Jambudvipa

Expressions researched:
"Jambudvipa"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.12.5, Purport:

Only a rich and great man's name and fame are known all over the world, and the name and fame of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira reached the higher planets because of his good administration, worldly possessions, glorious wife Draupadī, the strength of his brothers Bhīma and Arjuna, and his solid sovereign power over the world, known as Jambūdvīpa.

SB 1.16.12, Purport:

This earth planet is divided into seven dvīpas by seven oceans, and the central dvīpa, called Jambūdvīpa, is divided into nine varṣas, or parts, by eight huge mountains.

SB 1.16.12, Purport:

Bhārata-varṣa: This part of the world is also one of the nine varṣas of the Jambūdvīpa. A description of Bhārata-varṣa is given in the Mahābhārata (Bhīṣma-parva, Chapters 9 and 10).

SB 1.16.12, Purport:

In the center of Jambūdvīpa is Ilāvṛta-varṣa, and south of Ilāvṛta-varṣa is Hari-varṣa. The description of these varṣas is given in the Mahābhārata (Sabhā-parva 28.7-8) as follows:

nagarāṁś ca vanāṁś caiva

nadīś ca vimalodakāḥ

puruṣān deva-kalpāṁś ca

nārīś ca priya-darśanāḥ

adṛṣṭa-pūrvān subhagān

sa dadarśa dhanañjayaḥ

sadanāni ca śubhrāṇi

nārīś cāpsarasāṁ nibhāḥ

It is mentioned here that the women in both these varṣas are beautiful, and some of them are equal to the Apsarās, or heavenly women.

SB 1.16.12, Purport:

Uttarakuru: According to Vedic geography the northernmost portion of Jambūdvīpa is called Uttarakuru-varṣa. It is surrounded by the saltwater ocean from three sides and divided by Śṛṅgavān Mountain from the Hiraṇmaya-varṣa.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.2 Summary:

In this chapter, the character of Mahārāja Āgnīdhra is described. When Mahārāja Priyavrata went off for spiritual realization, his son Āgnīdhra became the ruler of Jambūdvīpa, in accordance with Mahārāja Priyavrata's instructions, and maintained its residents with the same affection a father feels for his sons.

SB 5.2.1, Translation:

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After his father, Mahārāja Priyavrata, departed to follow the path of spiritual life by undergoing austerities, King Āgnīdhra completely obeyed his order. Strictly observing the principles of religion, he gave full protection to the inhabitants of Jambūdvīpa as if they were his own begotten sons.

SB 5.2.1, Purport:

Following the instruction of his father, Mahārāja Priyavrata, Mahārāja Āgnīdhra ruled the inhabitants of Jambūdvīpa according to religious principles. These principles are exactly contrary to the modern principles of faithlessness. As clearly stated here, the King protected the citizens the way a father protects his begotten children. How he ruled the citizens is also described here—dharmāvekṣamāṇaḥ, strictly according to religious principles.

SB 5.2.18, Translation:

Attracted by the intelligence, learning, youth, beauty, behavior, opulence and magnanimity of Āgnīdhra, the King of Jambūdvīpa and master of all heroes, Pūrvacitti lived with him for many thousands of years and luxuriously enjoyed both worldly and heavenly happiness.

SB 5.2.21, Purport:

Because of drinking the breast milk of their mother, the nine sons of Āgnīdhra naturally had strong, well-built bodies. Their father gave them each a kingdom in a different part of Jambūdvīpa. The kingdoms were named according to the names of the sons. Thus the sons of Āgnīdhra ruled the kingdoms they received from their father.

SB 5.16 Summary:

Bhū-maṇḍala is like a lotus flower, and its seven islands are compared to the whorl of the lotus. The place known as Jambūdvīpa is in the middle of that whorl. In Jambūdvīpa there is a mountain known as Sumeru, which is made of solid gold.

SB 5.16.5, Translation:

The planetary system known as Bhū-maṇḍala resembles a lotus flower, and its seven islands resemble the whorl of that flower. The length and breadth of the island known as Jambūdvīpa, which is situated in the middle of the whorl, are one million yojanas (eight million miles). Jambūdvīpa is round like the leaf of a lotus flower.

SB 5.16.6, Translation:

In Jambūdvīpa there are nine divisions of land, each with a length of 9,000 yojanas (72,000 miles). There are eight mountains that mark the boundaries of these divisions and separate them nicely.

SB 5.16.7, Translation:

Amidst these divisions, or varṣas, is the varṣa named Ilāvṛta, which is situated in the middle of the whorl of the lotus. Within Ilāvṛta-varṣa is Sumeru Mountain, which is made of gold. Sumeru Mountain is like the pericarp of the lotuslike Bhū-maṇḍala planetary system. The mountain's height is the same as the width of Jambūdvīpa—or, in other words, 100,000 yojanas (800,000 miles). Of that, 16,000 yojanas (128,000 miles) are within the earth, and therefore the mountain's height above the earth is 84,000 yojanas (672,000 miles). The mountain's width is 32,000 yojanas (256,000 miles) at its summit and 16,000 yojanas at its base.

SB 5.17 Summary:

The tract of land known as Bhārata-varṣa is the field of activities, and the other eight varṣas are for persons who are meant to enjoy heavenly comfort. In each of these eight beautiful provinces, the celestial denizens enjoy various standards of material comfort and pleasure. A different incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead distributes His mercy in each of the nine varṣas of Jambūdvīpa.

SB 5.18 Summary:

In this chapter Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes the different varṣas of Jambūdvīpa and the incarnation of the Supreme Lord worshiped in each.

SB 5.18.34, Translation:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Dear King, the Supreme Lord in His boar incarnation, who accepts all sacrificial offerings, lives in the northern part of Jambūdvīpa. There, in the tract of land known as Uttarakuru-varṣa, mother earth and all the other inhabitants worship Him with unfailing devotional service by repeatedly chanting the following Upaniṣad mantra.

SB 5.19 Summary:

At the end of this chapter, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes to Mahārāja Parīkṣit the eight sub-islands within the island of Jambūdvīpa.

SB 5.19.29-30, Translation:

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, in the opinion of some learned scholars, eight smaller islands surround Jambūdvīpa. When the sons of Mahārāja Sagara were searching all over the world for their lost horse, they dug up the earth, and in this way eight adjoining islands came into existence. The names of these islands are Svarṇaprastha, Candraśukla, Āvartana, Ramaṇaka, Mandara-hariṇa, Pāñcajanya, Siṁhala and Laṅkā.

SB 5.19.31, Translation:

My dear King Parīkṣit, O best of the descendants of Bharata Mahārāja, I have thus described to you, as I myself have been instructed, the island of Bhārata-varṣa and its adjoining islands. These are the islands that constitute Jambūdvīpa.

SB 5.20 Summary:

The island of Plakṣadvīpa, which is twice as broad as Jambūdvīpa, is surrounded by an ocean of salt water.

SB 5.20.2, Translation:

As Sumeru Mountain is surrounded by Jambūdvīpa, Jambūdvīpa is also surrounded by an ocean of salt water. The breadth of Jambūdvīpa is 100,000 yojanas (800,000 miles), and the breadth of the saltwater ocean is the same. As a moat around a fort is sometimes surrounded by gardenlike forest, the saltwater ocean surrounding Jambūdvīpa is itself surrounded by Plakṣadvīpa. The breadth of Plakṣadvīpa is twice that of the saltwater ocean—in other words 200,000 yojanas (1,600,000 miles). On Plakṣadvīpa there is a tree shining like gold and as tall as the jambū tree on Jambūdvīpa. At its root is a fire with seven flames. It is because this tree is a plakṣa tree that the island is called Plakṣadvīpa. Plakṣadvīpa was governed by Idhmajihva, one of the sons of Mahārāja Priyavrata. He endowed the seven islands with the names of his seven sons, divided the islands among the sons, and then retired from active life to engage in the devotional service of the Lord.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 89:

Seated on His chariot with Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa proceeded north, crossing over many planetary systems. These are described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as sapta-dvīpa. Dvīpa means "island." These planets are sometimes described in the Vedic literature as dvīpas. The planet on which we are living is called Jambūdvīpa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.10.11-12 -- Mayapura, June 25, 1973:

The whole universe is also a ocean. And all these planets, they are called dvīpa. Just like this planet is called Jambudvīpa, Bhāratavarṣa. Actually it is like dvīpa.

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

This island might have changed, the name. Because there are so many islands. Just like the Java(?) island and Laksadvipa island, very small islands. Similarly, this Meru is also another island. Not only these small island, but according to Vedic culture, each planet is called island. Each planet. Just like this planet, earthly planet, is called Jambūdvīpa. Why it is called dvīpa? Dvīpa means island. Because actually it is island of the air. Just like there are so many islands in the sea, similarly, this vast air, outer space, and all these planets, are floating like island. Therefore they are called island, dvīpa, Jambūdvīpa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Los Angeles, January 20, 1969:

We are in the ocean, this outer space, the big space within this universe. It is to be considered just like a big ocean, and all the planets, they're just like islands. Therefore in the Vedic literature sometimes these planets are called dvīpa. Dvīpa means island. Śvetadvīpa. This planet is called Jambūdvīpa. Just like in the ocean, there are many hundreds of small, big island. Similarly, the ocean of air or outer space, there are so many planets.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Showing of Planetary Sketches -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And where is that cakra?

Bhakti-Prema: Cakra?

Prabhupāda: That polestar, center?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That will be in another...

Bhakti-Prema: We will give another picture.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This picture only shows mainly part of Jambūdvīpa and especially Ilāvṛta-varṣa, the middle of...

Prabhupāda: So Brahmaloka is in Jambūdvīpa?

Bhakti-Prema: No, no, no. Brahmaloka is in Satyaloka.

Prabhupāda: Oh, then what is this?

Bhakti-Prema: This is Mount Meru.

Prabhupāda: But you said Brahmaloka.

Bhakti-Prema: Brahmapurī.

Prabhupāda: Brahmapurī, that.