Samkalpams in NA

From the Bhakti List Archives

• July 1, 1997


Dear Prapatti Group Members:

Prof. Vasudha Narayanan had raised some questions about the Samkalpams in
NA.  For eg.  Krouncha Dveepe and Mero: Paschime Parshve etc., in the
samkalpams.  Thanks to Sri V. Sadagopan for clarifying some of the doubts.
Regarding the above subject I had an opportunity to discuss this with
Navalpakkam Devanathacharya Swami.  This is what I could gather:

1) The description of Meru appears in  several of our Puranams.  There is
no definitive conclusion about its location.  However our Acharyas seem to
go by the following from Vishnu Puranam (?): " Sarvesham Api Varshanaam
Meru: Uttara Sthitha: ".  Therefore the right thing to say in our
samkalpams (in NA) is: " Mero: Dakshiney Parshve"  and not Paschime.

2) Eventhough our forefathers have divided the Bhumi into several Dveepas,
it appears it is difficult to place them precisely with our current
knowledge of Geography.  From that sense using "Krouncha Dveepa" may not be
wrong.

Vijayaraghavan