Hindu philosophy says that there is no difference between the Creator and His Creation, hence the Hindu sect adores everything including nature, for them trees, streams, rivers and mountains are all parts of God.
According to Vedic geography of terrestrial world, the earthly plane is much larger than we think. And we live in the smallest plane. The seven islands of Jambu, Plaksa, Salmali, Kus, Kraunch, Saka and the seventh Puskar are surrounded on all sides by the seven oceans of salt water, sugarcane juice, wine, ghee, curd, milk and fresh water. Here, these different oceans are based on the colour, taste, chemical properties etc.
As for Brahmanda Purana, it is said that Brahma himself narrated the entire purana to the sages in the Naimisha forest. It is termed as Brahmanda Purana because it talks about the origin of the cosmic egg and the reality of the universe. The ancient thought says that whatever is visible in this universe emanates from “Hiranyagarbha”, the Golden Womb. It is said and understood that the source of the creation of this Universe or the manifested Cosmos in Vedic philosophy is Hiranyagarbha, the primordial atom.
Basically, Brahma in Sanskrit means “creator” or by extension, it means “universe” coming from its root word “Brih” ; “Anda” means “egg”. Therefore, Brahmanda means universal or cosmic egg. Brahmananda Purana is the 18th Purana. It has 12000 verses. The three important sections in it are: (a) The Mokshada Ekadasi (narrated by the God Krishna to the Pandava King Yudhishthira), (b) The Lalitopakhyanam about Devi Lalita Tripura Sundari, also contains the Lalita Sahasranama Stotra and the Lalita Trishati Stotra, and (c) The Sons of Sagara story by Rishi Jaimini according to which they dug into the earth to find a horse in Patala loka.
Brahmananda Purana has four parts; Prakriya, Anushanga, Upotaghat and Upasamhar. This Purana is said to be narrated by Sutaji on the bank of the river Drishdvati in Yaksh kshetra (identified with Sutlej in modern Himachal Pradesh). From his narration, it is clear that Sutaji had heard the Purana from Veda Vyasa who, in his turn, received it from Vayudev. Creation of the universe, determination of Kalpa, differentiation of Yugas, description of Manvantaras, description of Jambudweep and Bharatvarsh, description of Kimpurush.
Anudweep, Ketumaal varsh etc. and description of Bharat vansha, Prithu vansha, Dev vansh, Rishi vansh, Agni vansh and preceptors are the main topics of Brahmand Purana. Sages, the dynasties of rulers and the legends of Pitas and their propitiation, the conflict between Karttikeya, King of Hihayas and Bhargava Parasurama. Jambudweep is situated in the middle of all these concentric islands. In the middle of it is also the golden Sumeru (axis of universe). Its height is eighty-four thousand yojanas and towards the bottom it is sixteen thousand yojanas embedded in the earth. Its expansion is thirty-two thousand yojanas in the upper part and only sixteen thousand yojanas in the lower part.
This mountain is like the centre of the lotus in the form of this earth. In its south, Himvan (Himalayas), Hemkut (Kailash mountain) and Nishadh (Chiang Mai of Thailand or Hindukush of Afghanistan) and in the north are named Neel (Blue mountains of Kazakhstan near Balkhash lake ), Shwet (above Baikal lake) and Shringi (Altai). There are 11 country mountains which represent different countries.
To the south of Meruparvat, the first is Bharatvarsh (From Afghanistan to Indonesia), the second is Kimpurushvarsh (Tibet) and the third is Harivarsh (East China to Indo-China). On the north side is first Ramyak (some part of South Russia), then Hiranamay (Some part of Russia near Baikal lake) and then Uttarkuru varsh (Siberia), which [being on the border of the archipelago] is similar to Bharatvarsha [arched].
The expansion of each of the nine landmasses (Bharat, Kimpurush, Ramyak, Hiranamay, Hari, Ilavrit, Ketumal, Bhadrashv, Uttarkuru) is nine thousand yojanas and in the middle of all these is Ilavritvarsh, in which the golden Sumerupavat has stood. This Ilavritvarsh (Central Asia) is spread around Sumeru for nine thousand yojanas.
There are four mountains around it. These four mountains are like nails made by God to hold Sumeru. Mandarachal is in the east, Gandhamadan (In Tibet) is in the south, Vipul is in the west and Suparshv is in the north. All these are ten thousand yojanas high. Like the flags of the mountains, there are eleven-eleven hundred yojanas high burflower, blackberry, peepal and banyan trees respectively.
Among them the Jambu (blackberry) tree is the reason for the name of Jambudweep. When they fall on the mountain, they burst and spread everywhere. The famous river named Jambu, which came out of his juice, flows there, whose water is drunk by the divine/semidivine people living there. By drinking it, the pure minded people there do not have sweat, odour, old age or loss of senses. When the clay on its side mixes with that juice, it dries up with a slow wind. It becomes gold called Jambunad, which is the jewel of perfect men. These unique trees are not visible to dull witted beings like people of Kaliyug era, due to different plane frequency.
Inhibited portion of Bhumandala has 7 concentric islands (Jambu dvipa, Palakshdvipa, Shamli dvipa, Kusha dvipa, Krauncha dvipa, Shaka dvipa, Pushkar dvipa) and seven oceans in between. Each island is twice bigger in size than the previous one. smallest island is Jambu dvipa with One Lac Yojana diameter. Our earth (1000 yojana diameter) is a portion of Jambu dvipa at the south. Jambudvip word came from a particular Jamun (black berry) tree, which is 1100 Yojan high and found in this island.
During the 2nd half of first Manu, Maharaj Priyavrat (eldest son of Swayambhuv Manu) ruled. He created 7 islands and 7 oceans, when he found that the Sunlight was not equally distributed on Bhumandal during Uttarayan and Dakshinayan. He appointed his 7 sons as the ruler of these islands. For this, Priyavrat Maharaj created a chariot equals in size of Sun and started creating the islands from the rim of his chariot wheel. From Uttarayana peak to next one year he followed the Sun's chariot and created 7 islands.
Agnidhara was the son of Priyavrat Maharaj, who was given Jambu dvipa. Agnidhara's son was Nabhi Maharaj, on whose name, Bharatvarsh was earlier known as Ajnabh Varsh. His son was Lord Rishabh dev and his son was Bharat Maharaj, on whose name the word "Ajnabh Varsh" was changed to "Bharatvarsh". Bharatvarsh was further divided in 9 islands and one among them is Bharat Khand or Sudarshan dvipa or our earth. Nine Varsha’s in Jambudvipa are Kuru varsh, Hiranmay Varsh, Ramyak Varsh, Ilavrat Varsh, Ketumala Varsh, Bhadrashva Varsh, Hari Varsh, Kimpurush Varsh and Bharat Varsh.
Bhadrasvavarsh (North east China, Korea, Japan, some part of Russia) is at the east of Meru and Ketumalavarsh (From Turkmenistan to middle East) is to the west. Ilavrit is between these landmasses.
Similarly, on the east is Chaitrarath garden of wealth deity Kuber, on the south is Mount Gandhamādan, on the west is Vaibhrāj (area of the Vaibhraj deities who are inconsumable by fire), and on the north is Nandan garden of Indra, king of Gods. These four gardens are unreachable by humans, as they lie in higher planes. Only spiritually conscious and divine beings reach there.
There are also four lakes, namely, the Aruṇoda (Khuvsegul), the Mahabharat (Balkhash), the Asitoda (in China) and the Manas (Mansarovar), which are always served by the Gods. In the sky above Meru is the great city of Lord Brahma (Brahmapuri), which extends for fourteen thousand yojanas. On all sides of it, in the directions, are very beautiful and famous cities of the guardians of the worlds, headed by Indra, i.e., cities of Svar lok surrounds Brahmlok.
The river Ganges, which flows from the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu, floods Bhuvarlok on all sides and flows from the heavenly planets into the city of Brahma, Since Ganga is divine river. When it falls there, it is divided into four parts, namely Seeta, Alakananda, Chakshu and Bhadra, in the four directions. Among them, Sita flows eastward through the sky from one mountain to another, and at the end crosses the Bhadrasvavarṣa, which is situated in the east, and reaches the ocean.
Similarly, the river Alakananda flows in the southern part of the country of Bharatvarsh (mainly India) and divides into seven parts and joins the sea. The river Chaksu crosses all the mountains in the western direction and flows in the year known as Ketumala, where it finally falls into the ocean. The Bhadra flows through the northern mountains and the Uttar Kuru region and flows into the northern sea. The Malyavan and Gandhamadan mountains extend to the Neel and Nishad mountains to the north and south. Between the two is the mountain Meru, the center of universe.
The Bharata-varsa, Ketumala, Bhadrasva and Kuru-varsas, situated on the outskirts of the country mountains are like the leaves of lotus flower. In the midst of the mountains surrounding Meru, are very beautiful caves served by Siddhas (power possessing beings), Charanas (Sages) and others. They have beautiful cities and gardens and very beautiful temples of the gods like Lakshmi, Vishnu, Agni (fire) and Surya (Sun), which are always served by the best of the Kinnaras. Gandharvas, Yakshas, Rākṣasas, Daityas play in these beautiful mountain valleys day and night.
Vishnu Puran being one of the oldest and most authentic puranas has a great description of Bharatvarsa although many details need researches to be understood. Vishnu Puran describes Bharat;
रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम्।
ब्रह्मराजर्षिरत्नाढ्याम वन्देभारतमातम्॥
Salute to my mother India, whos' feet are washed by the sea, adorned with Himalaya, she, who possess many Brahmarishi and Rajarishi. The country that lies north of the ocean, and south of the snowy mountains, is called Bharata, for there dwelt the descendants of Bharat.
भाति सर्वेषु वेदेषु, रतिः सर्वेषु जन्तुषु।
तरणं सर्व तीर्थानाम्,तेन भारतमुच्यते।।
Radiant in all the Vedas (in this one), love towards all animals, transcended all Tirthas, we call it Bharata. Here the meaning of tirtha is also seen as the well-known tirtha (river) or the one who knows the Tatva-jnyaana and also the one who is refuge of all the tirthas.
India lies north of the ocean (Indian Ocean) and south of snowy mountains (Himalayas). It is nine thousand leagues in extent, and is the land of works, in consequence of which men go to heaven, or obtain emancipation. Heaven, Hell, liberation from existence etc are obtained from this land.
From this region heaven is obtained, or even, in some cases, liberation from existence; or men pass from hence into the condition of brutes, or fall into hell. Heaven, emancipation, a state in mid-air, or in the subterraneous realms, succeeds to existence here, and the world of acts is not the title of any other portion of the universe.
The seven main chains of mountains in Bhārata are Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Suktimat, Riksa, Vindhya, and Paripatra. The mountains are - Mahendra ( Chain of hills extending from Odisha), Malaya (Southern portion of Western Ghats), Sahya ( Northern parts of Western Ghats), Suktimat, Riksa ( Mountains of Gondwana), Vindhya ( Chain of mountains across Central India), Paripatra ( Northern and western parts of Vindhya or mountains of Gujarat).
These entire places are called Bhoum (earthly) heavens; These are the abodes of dharmik men. Sinful men cannot go to these even in a hundred births. In the eight landmasses (except Bharat), like Kimpuruṣa, there is nothing like sorrow, fatigue, anxiety or fear of hunger. The people they were healthy, fearless and free from all suffering, and they had a steady life span. Later, they were inhabited by non-Vedic, barbaric people too. There was less rain in them, only earthly water, and there was no imagination of the Krit, Treta and other yugas in those places. The name of our country, sometimes known as Bharatvarsha and Aryavarta, is today India. But the India we have today is only a small piece of Jambudweep (Asia).
In Devi Bhagavata Mahapuruana; Bharatavarsha Varnan (8th Skanda 11th Chapter) where Indian subcontinent has been clearly laid out.
Narayana said “ O Narada ! In this land of Bharatavarsha I dwell as the aadi purusha Narayana. I will describe the rivers and mountains of this land. By looking at the mountains Malaya, MangalaPrastha, Mainaak, Trikuta, Rishabha, Kutaka, Devagiri, Rishyamuka, Shrishaila, Vyenkataadri, Mahendra, Vindhya, VaariDhaara, RikshaParvata, Drona, Chitrakuta, Govardhana, Raivataka, NeelaParvata, Gouramukha, KamaGiri and others a man acquires punya.
Hundreds of rivers take birth from these mountains. By taking bath and drinking the waters of those holy rivers or even just by seeing them and uttering their auspicious names, a man is freed of sins acquired through body and mind. Some of the rivers are Tamraparni, Chandravashaa, Kritamaal, Kaaveri ,Payaswinii, Tungabhadra, Venaa, Krishnavena, Godavari, Bheemarathi, Sharkaraa, Vartakaa, Nivivandhya, Taapi, Revaa, Narmadaa, Mandaakini, Saraswati, Sindhu , Andha, Sonana, RishiKulyaa, Trisomaa, VedaSmriti, Kaushiki, Ganga, Yamuna, Drishadvati, Gomati, Sarayu, Oghavati, Saptavati, Sushamaa, Shatadru, Chandrabhaga, MarudVridhaa, Bitastaa, Baitarani, Aslikee, Biswaa etc. Being born in this land of BharataVarsha, sattvick and sometimes rajasik individuals attain divine, human and hellish realms respectively, according to their own karmas. And they also attain moksha by observing sannyasa vanaprastha etc rules according to their respective varnas.
Narayan said; O Narada, this is how the sages, siddhas and rishis sing the glories of the land of Bharatavarsha. Even Identification of Hindu from Rigveda Barhaspatya Agam says;
हिमालयं समारभ्य: यावत् इंदु सरोवरं।
तं देवनिर्मितं देशं हिंदुस्थानं प्रचक्षते।।
Starting from Himalayas and extending upto the Indian Ocean is the nation built by Gods, Hindusthan.
आसिंधु सिंधुपर्यंताः यस्य भारत भूमिकाः l
पितृभूः पुण्यभूश्चैवः स वै हिंदुरिति स्मृतः ll
A Hindu is a person who regards this land of Bharatavarsha, from the Indus to the seas as his Fatherland as well as his holy land, that is the cradle land of his religion. Both Hinduism and Buddhism have elaborated on the nature of human beings and their inability to understand the true potential that which lies within.
Bharat : meaning“Bha” means Light and Knowledge, “rata” means “Devoted”.
Bharat means “devoted to light as against darkness”. The name “Bharat” was symbolic in nature revealing the fact that the whole country was highly enlightened spiritually.
2) The Vayu Purana says ‘he who conquers the whole of Bharata-varsa is celebrated as a samrāt’ (Vayu Purana 45, 86).
3) According to the Puranas, this country is known as Bharatavarsha after the king Bharata Chakravarti. This has been mentioned in Vishnu Purana (2,1,31), Vayu Purana,(33,52), Linga Purana(1,47,23), Brahmanda Purana (14,5,62), Agni Purana ( 107,11–12), Skanda Purana, Khanda (37,57) and Markandaya Purana (50,41) it is clearly stated that this country is known as Bharata Varsha. Vishnu Purāna mentions:
ऋषभो मरुदेव्याश्च ऋषभात भरतो भवेत्
भरताद भारतं वर्षं, भरतात सुमतिस्त्वभूत्
Rishabha was born to Marudevi, Bharata was born to Rishabh,
Bharatavarsha (India) arose from Bharata, and Sumati arose from Bharata
—Vishnu Purana (2,1,31)
ततश्च भारतं वर्षमेतल्लोकेषुगीयते
भरताय यत: पित्रा दत्तं प्रतिष्ठिता वनम (विष्णु पुराण, २,१,३२)
This country is known as Bharatavarsha since the times the father entrusted the kingdom to the son Bharata and he himself went to the forest for ascetic practices.
—Vishnu Purana (2,1,32)
The realm of Bharata is known as Bharātavarṣa in the Mahabhārata (the core portion of which is itself known as Bhārata) and later texts. The term varsa means a division of the earth, or a continent. A version of the Bhagavata Purana says, the name Bharata is after Jata Bharata who appears in the fifth canto of the Bhagavata.
– Vishnu Purana (2.3.1)
उत्तरं यत्समुद्रस्य हिमाद्रेश्चैव दक्षिणम् ।
वर्षं तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र संततिः ।।
“The country (varṣam) that lies north of the (Indian) ocean and south of the snowy mountains (Himalayas) is called Bhāratam; there dwell the descendants of Bharata.”
4) Āryāvarta (Sanskrit: आर्यावर्त, “abode of the Aryans”) is a name for North India in classical Sanskrit literature. The Manu Smriti (2.22) gives the name to “the tract between the Himalaya and the Vindhya ranges, from the Eastern (Bay of Bengal) to the Western Sea (Arabian Sea)”.
5) SBMP 5.16.9 – ‘evaḿ dakṣiṇenelāvṛtaḿ niṣadho hemakūṭo himālaya iti prāg-āyatā yathā nīlādayo ‘yuta-yojanotsedhā hari-varṣa-kimpuruṣa-bhāratānāḿ yathā-sańkhyam’
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