Bhuvana Kosha is a Puranic word denoting ‘dictionary of the universe’. Geography was an essential part of the lives of ancient Hindus. Accordingly, it forms an important section of Hindu Puranas where it is referred to as bhuvana kosha or bhuvana vinyasa (layout of the universe). Rajashekhara wrote an independent work captioned Bhuvana kosha, as we learn from its mention in his Kavyamimamsa.
Bhuvana kosha sections of Puranas included the entire globe
as it was known to the Hindus centuries ago. Of these Jambudvipa was the most
important and was believed to have been divided into nine varshas (countries).
Out of these, the southernmost was Haimavatavarsha which was inherited by
Bharata, son of Rishabha according to Jaina accounts. This area came to be
known after him as Bharatavarsha.
Two stages are traceable in the evolution of the Puranic
geographical accounts. Markanedya Purana devotes two separate chapters to the geography
of what is called Bharatavarsha. The first describes Bharatavarsha in the shape
of a bow with its string in the form of the Himalayas in the north and the stretched
bow in the South. It is fairly true reflection of an undivided India. According
to it, Bharata falls into seven parts – Madhyadesha (central), Udicya (north),
Pracya (east), Dakshinapatha (south), Apranta (west), Vindhaprastha (back of
the Vindhya mountains) and Parvatasrayin (mountainous region).
In contrast, the second stage takes it to conform to the
shape of a tortoise with its mouth facing East and treats its geography in nine
parts conforming to the nine limbs of the tortoise facing different cardinal
and intermediate directions as follows – middle (madhyadesha), mouth (east), foot
(southeastern), right belly (south), foot (southwestern), tail (west), northeastern
(foot), north (left belly) and northwestern (foot).
The name Bharatavarsha is generally used for the Indian
subcontinent. It is primarily the geography of this varsha, including its
mountains, rivers and janapadas (cultural zones) that is dealt within bhuvana
kosha.