Swetha dweepa, white island—Continuation of previous blogposts, links:
Part 1 at: http://vivekanandayb.blogspot.com/search/label/284
Part 2 at: http://hinduismreformsyb.blogspot.com/search/label/032 .
Part 3 at: http://headheartjournal.blogspot.com/search/label/002.
[Recapitulation]: In Part 2 (Essay No.2 of 10 essays series), we have seen that in Yoga Vasishta, there is a reference to a White Island (Sanskrit language and many Indian Languages: svEta dvIpa, also spelt as swEta dweepa, swEtha dweepa, etc.). Scriptural interpretation for this is 'vaikunTham' or the Abode of Lord VishNu. It can also be taken to mean that it is the City of Lord Vishnu.
The verse No. 2/73/56 in Yoga Vasishta makes only a brief reference to a White Island, surrounded by an Ocean of Milk. In the above verse the chief of Demy Gods Indra advised the Wind God to trace out the Demoness Karkati. During the search process, Fire God visited Swetha Dweepa (White Island) surrounded by a Sea of Milk, before landing on Salt Island Jambu Dweepa. Beyond that I am unable to trace in Yoga Vasishtha further references to a White Island.
But, the Epic Mahabharata of Veda Vyasa (also called Krishna DvaipAyana), Book 12, Shanti Parva, has a lengthy Episode, about Narada's visit to White Island (Swetha Dweepa or Vaikuntha).
The relevant verses are worth quoting, as they support a theory which identifies that Aryans migrated to India from White Lands i.e. Europe and Siberia.
Santi Parva 323 021
mEror uttarabhAgE tu
kshIrodasyAnukUlatah-
sa dESo yatra nas taptam
tapah parama dAruNam
katham paSyEmahi vayam
dEvam nArAyaNam tv iti
tato vratasyA avabhrithE
vAg uvAcA aSarIriNI-
sutaptam vas tapo viprAh
prasannEnAntarAtmanA
yUyam jignAsavo bhaktAh
katham drakshyatha tam prabhum-
WHITE ISLAND
The description of the White Island and the characteristic features of its Residents are:--
Santi Parva 322 006
tato visrishTah paramEshThiputrah;
so abhyarcayitvA tam rishim purANam-
kham utpapAtottama vEgayuktas;
tato adhimErau sahasA nililyE
tatrAvatasthE ca munir muhUrtam;
EkAntam AsAdya girEh sa SringE-
AlOka yann uttarapaScimEna;
dadarSa cAtyadbhutarUpayuktam
kshIrodadhEr uttarato hi dvIpah;
SvEtah sa nAmnA prathito viSAlah-
mEroh sahasraih sa hi yojanAnAm;
dvAtrimSatordhvam kavibhir niruktah
atIndriyAS cAnaSanAS ca tatra;
nishpandahInAh susugandhinaS ca-
SvEtAh pumAmso gatasarvapApAS;
cakshurmushah pApakritAm narANAm
vajrAsthikAyAh samamAnonmAnA;
divyAnvaya rUpAh SubhasAropEtAh-
chatrAkritiSIrshA mEghaughaninAdAh;
satpushkara catushkA rAjIva SatapAdAh
Santi Parva 012 322 011
shashTyA dantair yuktAh Suklair;
ashTAbhir damshTrAbhir yE-
jihvAbhir yE vishvagvaktram;
lElihyantE sUryaprakhyam
bhaktyA dEvam viSvotpannam;
yasmAt sarvE lokAh sUtAh-
vEdA dharmA munayah SAntA;
dEvAh sarvE tasya visargAh
yudhishThira uvAca:
atIndriyA nirAhArA
anishpandAh sugandhinah-
For the above Sanskrit language verses I provide below an English translation by Late Kisori Mohan Ganguli [1883-1896]. While the Engl. translation is by and large the English Translation adhered to the original , a verse-gist-verse-gist model could not be found . Hence, there may be a little lack of synchronisation between the verses and the English gist . Any way, the main information in which we may be interested will relate to the probable location of this White Island. Here is a fantasy , of some White Island Residents having four testicles (mushkas) and 60 teeth. Now, the English gist for these verses from Late Ganguli's translation :--
Endued with high Yoga-puissance, Narada suddenly soared into the firmament and reached the summit of the mountains of Meru.
Proceeding to a retired spot on that summit, the great ascetic took rest for a short while.
He then cast his eyes towards the north western direction and beheld an exceedingly wonderful sight.
Towards the north, in the ocean of milk, there is a large island named the White Island.
The learned say that its [WHITE ISLAND'S] distance from the mountains of Meru is greater than two and thirty thousand Yojanas.
The denizens of that realm have no senses.
They live without taking food of any kind.
Their eyes are winkless.
They always emit excellent perfumes.
Their complexions are white.
They are cleansed from every sin.
They blast the eyes of those sinners that look at them.
Their bones and bodies are as hard as thunder.
They regard honour and dishonour in the same light.
They all look as if they are of celestial origin.
Besides, all of them are endued, with auspicious marks and great strength.
Their heads seem to be like umbrellas.
Their voices are deep like that of the clouds.
Each of them has four Mushkas.
The soles of their feet are marked by hundreds of lines.
They have sixty teeth all of which are white (and large), and eight smaller ones.
They have many tongues.
With those tongues they seem to lick the very Sun whose face is turned towards every direction.
Those beings have no senses.
They do not eat anything for supporting their lives.
Their eyes are winkless.
They always emit excellent perfumes.
Indeed, they seem to be capable of devouring that deity from whom hath sprung the entire universe, the Vedas, the deities, and the Munis wedded to the attribute of tranquillity.
ybrao-a-donkey's personal views not intended to be imposed on others: Sage Narada reached the Summit of the Meru Mountains. He has looked North-Westwards, about 230,000 yOjanas away (i.e. approx. 230,000 x 8 miles or 230,000 x 1.5 kms). He saw white persons on that island. Why should they be white colored? Why not black? Our pseudo-Hinduists including some present and Former Central Ministers seem to continuously believe and argue that Aryans did not migrate to India from Baltics or Polar Regions or Bactria. This is in spite of the fact that Lok Manya Bala Gangadhara Tilak, one of the pioneers and doyens of Indian Independence Movement expressed a view that Aryans had their origin in North Pole.
Indians seem to have accepted most of what Lok Manya Tilak propounded as long as his ideas suited the Theory of Superiority of Indian Nation, over all other Nations, just as the British called themselves as Great Britain and just as the European Americans consider themselves as superior to everybody else. Except the north pole origin of Aryans, probably because it does not suit their beliefs that Aryans were native to India, and that Indian Aryans taught the whole World how to cover their body with clothes.
The beliefs in the superiority of one's own nationality can probably be sustained, as long as they do not become obsessions and compulsions . Most Nations have these superiorities, and they try to establish and prove it wherever other Nations do not resist such attempts.
But, simultaneously, we may have to keep in mind that a person's birth in any particular nationality takes place randomly. It cannot be preplanned by individuals. [There is of course, a process called Naturalisation in some countries , but that is not relevant for our analyses]. This accidentality of not being born in a particular nationality also similarly applies to our not being born in a particular religion .
Personally, even I suffer from compulsions and obsessions . I have started this 10 part Essay Series about Covid-Corona. I started with Yoga Vasishtha because India is agog with prayers of all religions being organised in Empty prayerhouses, because there is lockdown everywhere . Prayerhouses receive their collections and revenues mostly only when Devotees/ followers visit the Prayer Houses. During the lock down Income becomes scarce. In the circumstances , the Prayerhouses have started initiating Online Prayers and Online Worships. In Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam SVBC TV Channel, I almost everyday evening at 6.15 p.m., I see the Nada Nirajanam Indian Classical Music and Dance Concerts. During the last two months it has become a custom for the performers to mention about the Great Scourge called Covid/Corona and praise the TTD for organising the Prayers. Some of them mention about Prayers of Yoga Vasishtha . As Doctors and experts of Modern Medicine too are found to mention that correct medicine/vaccine for Covid-Corona is yettb found, and that it will took indefinite or infinite time. We have seen how the Modern Medical Doctors and Experts are groping in darkness both about medicines and about vaccines.
