Here I have placed the three ranges of mountains, according to the documents of Hindu astronomers: but not according to their usual delineations: for, according to these, the three ranges should be represented by three concentric half circles, parallel to the meridians of the projection. It is acknowledged, that these ranges are in the direction of as many parallels of latitude. In that case the outermost ranges must be the longest: and this is the opinion of the Jainas, as I observed before, in the sixth paragraph of the first chapter. No. IV, exhibits the old Continent, projected upon an imaginary circle passing through the North pole, and just grazing the equator in the South. Instead of a circle, it should be an oval, with the longest diameter East and West. But as the tracing of an oval would be attended with some difficulty, the indolent Paurán'ics have adopted the circle in its room; and seldom use the other. As such a delineation would be useless, I have, of course, omitted it, The chasm in the North-West, through the mountains surrounding the world, was made by CRISHNA, when he went to see his prototype VISHNU, or the great spirit, the Paramátmá of the world, whose abode is among' waters, in the land of darkness. Several heroes have passed since through this chasm, which will be the subject of a particular paragraph hereafter. No. V, explains the true system of the known world, according to the Puranas, and the Jainas, reconciled with that of the astronomers of India. Here the Méru of the Paurán'ics is brought back to its proper place, whilst the Méru of the astronomers remains under the North pole. The zones between Jambu or India, and the Méru of the astronomers, are obviously our seven climates; and the points where the astronomical zones intersect the zones of the Pauránics round their respective centres equally called Méru, shew the true situation of the dwipas or countries, from which these zones, according to the system either of the astronomers or of the Fauránics, are equally denominated, whether they are reckoned relatively to the North pole, or to a centrical point in the elevated plains of Tartary. No. VI, is a delineation of the country of Bhárata, in the fullest acceptation of that denomination. Its nine divisions with Curu, or Siberia, and the Northern parts of Europe, making in all ten districts, were all destroyed by a violent storm, and inundation, except one. Thus the ten divisions of the Atlantis were all destroyed by a flood, except one, called Gades, which probably included Spain. Some also are of opinion, that, out of the seven dwipas, six were likewise overwhelmed by a flood. This circumstance is also noticed in the third volume of the Ayin-Acberi. But I believe that this notion originated with the Puránicas, who, unable to point out these wonderful countries, described in so extravagant a manner in their sacred books, found that the best way was to swear, that they had disappeared. |