JAMBUDWIPA, MERU, AND THE SANKALPA

JAMBUDWIPA, MERU, AND THE SANKALPA

(Compiled by N.R. Srinivasan, Nashville, TN, USA, December 2018)

Hindu Saastras classify the religious rites (karmas) performed by mankind into four groups: Desire-prompte(kaamya), occasional (naimittika), daily oblations (nitya) and prohibited (nishiddha). While performance of a nishiddhika karma is sinful causing injury to one’s spiritual personality, our saastras enjoin that the other three category of karmas--kaamya, naimittika and nitya--should be performed only at specified place(s) and time(s) in the space-time continuum. If these karmas are performed otherwise, although they may not cause harm they certainly will not be efficacious. Hence the importance of observing correct time and place for performing religious rites is stressed in our religion. Lord Krishna exhorts to mankind through His advice to Arjuna “tasmaat saastram pramaanam te kaaryaakaaryow vyavasathithow”--therefore consider saastra as the authority or final arbiter in determining what action should or should not be performed. Let us all follow the Lord’s advice and benefit there from. Hence the importance of sankalpa in performing rituals and worships. The Sankalpa that every Hindu makes while initiating any religious practice    refers to the exact locale where the rite is performed with reference to the Hindu Cosmology.

Our ancient Maharshis viszualized that   The world is considered as having seven dweepas (islands)-Kusha, Shalmali, Plaksha, Jambu, Krauncha, Saaka, Pushkara.  Jamboodweepa is at the centre. Mountain Sumeru is at the centre of Jambudweepa.  The Present day India is a small part of that land Called Bharatha Varsham.  If you could obtain and see the map of those days , the present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, Nepal, a part of china and many more surrounding countries were then in Bharata varsha.  Now we hear of many Hindu temples and Hindu gods idols in those countries.

Hindu Cosmic cycle details.

1 Mahayuga = Sum of 4 Yugas (Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali) = 4,320,000 years. 1000 such mahayugas comprise a day-time of Brahma also known as a Kalpa. The Kalpa is ruled by 14 Manus in succession. The reigning period of a Manu is one Manvantara which is 71.42 Mahayugas. There is an equivalent night-time of 4,320,000,000 years. The day-night of Brahma together constitutes one Brahma day (8.64 billion years). 360 Brahma days constitute a Brahma year while 360 years represent the lifetime of Brahma which is the life of the cosmos. Doing this simple calculation gives the age of the cosmos to be 311 trillion years. Carl Sagan, the noted scientist says in relation to this, ""The Hindu religion is the only one of the world's great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which the time scales correspond, to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long. Longer than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the Big Bang. And there are much longer time scales still."

We are presently in the Sveta-Varaha kalpa in the reigning period of Vaivaswatha - the 7th Manu. In this Manvantara we are in the 28th mahayuga. As per our Cosmology, Brahma is supposed to have completed 50 Brahma years and is in his 51st year. That is why he is called "Parardha-dvaya-jivin" (ie) he lives for two parardhas. A parardha is half. Two halves make one. He is called so as he has completed one half of his tenure. These terminology makes better sense in relation to the Sankalpa. The actual Sankalpa mantra and its meaning runs like this

".... dviteeya parardhe - in the 2nd half of Brhama's life
Svetavaraha kalpe - in the kalpa of Sveta-Varaha
Vaivaswatha manvantare - in the reining period of the current manu Vaivaswatha
Ashta Vimsati tame - in the 28th mahayuga of the current manavantara
Kaliyuge - in this kali yuga
Prathame Padhe - in the first quarter of this yuga
Jamboodveepe - this denotes the place where the ritual is performed. India was known as Jambudveepa
Bharata Varshe, Bharata Kande - in the land of Bharat
Sakhabde Mero, Dakshine dikbhage - to the South of the Meru mountain
Asmin Varthamane Vyavaharike - in the current period now reigning
Prabhavadi Shasti Samvatsaranam Madya - among the cycle of 60 years starting from Prabhava
Nama Samvatsare - the name of the year in the 60 year Hindu calendar
....Ayane - Dakshinayane (Aadi to Marghazi) or Uttarayane (Thai to Aani)
....Ritou - denotes the 6 seasons or Ritus - Vasantha, Greeshma, Varsha, Sharadh, Hemantha and Shishira
....Mase - one of the 12 months
....Pakshe - either Shukla Paksham (day after Amavasya till and including Pournami) or Krishna Paksham (day after Pournami till and including Amavasya)
....Subha Thithou - one of the 15 days between Pournami and Amavasya (Prathama, Dvithiya, Trithiya, Chaturthi, Panchami, Shasti, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, Dasami, Ekadasi, Dwadashi, Trayodasi, Chaturdasi, Pournami or Amavasya
....Vasara Yuktayam - one of the days of the week (Bhanu, Soma, Bhowma, Soumya, Guru, Brugu and Sthira)
....Nakshatra Yuktayam - the day's star or Nakshatram.

1)      BHARATA VARSHA means entire Asian countries including Iran, Irak, Afghanistan,TIibet, Burma, Srilanka, Indonesia,Malaysia, Java and Sumara, Bali, Vietnams, Thailand etc., based on the past glory.

 "उत्तरं यत्समुद्रस्य हिमाद्रेश्चैव दक्षिणम् ।
वर्षं तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र संततिः ।।"

'uttaram yatsamudrasya himadrescaiva daksinam
varsam tadbharatam nama bharati yatra santatih'

"The country (varsam) that lies north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains is called Bharatam; there dwell the descendants of Bharata."

Bharatakandam is the region which is contained in Bharatavarsha, comprising modern South Asia.
According to some Puranas, the term Bharatvarsha applies to planet Earth and not to India based on our assertion Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

  2) Rig Veda, Book 3, Hymns 53, Verse 12:

"य इमे रोदसी उभे अहमिन्द्रमतुष्टवम |
विश्वामित्रस्यरक्षति बरह्मेदं भारतं जनम ||"

'ya ime rodasi ubhe ahamindramatustavam |
visvamitrasyaraksati brahmedaṃ  bhaaratam janam ||'

'Praises to Indra have I sung, sustainer of this earth and heaven. This prayer of Visvamitra keeps secure the race of Bharatas.'

3) Srimad Bhagavatam, Book 5, Chapter 20, Verses 2 to 29:

There are 7 concentric dvipas of varying sizes and surrounded by various types of oceans.

(yojana is the size of 4 gaau, and 1 gaau is 2 miles (thus 1 yojana  is 8 miles).

(i) Jambu-dvipa(the central dvipa) with 100,000 yojana at the center. It is surrounded by salt-water ocean of 100,000 yojana.
(ii) Next surrounded by serial one is Plaksh-dvipa with 200,000 yojana. It is surrounded by ikshu or sugarcane juice ocean of 200, 000 yojana.
(iii) Shaalmali-dvip is next with 400,000 yojana wide. This is encircled by the Like suraa or alcohol ocean with 400,000 yijana.
(iv)  Kush-dvip is the next one with 800,000 yojan. Beyond this Like ghrut or ghee (melted butter) ocean with 800,000 yojana wide.
(v) Next encircled is Kraunch-dvip with 1,600,000 yojana and beyond this is Like KSHEER or MILK OCEAN with 1,600,000 yojan wide.
(vi) Shaak-dvip is next with 3,200,000 yojana and further with Like dadhi-mandod or yogurt ocean with 3,200,000 yojanaa.
(vii) Pushkar-dvip is the last one with 6,400,000 yojana and surrounded with an ocean of Water sweet as sudhaa or amrut (nectar) of 6,400,000 yojana wide.

What exactly is this "Jambudwipa"?

Jambu Dweepa means “An Island of Jambu trees (Syzygium fruit or Java Plum)”. The fruit is called as Naval Pazlam in Tamil and nerale hannu in Kannada.

Jambudveepa consisted of modern Asia, Europe, Africa and North America and not merely the Indian subcontinent.

This Jambudveepa was divided into nine Varshas (geographical regions) of which one was  Bharatha Varsha. The other eight varshas were: 2. Ketumula Varsha; 3.Hari Varsha;  4. Ilavrita Varsha;  5. Kuru Varsha;  6. Hiranyaka Varsha; 7. Ramyaka Varsha;  8. Kimpurusha Varsha; and 9. Bhadrasva Varsha.

According to Wikipedia in ancient times this Globe was partitioned into Saptha Dweepas (seven islands) namely:

o    Jambu ( Java Plum) (Asia, Eurasia)

o    Plaksha ( Ficus religiosa or sacred fig ) (South America )

o    Saalmalli ( Bombax ceiba, cotton tree) ( Australia )

o    Kusha ( Grass) (oceania)

o    Krouncha ( Africa)

o    Saaka ( Europe, Atlantis)

o    Pushkara ( North America, Canada)

 “According to Puranic cosmography, the world is divided into seven concentric island continents (sapta-dvipa vasumati) separated by the seven encircling oceans (Sapta Sindhus), each double the size of the preceding one (going out from within). The seven continents of the Puranas are stated as Jambudvipa, Plaksadvipa, Salmalidvipa, Kusadvipa, Krounchadvipa, Sakadvipa, and Pushkaradvipa. Seven intermediate oceans consist of salt-water, sugarcane juice, wine, ghee, yogurt, milk and water respectively.  The mountain range called Lokaloka, meaning "world-no-world", stretches across this final sea, delineating the known world from the dark void.  

Continent Jambudvipa (Indian Blackberry Island), also known as Sudarshanadvipa, forms the innermost concentric island in the above scheme. Its name is said to derive from a Jambu tree (another name for the Indian Blackberry). The fruits of the Jambu tree are said, in the Viṣṇupurāṇa (ch.2) to be as large as elephants and when they become very ripe and fall upon the crest of the mountains, a river of juice is formed from their expressed juice. The river so formed is called Jambunadi (Jambu river) and flows through Jambudvipa, whose inhabitants drink its waters. Insular continent Jambudvipa is said to comprise nine varshas (zones) and eight significant parvatas(mountains).”called Bharata Varsha named after Bharata son of Rishabha Deva, the land including Sumeria up to Caspian Sea (which was called Kashyapa Samudra in those days). Within this Bharata Varsha was located the Bharata Khanda which was the heart of the Vedic civilization & the place where   Indians resided that too got progressively  curtailed due to partition and gifts to Prince of Wales! Aryan Invasion   is a conspiracy theory molded by Western Countries to show us in poor light.  All of the regions so mentioned in the race theory are a part of Bharata Varsha and there was never a so called "invasion".

What is amazing is the fact that our ancestors had an excellent overview of the geography of the world back then.

It can be observed that in those times, most of South American continent, southern half of African Continent and entire Australia were submerged under water. On the other hand most of modern day Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean, and the entire Arctic Ocean were above sea level.

This also proves the logical fallacy of the Western missionaries which claim that the Vedic civilization is just 5000 years old, Kurukshetra war took place just a few thousand years back, etc. The Vedic civilization existed at times when Australia was submerged below the ocean! Imagine how long back that must have been! 

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The common names of the dvīpas, having their varṣas (9 for Jambu-dvīpa, 7 for the other dvīpas) with a mountain and a river in each varṣa, is given in several Purāṇas.  There is a distinct set of names provides, however, in other Purāṇas   The most detailed geography is that described in the Vāyu Purāṇa.

Surya Siddhanta, an astronomical text, refers to Northern Hemisphere of the earth as Jambudvipa whereas the Southern hemisphere is referred to as Patala.

The credits for this discovery go to the great soul Lokamanya Balagangadhar Tilak. More information can be found in his book *The Arctic Home in the Vedas*

A religious Pundit recommended Sankalpa for different land as follows;

For USA : Krouncha dveepE, ramaNaka varshE, aindra kaNDE, amerikA desE , prasAnta sAgarE (pacific ocean , which is optional to say if you live on west coast of USA), your city etc...

For UK : SAlmali dvIpE, vinyascita paschima dhigbhAgE samudra madyasthita brihadharanya kshetrE, London mahAnagare (replace with any city in the UK you live in)

North America is Pushkara  dveepa   as pushkara trees (maple) are found there.


For UK : SAlmali dvIpE, vinyascita paschima dhigbhAgE samudra madyasthita brihadharanya kshetrE, London mahAnagare (replace with any city in the UK you live in)
North America is Pushkara  dveepa   as pushkara trees (maple) are found there.
Africa can be Krouncha dveepa (as  krouncha = bird, kilimanjaro (kili means parrot in Tamil) mountain exists there and popular episode of Skanda's life is his feat of breaking the Krauncha mountain.

SOME THOUGHTS FOR OUR RELIGIOUS PUNDITS AND SPIRITUAL GURUS
American Hindus might think Krouncha as North America but it is Pushkara dveepa.

Salmali could be Australia for the reason that tall pine trees (salmali) are found between Indonesia and Australia (also described by Sugreeva in Ramayana)
Similar way : Plaksha dveepa is South Americ

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Saaka is West Europe (towards Atlantic Ocean, like UK, Greenland, Ireland (has Skanda connection from Tamil Nadu. Try to find meaning for common Tamil name Sendhil/Senthil, which mean red one and Irish people have read skin+hair), Iceland etc.

Kusa dveepa is Oceania (smaller islands of Pacific ocean)

MY THOUGHTS

Priests in USA often replace “Bharatakande” with Aindra Kande in Sankalpa. “America, which is at the antipodes may be taken to be Patala, or the Nether World. Kapilaranya we may further take it as situated here. “It is likely Kapilaranya changed to California in the same manner as Madurai sometimes altered to Marudai. Also noteworthy is the fact that there is Horse islands near California as well as Ash Islands” writes HH Chandrasekaharendra Saraswati in his book Hindu Dharma. This reminds us of the story of Sagara, his horse, the curse of sage Kapila who reduced his sons to ashes. This makes us believe the migration of Red Indians from India in the ancient past.  (Though  coming from a well respected and reputed Sankaracharya this seems to be  an attempt to push  Hinduism too much based on  puranas0)

Recently an ancient   Siva temple in ruins has been discovered in the dense forests of USA. Hinduism had been the religion of the world from the beginning of times. Today it is again spreading in all countries of the world as world religion. The ancient Indians settled in America are known to the world as Red Indians.  Generations of present Kaliyuga   migrated from Bharat traveling through frozen sea between 20000 to 30000 years settled in the continent of America and were called Red Indians say the expert historians.  Settling there they worshiped Siva says a research publication Sadathala.  

According to Wikipedia in ancient times this Globe was partitioned into Saptha Dweepas. Pushkara Dweepa constituted North America, Canada.  Then, I am not sure of  Krouncha dweepa, Ramanaka Varsha  and Aindra Kanda  adopted by priests in USA for Sankalpas!

ANBIL RAMASWAMY

The tendency to link California with Kapilaranya and Horse islands to Ash Islands seem far- fetched and smack of trying to glorify Hinduism.

HINDUISM DISCOVERED ON SANKALPAM IN INDIA AND IN U.S.A.

The following are excerpts from Chapter 25 of “Hinduism Rediscovered” book which inter alia deals with the location that is recited in our Sankalpa.

DVEEPAS (ISLANDS)

While the Mahabhaarata gives an older version of the world model with just four dveepas arranged around Mount Meru, a fully developed model which is much more complex is also seen depicted in the Puranas. They mention seven dveepas surrounded by seven concentric oceans with Mount Meru standing at the center in what is known as Jambudveepa surrounded by an ocean of salt water which itself is surrounded alternately by circles of land and other oceans.

This Mount Meru, or the “Golden Mountain” is described as 84,000 Yojanas in height, 16,000 Yojanas in depth unimaginably far above the surface of the earth, with a diameter of 32,000 Yojanas and a base of 16,000 Yojanas.

The Jambudveepa itself is divided into 9 parts, with Bharata varsha at the center. The other 8 parts are described as “places of perfect enjoyment” (Bhoga Bhumi), where happiness is spontaneous and uninterrupted, without vicissitude, without age and death, without distinction of virtue or vice, without any change brought about by the cycle of ages.

NOTE:

U.S.A. may be described as “BhOga Bhoomi” may be in relation to India but it cannot be said to have the characteristics mentioned in the case of India – namely “where happiness is spontaneous and uninterrupted, without vicissitude, without age and death, without distinction of virtue or vice, without any change brought about by the cycle of ages”.

Bharatavarsha is subject to the deterioration brought about by the succession of the four yugas; it knows suffering and death. But, it is the land of works (Karma Bhumi) which enables people to gain heaven or even final emancipation” 

The Sankalpa that every Hindu makes while initiating any religious practice invariably refers to the exact locale where the rite is performed with reference to the Hindu Cosmology. In India, the locale part of the Sankalpa would be as follows:

mErO: DakshiNE paarsvE     On the southern side of Mount mEru

Jambudveepe                          In the isle of the rose apple

Bharata Varshe                       In the region called Bharata Varsha

Bharatah Khande                    In the continent of Bharata etc.

Our priests in  U.S.A  are often seen , adopt the same as follows:

mErO: paschima dig bhaagE; on the western side of Mount mERu*

Ramanaka Varshe                    In the region called Ramanaka Varsha

Aindra Khande                         In the continent called Aindra

Rocky – McKinley Parvatayor Madhye: Between the mountains of Rockey and McKinley

Misissipi- Missouri Ityaadhi Aneka Shodasa Jeeva Nadeenaam sameepa stite:
the place that is surrounded by such perennial rivers like Mississippi, Missouri and 16 other rivers.

 

 Sri Anbil Ramaswamy,  a well-known authoritative  religious scholar and writer says;

·         This does not seem to be correct because Mount mERu is situated unimaginably north and therefore mErO: dakshiNE paarsvE is to be applied anywhere in our world whether in India or U.S.A or Australia.*

·          Also, it is not correct to recite Krouncha Dweepa because according to Hindu Cosmology, Krouncha Dweepa is surrounded by Dashy or yogurt whereas we find that the waters of the oceans surrounding USA are saline and therefore more appropriate to include it in Bhaarta Varsha, Bharata: Khanda, mErO: DakshinE PaasvE

·          

·         In other words, the references to Dveepa, Varsha, Khanda etc should be as indicated for India.

Mount Meru of Hindu traditions has clearly mythical aspects, being described as 84,000 Yojana high (about 1,082,000 km (672,000 mi), which would be 85 times the Earth's diameter, and notes that the Sun along with all the planets in the Solar System revolve around Mt. Meru as one unit.

 

Mount Meru, in Hindu mythology, a golden mountain that stands in the center of the universe and is the axis of the world. It is the abode of gods, and its foothills are the Himalayas, to the south of which extends Bhāratavarṣa (“Land of the Sons of Bharata”), the ancient name for India. The roof tower crowning the shrine in a Hindu temple represents Meru. As the world axis, Mount Meru reaches down below the ground, into the nether regions, as far as it extends into the heavens. All of the principal deities have their own celestial kingdoms on or near it, where their devotees reside with them after death, while awaiting their next reincarnation.

 

Mount Meru of Hindu traditions has clearly mythical aspects, being described as 84,000 Yojana high (about 1,082,000 km (672,000 mi), which would be 85 times the Earth's diameter, and notes that the Sun along with all the planets in the Solar System revolve around Mt. Meru as one unit.

Mount Meru, in Hindu mythology, a golden mountain that stands in the center of the universe and is the axis of the world. It is the abode of gods, and its foothills are the Himalayas, to the south of which extends Bhāratavarṣa (“Land of the Sons of Bharata”), the ancient name for India. The roof tower crowning the shrine in a Hindu temple represents Meru. As the world axis, Mount Meru reaches down below the ground, into the nether regions, as far as it extends into the heavens. All of the principal deities have their own celestial kingdoms on or near it, where their devotees reside with them after death, while awaiting their next reincarnation.

You can see now the confusion that our priests have in USA in deciding right text  for Sankalpa for conducting rituals and worships.  Based on the above “Meroh dakshine parsve” can  be left as such in Sankalpa wherever Hindus are settled on the globe. Then:

For USA : Pushkara dveepE, RamaNaka varshE, Aindra kaNDE, AmerikA desE ,  Rocky McKinley Parvatayor Madhye: (Between the mountains of Rockey and McKinley) Misissipi- Missouri Ityaadhi Aneka Shodasa Jeeva Nadeenaam sameepe sthite: 

the place that is surrounded by such perennial rivers like Mississippi, Missouri and 16 other rivers seems to be logical that needs  to be blessed by our religious and astrological Pundits.   

 

 

.

 

APPENDIX

(E-Mail sent to HRF on March 2019)

Million Years Old? Geology Plate Tectonics Himalaya Formation

The Himalayas was formed, during the process of Continents being formed, around 50 million years ago says Geological  Society. Please see attached text; In this context please go through  the following posting on Ramani's Blog, article published first in the series ‘Impossible is Probable', in Hinduism in Tamil. Please also recall my compilation on Jambudweepa  and Sankalpa in this context.

Million Years Old? Geology Plate Tectonics Himalaya Formation

When one reads ancient Indian Texts, the eighteen Puranas and the Two Ithihasaa Ramayana and Mahabharatha in conjunction with Geology and   Plate Tectonics, one is struck by the accuracy of Indians.

Formation of Pangea Super Continent and Himalayas by Geology, Plate-tectonics.

‘The first oceans formed from the breakup, some 180 million years ago, were the central Atlantic Ocean between northwestern Africa and North America and the southwestern Indian Ocean between Africa and Antarctica. The South Atlantic Ocean opened about 140 million years ago as Africa separated from South America. About the same time, India separated from Antarctica and Australia, forming the central Indian Ocean. Finally, about 80 million years ago, North America separated from Europe, Australia began to rift away from Antarctica, and India broke away from Madagascar. India eventually collided with Eurasia approximately 50 million years ago, forming the Himalayas., not to speak of the Four Vedas which are earlier to these in conjunction with Geology and Pkate tectonics one will be amazed at the results.’

All these texts mention Himalayas, among other things geological.

Himalayas are described as The Abode of Lord Shiva, Daksha Prajapathi, the route taken by the Pandavas in the Mahabharatha en route to Heaven.

 If Himalayas are mentioned in these texts, then Himalayas must have existed before the period of these texts.

When was Himalayas formed?

Geological and Plate-Tectonics prove that there was a first Super Continent Pangea , which was surrounded by a body of water called Panthalassa.

​
Please read my articles on Pangea, Rodina Super Continents.

Valmiki Describes Panthalasa in Balakanda of Ramayana.

‘Now I am providing the description/reference of Pangea, which is also called as Panthalassa, from the Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana.

‘एक एकम् योजनम् पुत्रा विस्तारम् अभिगच्छत || १-३९-१४

यावत् तुरग संदर्शः तावत् खनत मेदिनीम् |
तम् एव हय हर्तारम् मार्गमाणा मम आज्ञया ||१-३९-१५

14b, 15. putraaH = oh, sons; eka ekam yojanam = one [each prince,] one, yojana – area of earth; vistaaram abhigacChata = square area, you advance – allocate for yourself; mama aaGYayaa = by my, order; tam haya hartaaram = him, horse, stealer; maargamaaNaa = while searching; turaga samdarshaH yaavat = horse’s, appearance, until; taavat mediniim khanata = till then, earth, you dig out.

” ‘Oh, sons, let each prince advance searching one square yojana of earth, by my order you dig up the earth until the appearance of the horse, while searching for the stealer of that horse. [1-39-14b, 15]

योजनानाम् सहस्राणि षष्टिम् तु रघुनंदन |
बिभिदुर् धरणीम् राम रसा तलम् अनुत्तमम् ||१-३९-२१

21. raghu nandana = oh, legatee of Raghu’s dynasty; raama = oh, Rama; yojanaanaam SaSTim sahasraaNi tu = yojana-s, thousand, sixty, thus; dharaNiim = of earth; they dug to make it as the; an uttamam = unsurpassed; rasaa talam = as sixth, subterranean field; bibhiduH = hollowed.

“Oh, Rama, the legatee of Raghu’s dynasty, thus sixty thousand square yojana-s of the earth is dug over, so as to make the earth’s outermost plane as the unsurpassed rasaa tala, the sixth subterranean and the nethermost plane. [1-39-21]

एवम् पर्वत संबाधम् जम्बू द्वीपम् नृपात्मजाः |

खनन्तो नृपशार्दूल सर्वतः परिचक्रमुः ||१-३९-२२

22. nR^ipa shaarduula = oh, tigerly king, Rama; nR^ipa aatmajaaH = king’s, sons; parvata sam baadham = with mountains, verily, congested; jambuu dviipam = Jambu Island [plateau]; evam khanantaH = this way, while digging; sarvataH paricakramuH = everywhere, they endeavoured.

“Oh, the kingly tiger Rama, the sons of Sagara have endeavored everywhere digging over the Jambu Island which is verily congested with mountains in this way. [1-39-22]

The jambu dwiipa is a continent according to Hindu mythology where the total continents listed are seven. jambuu plakShaahya dviipau shaalmaliH ca aparo dvija | kushaH krauncaH tathaa shakaH puShkaraH ca eva ca saptamaH the seven continents are jambu- plaksha – shaalmali- kusha – kraunca – shaaka – puSkara, and jambu dwiipa is one among the seven continents

https://ramanan50.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/ramayana-describes-pangaea-super-continengeology-agrees/)

Now this Pangea Super Continent broke up into other continents before finally becoming the Continents we have at present.

It is estimated that Pangea was formed between 290 and 270 million years ago.

Pangea was surrounded by a global ocean called Panthalassa, and it was fully assembled by the Early Permian Period (some 299 million to 272 million years ago). The super-continent began to break apart about 200 million years ago, during the Early Jurassic Period (201 million to 174  million years ago), eventually forming the modern continents and the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Pangea’s existence was first proposed in 1912 by German meteorologist Alfred Wagner as a part of his theory of continental drift. Its name is derived from the Greek pangaia, meaning “all the Earth.”

And Ramayna describes accurately the formation of Not only Himalayas, but the First Super Continent, Pangea.

No other world text does this.

So it will be logical to suggest that the Puranas, by virtue of the details of the formation of these, are older to Ramayana.

Is it possible that Puranas were compiled immediately after the Formation of Pangea?

Or at least 50 million years ago, the time when Himalayas was formed?

No doubt people could have written on these events much later.

Yet the wealth of details in these texts being validated by sciences, one by one,  makes me wonder if these texts are as old as they declare themselves to be,

Million years old!

Please read Ramani's  articles on Million year old Tamil site near Chennai. Million year Tamil quotes Vedas they quote Tamil, Poompuhar pushes Tamil date to 30,000 years back.

And we have Lemuria/Kumarikandam to contend with.

And it is 250 million years old!