Word

Jambudvipa

Sanskrit

जम्बुद्वीप

IAST

jambūdvīpa

In General

According to Puranic cosmology the world consists of 7 large islands (or continents). Jambudvipa is one of them.

Jambudvipa is in the form of a circle forming a diameter of 100,000 yojanas with Mount Meru at its centre. Bharat Kshetra is part of Jambudvipa. The other areas are: Mahavideha Kshetra, Airavat Kshetra, Ramyakwas, Hariwas, Hairanyvat Kshetra, Haimavat Kshetra, Devkuru, Uttarkuru. The sea that surrounds Jambudvipa is the Lavana sea (salt sea)

Purana

Once Priyamvrata, son of Syumbhuvamanu intended to give more light to earth started a Yajna by which he moved round the Earth seven times in his chariot which is as shining as Sun. During these travels the wheels of the chariot made seven furrows on the earth. These furrows became the seven seas and the beds between the furrows became seven islands. Priyavrata distributed seven islands thus formed by his furrow to seven of his sons as follows : Jambudvipa to Agnidhra ; Plaksadvipa to Medhatithi; Salmalidvipa to Vapusman; Kusadvipa to Jyotisman; Krauncadvipa to Dyutiman ; Sakadvipa to Bhavya ; and Puskaradvipa to Savana.