Vedic Indian Civilization is the oldest living civilization. Although some credit the Greeks for many scientific innovations but Vedic Indian civilization had mastered many scientific discoveries thousands of years prior to the Greeks. Due to multiple invasions and looting from outsiders, India had fallen behind in its scientific and economical position in the world.
We are going to look at the first ever world map as mentioned in the Hindu scriptures (Mahabharat). The historic Sanskrit epic Mahabharat was put in written form by MahaRishi Ved Vyas 5000 years ago. Ved Vyas is one of the primary rishis who made great contributions to Vedic civilization. In Mahabharat, it is described how Maharishi Ved Vyasa gave divine vision (divya drishti) to Sanjay who is a charioteer for the blind king Dhritarashtra so that he could describe the events of the upcoming Mahabharat war. Before questions of war began, maharaj Dhritarashtra asked Sanjay to describe how the world looks like from space.
In the great immortal Sanskrit epic of the Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva (Book 5), Jamvu-khanda Nirvana Parva (Chapter 6), verses 15 & 16, give a description of the world (called Sudarshana).
This is how he described the face of the world:
यथा च पुरुषः पश्येद आदर्शे मुखम आत्मनः
yathā ca puruṣaḥ paśyed ādarśe mukham ātmanaḥ
Just like a man sees the reflection of his face in the mirror,
एवं सुदर्शन दवीपॊ दृश्यते चन्द्रमण्डले
evaṃ sudarśana dvīpo dṛśyate candramaṇḍale
Similarly, the reflection of Sudarshan (earth) is seen in the lunar mansion (universe).
दविर अंशे पिप्पलस तत्र दविर अंशे च शशॊ महान
dvir aṃśe pippalas tatra dvir aṃśe ca śaśo mahān
In two parts of Sudarshan there are Peepal (fig) leaves, and two parts have a giant rabbit.
सर्वौषधिसमावापैः सर्वतः परिवृंहितः
sarvauṣadhisamāvāpaiḥ sarvataḥ parivṛṃhitaḥ
The land masses are covered with medicinal plants and herbs;
आपस ततॊ ऽनया विज्ञेया एष संक्षेप उच्यते
āpas tato ‘nyā vijñeyā eṣa saṃkṣepa ucyate
Everything apart from these land masses are covered with water.
Years later the attempt was made by Indian saint/sage Ramanujacharya (1017–1137 CE), a Hindu theologian, philosopher sketched out the map, below is a sample of what he came up with leaves and a rabbit. Some scholars claim that Sriman Thiruvenkata Ramanuja Jeeyar (1806-1877) came up with this map.
You can see the Rabbit and Peepal leafs. For years many could not make sense of this map in comparison to the real map which looks like below.
Small differences may have occurred in the last 5000 years due to tectonic shifting and natural disasters.
It is amazing how two fig leaves and a giant rabbit could really define the planet 5000 years ago when there was no modern technology like we have today. The rishis and sages of Vedic period were the true scientist of their time and they have written down a lot of there wisdom in the scriptures for the betterment of the world. Modern scientific community should play close attention to their contributions.
Please share if you like this post.