Geographical and Economic Studies in the Mahãbhãrata

The Mahàbhàrata is rightfully regardedby the Hindus as the encyclopaedia ofancient lore. It contains the precepts of the great RŸìs ordaining the rightful conductand the deeds of the mighty heroes whose names are still cherished by the Hindus. The Mahàbhàrata was not composed with aview to give in any detail of the social aspects of Hindu life, neither it was written to give us the geographical knowledge of the Hindus, and therefore whatever geographical knowledge we are able to glean from the Mahàbhàrata, specially from the Àdiparva, Sabhàparva, Àraçyaparva and BhiŸmaparvaare incidental and not a connected whole. The names of the countries, mountains, rivers, etc., are mentioned in passing without any topographical details, very often even neglecting the direction in which a country for a mountain or a river lay, assuming their knowledge by the contemporary Indians as a matter of course. This attitude towards the geography of the country has created serious difficulties for the students of the historical geography of India and the information supplied by the Mahàbhàrata has to be supplemented with the Grecians, Chinese, and often medieval Chinese sources.Dr. Moti Chandra, inspired by the encouragement of Dr. K. P. Jayaswal, took up this onerous task of providing geographic and economic details from this great epic. The book, even after so much time of its first publication, still remains a fundamental study on this difficult subject.