296
 

ALBERUNPS INDIA.
 

says that Jambu-dvipa is the centre among the Nava-
khanda-prathama, Sind the others lie towards the eight
directions. There are angels on them, men, animals,
and plants. By these words he seems to mean the
dvipas.

If the breadth of the olKovjMvr] is 1000 yojana, its
length must be nearly 2800.

Further, the Vdyu-Purdna mentions the cities and
countries which lie in each direction. We shall exhibit
them in tables, together with similar information from
other sources, for this method renders the study of the
subject easier than any other.

Here follows a diagram representing the division of
Bharatavarsha into nine parts.
 

Nagadvipa.
 

South.
 


 

-----------

Gabhastimat.
 


 

West.
 

Saumya.
 

Indradvtpa or

Madhyadesa, i.e.
the middle country.
 

Kaserumat.
 

East.
 


 


 


 


 


 


 

North.
 


 

1
i
 

On the
figure
Kurma-
catra.
 

We have already heretofore mentioned that that part
of the earth in which the olKovjxevrj lies resembles a
tortoise, because its borders are round, because it rises
above the water and is surrounded by the water, and
because it has a globular convexity on its surface.
However, there is a possibility that the origin of the
name is this, that their astronomers and astrologers
divide the directions according to the lunar stations.