DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9551#0014
2
JUDICIAL AND REVENUE SYSTEMS OF INDIA.
Wide tracts of this empire were formerly ruled by
different individual princes, who, though Politically in-
dependent of, and hostile to each other, adhered to the
same religious principles, and commonly observed the
leading rites and ceremonies taught in the Sanscrit
language, whether more or less refined. These tracts of
land are separated from each other by rivers, or hills,
on sometimes by imaginary lines of demarcation.
The part styled " the civilized," in the sacred writings
of the Brahmans, consists of two large divisions.*
The first is. called " the civilized and sacred land ;"f
which, extending from the banks of the Indus at 3.4°
countries beyond that natural limit, such as Caubul and Candahar,
are supposed by some to be included in India, and by others in
Persia. But many Hindu antiquities still exist there to corro-
borate the former notion.—Not only the northern boundary
mountains of India, but also those mountains which form the
eastern and western limits of it, are by the ancient writers on
India termed Himalaya, and considered branches of that great
chain. " In the north direction is situated the prince of moun-
tains, the ' immortal Himalaya ' which immersing both in the
eastern and western seas, stands on earth as a standard of nuasure
(or line of demarcation.)" Cali Dass.
* Manu, the most ancient authority, thus defines their limits.
" The lands lying as far as the eastern, and as far as the western
oceans, and between the mountains just mentioned (Himalaya
and Vindhya) are known to the wise by the name of " Aryavarta "
or the land inhabited by respectable people." Ch. II. v. '22.
In his translation of this passage, Sir William Jones, by omit-
ting to refer to the commentary, which substitutes the copulative
Sanscrit particle "C/i" for " Eb," has thus translated this
passage : "As far as the eastern and as far as the western oceans,
between the two mountains just mentioned, lies the tract which
the wise have named Aryavarta." This rendered the description
obscure, if not wholly unintelligible ; since the countries lying
between these two ranges of mountains,. are scarcely situated
between the eastern and western seas.
t Because this division includes within it the tract which is
called the Sacred Land, situated to the north of Delhi, thus
described by Manu. " Between the two divine river, Saraswati
and Drishadwati, lies the tract of land which the sages have
named Brahmavarta, because it was frequented by gods.
JUDICIAL AND REVENUE SYSTEMS OF INDIA.
Wide tracts of this empire were formerly ruled by
different individual princes, who, though Politically in-
dependent of, and hostile to each other, adhered to the
same religious principles, and commonly observed the
leading rites and ceremonies taught in the Sanscrit
language, whether more or less refined. These tracts of
land are separated from each other by rivers, or hills,
on sometimes by imaginary lines of demarcation.
The part styled " the civilized," in the sacred writings
of the Brahmans, consists of two large divisions.*
The first is. called " the civilized and sacred land ;"f
which, extending from the banks of the Indus at 3.4°
countries beyond that natural limit, such as Caubul and Candahar,
are supposed by some to be included in India, and by others in
Persia. But many Hindu antiquities still exist there to corro-
borate the former notion.—Not only the northern boundary
mountains of India, but also those mountains which form the
eastern and western limits of it, are by the ancient writers on
India termed Himalaya, and considered branches of that great
chain. " In the north direction is situated the prince of moun-
tains, the ' immortal Himalaya ' which immersing both in the
eastern and western seas, stands on earth as a standard of nuasure
(or line of demarcation.)" Cali Dass.
* Manu, the most ancient authority, thus defines their limits.
" The lands lying as far as the eastern, and as far as the western
oceans, and between the mountains just mentioned (Himalaya
and Vindhya) are known to the wise by the name of " Aryavarta "
or the land inhabited by respectable people." Ch. II. v. '22.
In his translation of this passage, Sir William Jones, by omit-
ting to refer to the commentary, which substitutes the copulative
Sanscrit particle "C/i" for " Eb," has thus translated this
passage : "As far as the eastern and as far as the western oceans,
between the two mountains just mentioned, lies the tract which
the wise have named Aryavarta." This rendered the description
obscure, if not wholly unintelligible ; since the countries lying
between these two ranges of mountains,. are scarcely situated
between the eastern and western seas.
t Because this division includes within it the tract which is
called the Sacred Land, situated to the north of Delhi, thus
described by Manu. " Between the two divine river, Saraswati
and Drishadwati, lies the tract of land which the sages have
named Brahmavarta, because it was frequented by gods.