I am not an archeologist and knew little about their methodology. My question above and this answer are based on my study of Mahabharata and articles available in the internet, related to underwater explorations to find the city of Dwaraka, such as The Lost City of Dwaraka.
Dwaraka is a coastal town in Jamnagar district of Gujarat. Traditionally, modern Dwaraka is identified with Dvaraka, mentioned in the Mahabharata as Krishna's city. Dwaraka was a port, and some scholars have identified it with the island of Barka mentioned in the Periplus of Erythrean Sea. Ancient Dwaraka sank in sea and hence is an important archaeological site. The first clear historical record of the lost city is dated 574 A.D. and occurs in the Palitana Plates of Samanta Simhaditya. This inscription refers to Dwaraka as the capital of the western coast of Saurashtra and still more important, states that Sri Krishna lived here.
While studying the Mahabharata and especially the episodes connected to someone visiting Shri Krishna’s city of Dwaraka, to my surprise, I found that the Prabhasa Tirtha, the present-day Somanath Temple area, had been mentioned in that EPIC.
I am quoting 3 such instances, taken from the KMG’s translation of Mahabharata for which references were given at appropriate places.
After Jarasandha attacking Madhura for 17 times, the Yadavas fled towards the West from fear of Jarasandha, with their cousins and relatives. There was a delightful town towards the West called Kusasthali, adorned by the mountains of Raivata. In that city, they took up their abode, rebuilt its fort and made it so strong that it has become impregnable even to the Gods. (SECTION XIV of Sabha Parva)
1) Arjuna-vanavasa Parva
In order to save the cattle of the brAhmana, Arjuna was forced to enter Yudhisthira’s chamber to fetch his weapons. After saving the cattle, Arjuna embarks upon exile period, as per the mutual agreement among the 5 Pandavas. During his exile period, Arjuna visits Prabhasa tirtha, in the Western coast area. (Section 220 of Arjuna-vanavasa Parva in Adi Parva).
samudre paścime yāni tīrthāny āyatanāni ca
tāni sarvāṇi gatvā sa prabhāsam upajagmivān
When the Arjuna arrived at that sacred and delightful region, the slayer of Madhu (Krishna) heard of it. Madhava soon went there to see his friend, the son of Kunti. Krishna and Arjuna met together and embracing each other enquired after each other's welfare. Thereafter, Arjuna takes away Subhadra, sister of Krishna, and marries her.
2) After commencement of exile period of Pandavas, after losing their kingdom in the game of dice, Arjuna proceeded to perform austerities to obtain Divine weapons from Shiva and Indra. Thereafter, he goes to Amaravati (Heaven), the place of Gods.
Yudhisthira, along with his wife Draupadi and remaining brothers visit various holy places and visits Prabhasa tirtha, on the Western Coast area. (SECTION CXVIII of Vana Parva).
sa tena tīrthena tu sāgarasya; punaḥ prayātaḥ saha sodarīyaiḥ
dvijaiḥ pṛthivyāṃ prathitaṃ mahadbhis; tīrthaṃ prabhāsaṃ sam upājagāma
For twelve days he subsisted upon air and water. And he performed ablutions for days and nights and surrounded himself with fires kindled on all sides.
While he was acting thus, information reached both Valarama and Krishna that the king was practising penances of a most austere form and these two leaders of the entire Vrishni tribe accompanied with troops came to Yudhishthira.
3) Mutual fight among Yadavas and consequent elimination of Yadava race
After getting the curse of rishis upon the prank played by Yadavas, the Yadavas were terrified and set out on a pilgrimage. The Yadavas, then, with their wives, proceeded to Prabhasa and took up their residence there, each in the (temporary) habitation that was assigned to him, and all having an abundance of provisions consisting of edibles and drink. (Section 3 of Mausala Parva).
tataḥ prabhāse nyavasan yathoddeśaṃ yathā gṛham
prabhūtabhakṣyapeyas te sadārā yādavās tadā
Thereafter, in an inebriated position, the Yadavas killed each other. Shri Krishna sends Daruka for Arjuna, to save remaining people and women. Thereafter, Shri Krishna goes back to Dwaraka and informs what transpired and intimates his decision to join Balarama in the Forest and goes back to the place where Balarama sat in Yoga. Finally, both of them leave their bodies in Yoga.
After Arjuna leaves Dwaraka, the ocean submerges the Dwaraka city.
####
Points to be noted:
a) The distance between Prabhasa Tirtha or present-day Somanath Temple area to present-day Dwaraka, as per Google maps, is 237 Kms.
b) The Gulf of Khambat area, shown in black triangle in picture above, divides the Kathiawar Peninsula from the south-eastern part of Gujarat.
c) Arjuna and Yudhisthira travelled first towards Southern parts of the then India and then travelled and Prabhasa tirtha.
My observations:
I) From the references of Mahabharata given above, we can infer that Prabhasa Tirtha, a holy place, was very near to the Shri Krishna’s city of Dwaraka, as whenever someone visits Prabhasa tirtha, the news reaches immediately to Shri Krishna. In the last reference, Shri Krishna visits his father and comes back quickly to the place where Balarama sat in Yoga.
And, Shri Krishna’s city of Dwaraka may not be present day Dwaraka town, as it is situated 237 Km away from the Prabhasa Tirtha, the present-day Somanath Temple area.
II) At the time when Shri Krishna was alive, whoever visited the Holy Prabhasa Tirtha, found it in the Western ocean area. My presumption is that at that point of time the Gulf of Khambat area, which is separating the present-day the Kathiawar Peninsula from the south-eastern part of Gujarat, might not be in existence.
The entire area might have been a single land mass, something like the one shown below.
If the Gulf of Khambar was in existence, Arjuna and Yudhisthira should have travelled by boat, from west coast to Prabhasa tirtha. It was not mentioned in Mahabharata that they had travelled by boat to reach Prabhasa tirtha, but it was narrated that they had simply reached Prabhasa tirtha.
III) That might be the reason due to which the under-water excavations in Gulf of Khambat area unearthed some of the objects of 9000 years old, as this area might have been submerged in ocean along with Shri Krishna’s city of Dwaraka.
IV) If under-water excavations are conducted near the Prabhasa Tirtha, the present-day Somanath Temple area, they may find submerged Shri Krishna’s city of Dwaraka.
No comments:
Post a Comment