Nila and Nishadha ranges. The Vayu Purana describes
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