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Sri Tatachar"s two questions On Kalpam

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V. Sadagopan • December 14, 1995 


I am glad to answer the two questions& add a
comment on our own Jambu Dwipam. 

 ***Brahma Kalpam stands for a Cycle of Brahma
      (432 MIllion years of Human Samvatsaras)

*** Svetesvaraha Kalpam denotes the Kalpam of the Present Brahma ,
       where Vaivasvata Manu is  said to rule as an agent of Brahma. .

**** The next portion of our Sankalpa refers to Jambu Dwipa. 
        In the Indian Cosmology/ Geography, there are seven 
        Dwipas , each of which is surrounded by one type of 
        Ocean. Jambu is described as having Salty ocean
        surrounding it. There  are  9 divisions (Kandaas) in
        Jambu Dwipam  recognized as (1) Ilaavrutam ,
        (2) Bhadrasravam (3) harivarsham (4) Ketumaalam
        (5) Ramyakam (6) Hiranmayam (7)Uttaraguru (8)Kimpurusham
        (9) Bharatam.

          The first of the 9 Kandaas of Jambu  Dwipam(Ilavrutam)
           is described to be under the foot of Meru Mountain. A river named
           Jambu flows from the top of this  mountain. The region south of that
river
           and North of Himalayas is recognized as Ilavruta Kandam. Here Lord
Sankara
           is said to worship Bhagavan in the form of Sankarshana with the
Mantra 
           dedicated to Him (BHagavatam : 5-17-17). The Twenty First Dasakam of 
           Sri Narayaneeyam of Bhattadhiri describes the Jambu Dwipam &
Sankarshana
           worship at Ilavrutam.

2.In the Badrasravam, Hayagreeeva is worshipped by Badrasrasu Rishis.
3.In Harivarsham, Prahlada worships Narasimha Bhagavan.
4.In Ketumaalam, Maha Lakshmi worships Bhagavan as Kamarupi.
5.In Ramyakam, Matsya Murthy is worshipped by the Manu.
6.In Hiranmaya Kandam, Kurma Murthy is worshipped by Aryama, the lord of manes.
7.In Uttara Guru Varsham, Yajna Varaha Murthy is worshipped.
8.In Kimpurusham lying south of Ilavrutam, Rama is worshipped 
by Anjaneya and Kimpurushaas.
9.In Bharata Varsha, Nara-Naraayana is worshipped by Narada and others.

There are Mantras for worship of the above 9 Lords of 9 Kandas
of the Jambu Dwipam  in thefifth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatham. 

In the remaining Six Dwipas ( Plaksha, Saalmala,Kusa, Krouncha,
Saka and Pushkara), there are appropriate Lords and principal 
worshippers  as in the case of Jambu Dwipam..

The impressive aspect of these describtions is  the sense of 
Geography and  a sense of Order that Srimad Bhagavatam 
presents and ties it up with the Avataras and Vyuha Murthys of 
the Lord. Sri Narayana Bhattadhiri asks Sri Guruvayurappan 
whether these  describtions a re accurate as stated in 
Bhagavatam and the Lord of Guruvayur nods his head to 
indicate his authentication.   

V.Sadagopan