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The word that Hieun Tsang used to refer to India “Indu”, as well as the other endonym for India “Bhārata”, both mean exactly the same thing: the land which is fit for Yajña - “Yajñiyo Dēśa”, as Manu Smriti put it. This is the oldest reference to the geographical borders of India.
In fact, the reference in Manusmriti for India “Yajñiyo Dēśa” is the oldest literary reference for the geographical extent of any single nation in the world. This ingenious reference equates “Yajñiyo Dēśa” with the biological habitat of “Krishnamriga” or Antilope Cervicapra. 
Krishnamriga, also known as “black buck” is a very graceful animal that is a protected species in India. Previously, its habitat extended to the current country of Pakistan, but it is now exterminated (due to hunting and poaching) in that region. A similar story in Bangladesh.
The word “Bharata” means the person who “bears” Agni - sacrificial fire. “Bhārata” is derived from it: it is the product of sacrifice (Yajña). The purpose of Yajña is to tally astronomical motion of stars and planets and identify a precise point of renewal for the year (Varsha).
The same word “Varsha” is used for both the year and the land (Bharata Varsha). Varsha also means rain. The onset of monsoon is the most important moment of the year. The country’s agriculture (and population) is dependent on this calculation by Yajña. Hence the name “Bhārata”.
The word “Indu” means exactly the same as “Bhārata”: it means the outcome of Vedic sacrifice (Yajña). The Aswamēdha Yajña collects droplets of Soma liquid into a Yūpa (bowl). This collected Soma is called “Indu”, it is depicted in the Indus Valley seals.
The word “Indu” as well as the word “Soma”, also mean the moon. Why?
It is the motion of the moon among the Nakshatras (“lunar mansions” across the ecliptic) that is used to identify the point of renewal of the year. The Soma liquid in the Yūpa measures the motion of the moon.
It is the motion of the moon among the Nakshatras (“lunar mansions” across the ecliptic) that is used to identify the point of renewal of the year. The Soma liquid in the Yūpa measures the motion of the moon.
It is not just the word “Indu” that became popular across the world. The sacred symbolism of the Indus seals was used in many religions and political emblems of the world, due to the economic and civilizational influence of ancient India. The most remarkable is the “unicorn”.
Both the words “Bhārata” and “Indu” (now transformed into “Hindu”) mean exactly the same thing, and this is attested to the exact geography of India in an ancient literary reference - Manu Smriti.
No other country in the world has any reference that is even remotely comparable.
No other country in the world has any reference that is even remotely comparable.
Remarkably, the verses in Manusmriti mention not only the geographical extent of India, but also the geographical extents of progressive urbanization, starting from “Brahmāvarta” - the very heart of the Harappan civilization, the greatest urban civilization of the ancient world.
The “Brahmāvarta”, between the Saraswati and Drishadvati rivers, is where the Yajña was performed to identify the annual calendar for conducting agriculture. It is the heart of the ancient “Indu”. Ruins of the Indus-Saraswati civilization are found today strewn in this region.
Enclosing this is the “Madhyadēśa” (middle country) -the seat of imperial power. Its name is exactly mirrored in the endonym for China ( 中国 Zhōngguó).
Manusmriti describes exactly the places around the Kurukshētra (the seat of the Mahābhārata war) that fall under this region.
Manusmriti describes exactly the places around the Kurukshētra (the seat of the Mahābhārata war) that fall under this region.
Enclosing this is the “Āryāvarta”.
“Āryam” means “irrigated”. “Āvarta” means “extent”. “Āryāvarta” literally translates as “the extent of irrigated land”.
Manusmriti marks it between the Himalaya and Vindhya mountains - the fertile Indo-Gangetic plain.
“Āryam” means “irrigated”. “Āvarta” means “extent”. “Āryāvarta” literally translates as “the extent of irrigated land”.
Manusmriti marks it between the Himalaya and Vindhya mountains - the fertile Indo-Gangetic plain.
Enclosing this further is the complete geographical extent of “Yajñiyo Dēśa” - the land fit for Yajña, which is equated with the range of the biological habitat of the black buck. This is the entire Indian subcontinent. Regions outside that are marked as the territory of Mlēccha.
As the Manusmriti makes it simply clear, the four consecutive regions in the geography of India correspond precisely to the four Varnas of Brāhmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Śūdra, and how they are supposed to have arose out of each other, in that exact order.
The first to arise is the intellectual class, who figure out how to chart the astronomical motions. From this comes the imperial power of the state. Only when defended by this, arises a larger agricultural class. Catering to them and dependent on them, arise other professions.
It is interesting why the Manusmriti chose the Krishnamriga (black buck) out of the various fauna of India to mark the extent of “Yajñiyo Dēśa”.
I think this symbolism may be due to the physical resemblance of its black and white patches to the phases of the moon (Soma/Indu).
I think this symbolism may be due to the physical resemblance of its black and white patches to the phases of the moon (Soma/Indu).
Equally possible, the choice may be because of the black buck’s habitat - flat plains with access to water. This maps exactly to land fit for agriculture. So the presence of black buck is a type of litmus test if the land is overexploited or if it still retails ecological health.
There is a long history of protecting the black buck and other wild animals in India, from hunting, which is what humans otherwise do. Ashoka’s edicts 2000 years ago specify no-hunting zones. We have records of deer and other animals being cared for in the hermitages of Rishis.
The overexploitation of fresh water resources by man has turned many fertile river plains in the world into desert. So protecting the habitat of wild animals and promoting vegetarianism (which has much smaller water footprint) have been key to India’s survival as a civilization.
What a stupid title for a stupid essay. Churchill said India is as much of a nation as the “equator”. But this “idea of India” as a gift from Britain lives on.
Dumb beyond imagination, considering the actual literary history of the nation.
Dumb beyond imagination, considering the actual literary history of the nation.
^retains
Manusmriti states that Dvija Varṇas should seek to dwell in Yajñīyo Dēśa, although a Śūdra who is distressed for subsistence can seek employment elsewhere.
But these are just broad guidelines, which should be adapted according to space and time context.
But these are just broad guidelines, which should be adapted according to space and time context.
In the broadest sense, Yajña is "conscious sharing". So it is not just Vēdic sacrifice: every aspect of life can be lived through as a Yajña. Please see this exposition of S. Gaṇēsh.
The Nāṭyaśāstra extends the notion of Yajña to artistic performance.
The Nāṭyaśāstra extends the notion of Yajña to artistic performance.
In the current age, the whole world is interconnected. Not just by information, but also by food and consumer goods. It's impossible to live a life of Yajña in isolation. As Rig Vēda says "Kṛṇvantō viśwam āryam".
इन्द्रं वर्धन्तो अप्तुरः कृण्वन्तो विश्वं आर्यं अपघ्नन्तो अराव्णः
इन्द्रं वर्धन्तो अप्तुरः कृण्वन्तो विश्वं आर्यं अपघ्नन्तो अराव्णः
It is the responsibility of every person to destroy Adharma, wherever in the world. One should not tolerate the people who are intolerant, who try enslave other humans, or who destroy natural ecosystems.
When the whole world is interconnected, the whole world is fit for Yajña.
When the whole world is interconnected, the whole world is fit for Yajña.
In the current age, I don't think Dharma is respected within any geographical boundary. It is an uphill struggle everywhere. And there are good people everywhere, even those who never heard of India or its customs. They are people who live a life of Yajña. My respects to them. 🙏
