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Prehistoric River Saraswati, Western India.
1
A version of this was presented at the Third Geological Appraisal and Social Aspects (2017).
International Conference on Sarasvati River
(Feb 8-9, 2019) at Panjab University, https://www.springer.com/in/book/97833194422
Chandigarh, India 35. Accessed on Feb 01 2019
2 4
Saraswati River: It’s Past and Present (2018).
http://www.bori.ac.in/mahabharata_project.html. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-
Accessed on Feb 01 2019 981-10-2984-4_35. Accessed on Feb 01 2019
Figure 2 and 3: The loss of Sarasvatī sites, including Bhirrana, Girawad, Farmana,
and Rakhigarhi, have pushed the date for the
beginning of the Harappan Civilization back
to 5500 BCE,”12 the hypothesis about the
reality of the mighty Sarasvatī river seen in
the Ṛgveda by many scholars is better
placed and more scientifically corroborated
today than it ever has been in the last few
centuries. While a pre-3000 BCE epoch for
Ṛgveda, arrived at from sources independent
of Sarasvatī-related evidence, should clearly
add to the copious amounts of published
scholarship making the pre-2700 BCE
argument for Vedic age13 based on literary
analysis of Sarasvatī river in Ṛgveda, we
found only one published source14 making a
similar argument, but with very little
12
Shinde et. al. (2018) Archaeological and
anthropological studies on the Harappan
cemetery of Rakhigarhi, India.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.13
71/journal.pone.0192299. Accessed on 01 Feb
2019
13
“The “loss of the Sarasvatī” being now dated
Courtesy: Danino (2016), The Sarasvati River to about 1900 BCE, the Vedic age should be
[Education module]10 earlier, not later. ...an “unbroken” Sarasvatī
points to 2700 BCE or earlier.” Slide 37 Danino
With an increasing number of independent (2016) The Sarasvati River.
https://www.academia.edu/23253475/The_Sara
astronomical deductions based on literary svati_River_-_an_educational_module.
sources yielding a pre-3000 BCE11 period Accessed on 01 Feb 2019
14
for Ṛgveda and given “recent excavations in Nagarhalli, Tatwadarshi P. (2015).
Approximate dating of the Mahābhārata war with
the Ghaggar Basin (or RgVedic Saraswati) reference to drying up of the Sarasvatī River.
http://www.anantaajournal.com/archives/2015/vo
10
l1issue4/PartA/Sanskrit-1-4-2.pdf. The only
Figure 2 from Slide 32 and Figure 4 from Slide other compilation of Sarasvatī related
34 in Danino (2016) The Sarasvati River. occurrences (about 40 of them) in Mahābhārata
https://www.academia.edu/23253475/The_Sara tha we could find was in Oak, Nilesh (2011).
svati_River_-_an_educational_module. When Did the Mahabharata Happen? but an
Accessed on 01 Feb 2019 argument for a terminus ante quem, or for that
11
For some science-based deductions, see matter any chronological epoch of Mahābhārata
footnotes 9, 25 in Kalyanasundaram (2018) (Mb) based purely on Sarasvatī related evidence
History-of-management-thought narratives in in Mb, was not found in Oak (2011). We authors
English language academia (1959-2016): A first presented an overview of our data and
limited analysis. https://bit.ly/2GrioiO.Accessed argument, detailed in this paper, at Swadeshi
on 01 Feb 2019 Indology II (2017) at IGNCA, India-New Delhi.
supporting data, for the epoch of 1. Identify the text and translation
Mahābhārata based on literary evidence of source: BORI critical edition is
the river Sarasvatī in Mahābhārata in selected as the text source and Gita
combination with the estimated age of the press as the translation source.
loss of the Sarasvatī. In addition to this 2. Determine the search criteria:
paucity of scholarship of Sarasvatī in the ‘सरस्व’ and ‘सारस्व’ are strings
context of Mahābhārata vis-a-vis Sarasvatī identified as the catch-all search
in the context of Ṛgveda, there are even criteria.
arguments of the opposite kind—an 3. Filter out verses that meet the search
inversion of sorts— where, based on very criteria. Table 1, is the output of Step
limited instantiation—of only those verses 3.
where river Sarasvatī has been described to 4. Long-list: Analysed all verses
be invisible or having dried up—the epoch individually, in their context, to
of Mahābhārata has been placed after 1900 determine which of the verses in
BCE15. It is the void in literature pertaining Table 1 clearly pertained to a river.
to Sarasvatī in Mahābhārata identified Completion of Step 4 step resulted in
above, along with the argument made on a long-list captured in Table 2.
basis of limited instantiation (also specified 5. Short-list: Analysed all verses in the
above), that we seek to address through this long-list to determine which of those
paper where we first document, as verses evidenced a river not fully
comprehensively as we can, Sarasvatī as dry. Completion of Step 5 resulted in
found in the Bhandarkar Oriental Research a short-list of verses highlighted in
Institute (BORI) critical edition of Table 2.
Mahābhārata before analyzing it in its
context in order to explore the possibility of Figure 4 in Appendix is a diagrammatic
a terminus ante quem pertaining to the representation of the Methodology.
epoch of Mahābhārata.
METHODOLOGY DATA
The methodology involves the following Completion of Step 3 specified above yields
five steps: the data tabulated in Table 1—222 verses
containing the search criteria (strings सरस्व
or सारस्व)—which is the input for analysis in
15
Step 4.
An example of this type of argument is
articulated by Koenraad Elst: “For a different
information given by the epic itself: Balarama
misses the battle because he goes on
pilgrimage reaching the place where it stops
flowing, thus after the drying of the Saraswati ca.
1900 BC.”
http://koenraadelst.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-
arundhati-omen.html
Table 1
Table 2:
19 03081114a आश्रमे चेह वत्स्यातमत्वया साधं महामु ने 03081114c सिसारस्वते स्नात्वाअचवतयष्यन्वि ये तु माम्
09034018a एवं संतदश्य तुप्रेष्यान्दबलदे वो महाबलः 09034018c तीर्वयात्रां ययौराजन्कुरूणां वैशसे तदा
53
09034018e सरस्वती ं प्रततस्रोतःसमु द्रादतभजन्विवान्
54 09034032a एवं स तवत्तं प्रददौमहात्मा; सरस्वतीतीर्ववरे षु भूरर 09034032c ययौक्रमेणाप्रततमप्रभाव;स्ततःकुरुक्षेत्रमु दारवृत्तः
09034067a समं वतवतु सवावसुशशी भायावसु तनत्यशः 09034067c सरस्वत्या वरे तीर्ेउन्मज्जञ्शशलक्षणः
55
09034067e पुनववतधव ष्यते दे वास्तद्वै सत्यं वचो मम
56 09034069a सरस्वती ं ततः सोमो जगामऋतषशासनात् 09034069c प्रभासं परमं तीर्ंसरस्वत्या जगाम ह
57 09034081a तस्नग्धत्वादोषधीनां चभूमेश्च जनमे जय 09034081c जानन्वि तसद्धा राजेन्द्रनष्टामतप सरस्वतीम्
58 09035024a तेषामागच्छ्तां रात्रौपतर्स्र्ाने वृकोऽभवत् 09035024c तर्ाकूपोऽतवदू रे ऽभू त्सरस्वत्यास्तटे महान्
59 09035046a तत्र चोतमव मतीराजिुिपात सरस्वती 09035046c तयोन्वििन्वितस्तस्र्ौपू जयंन्वितदवौकसः
60 09036001a ततो तवनशनं राजिाजगाम हलायुधः 09036001c शूद्राभीरान्प्रतत द्वे षा्त्र नष्टासरस्वती
61 09036002a यमात्सा भरतश्रेष्ठद्वे षािष्टा सरस्वती 09036002c तमात्तदृषयो तनत्यंप्राहतववनशने तत ह
62 09036003a तच्चाप्यु पस्पृ श्य बलःसरस्वत्यां महाबलः 09036003c सुभूतमकंततोऽगच्छ्त्सरस्वत्यास्तटे वरे
63 09036008a आक्रीडभूतमः साराजंस्तासामप्सरसां शुभा 09036008c सुभूतमकेतत तवख्यातासरस्वत्यास्तटे वरे
09040019a तेन ते हूयमानस्यराष्टरस्यास्य क्षयो महान् 09040019c तस्यैतत्तपसः कमव येनते ह्यनयो महान्
98
09040019e अपां कुञ्जेसरस्वत्यास्तं प्रसादय पातर्वव
99 09040020a सरस्वती ं ततो गत्वा सराजा बकमब्रवीत् 09040020c तनपत्य तशरसा भूमौप्राञ्जतलभवरतषवभ
100 09040032a ययातेयवजमानस्य यत्रराजन्सरस्वती 09040032c प्रसृता प्रददौकामान्दब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम्
101 09041006a यत्रेष्ट्वा भगवान्दस्र्ाणुःपू जतयत्वा सरस्वतीम् 09041006c स्र्ापयामास तत्तीर्ंस्र्ाणुतीर्वतमतत प्रभो
102 09041008a तन्वमन्सरस्वतीतीर्ेतवश्वातमत्रो महामु तनः 09041008c वतसष्ठं चालयामासतपसोग्रेण तच्छ्ृ णु
09041011a इयं सरस्वती तूणं मत्समीपंतपोधनम् 09041011c आनतयष्यतत वेगेनवतसष्ठं जपतां वरम्
103
09041011e इहागतं तद्वजश्रेष्ठंहतनष्यातम न संशयः
104 09041014a तत एनं वेपमानातववणाव प्राञ्जतलस्तदा 09041014c उपतस्र्े मु तनवरं तवश्वातमत्रं सरस्वती
105 09041026a अर् कूले स्वकेराजञ्जपिमृ तषसत्तमम् 09041026c जुह्वानं कौतशकं प्रेर्क्ष्यसरस्वत्यभ्यतचियत्
106 09041028a तेन कूलापहारे णमै त्रावरुतणरौह्यत 09041028c उह्यमानश्च तुष्टावतदा राजन्सरस्वतीम्
107 09041029a तपतामहस्य सरसःप्रवृत्तातस सरस्वतत 09041029c व्यािं चेदं जगत्सवंतवैवाम्भोतभरुत्तमै ः
09042013a तेषां तु वचनादे वप्रकृततस्र्ा सरस्वती 09042013c प्रसिसतलला जज्ञेयर्ा पूवं तर्ैव तह
116
09042013e तवमु क्ता चसररच्छ्रेष्ठा तवबभौ सा यर्ा पुरा
09042014a दृष्ट्वा तोयं सरस्वत्यामु तनतभस्तैस्तर्ा कृतम् 09042014c कृताञ्जलीस्ततोराजन्राक्षसाः क्षुधयातदव ताः
117
09042014e ऊचुस्तािै मुनीन्सवावन्कृपायुक्तान्पुनः पुनः
118 09042035a इत्युक्तः ससरस्वत्याः कुञ्जे वै जनमे जय 09042035c इष्ट्वायर्ावद्बलतभदरुणायामु पास्पृ शत्
119 09043001a सरस्वत्याःप्रभावोऽयमु क्तस्ते तद्वजसत्तम 09043001c कुमारस्यातभषेकं तुब्रह्मन्दव्याख्यातुमहव तस
120 09043052a तत्र तीरे सरस्वत्याःपुण्ये सववगुणान्विते 09043052c तनषेदुदेवगन्धवावः सवेसंपूणवमानसाः
121 09044018a तदव्यसंभारसंयुक्तैःकलशैः काञ्चनै नृवप 09044018c सरस्वतीतभःपुण्यातभतदव व्यतोयातभरे व तु
122 09045088a एतत्ते कतर्तंराजन्कातत्तवकेयातभषेचनम् 09045088c शृणु चैवसरस्वत्यास्तीर्ववंशस्य पुण्यताम्
123 09048020a एते चान्ये च बहवोयोगतसद्धाः सहस्रशः 09048020c तन्वमंस्तीर्े सरस्वत्याःतशवे पुण्ये परं तप
124 09050008a तस्य तपवयतो दे वान्सरस्वत्यांमहात्मनः 09050008c समीपतो महाराजसोपाततष्ठत भातमनी
125 09050009a तां तदव्यवपुषं दृष्ट्वातस्यषेभावतवतात्मनः 09050009c रे तः स्किं सरस्वत्यांतत्सा जग्राह तनम्नगा
126 09053011a प्रभवं च सरस्वत्याःप्लक्षप्रस्रवणं बलः 09053011c संप्रािः कारपचनं तीर्वप्रवरमु त्तमम्
09053034a सरस्वतीवाससमा कुतोरततः; सरस्वतीवाससमाः 09053034c सरस्वती ं प्राप्य तदवं गताजनाः; सदा मररष्यन्वि नदीं
127
कुतो गुणाः सरस्वतीम्
09053035a सरस्वती सववनदीषु पुण्या; सरस्वती लोकसुखावहा 09053035c सरस्वती ं प्राप्य जनाःसुदुष्कृताः; सदा न शोचन्वि परत्र
128
सदा चेहच
129 09053036a ततो मु हमुव हः प्रीत्याप्रेक्षमाणः सरस्वतीम् 09053036c हयैयुवक्तं रर्ंशुभ्रमाततष्ठत परं तपः
130 09054013a दतक्षणेन सरस्वत्याः स्वयनं तीर्वमुत्तमम् 09054013c तन्वमन्दे शे त्वतनररणेतत्र युद्धमरोचयन्
131 12029041a यो बद् र्ध्वा तत्रंशतोह्यश्वान्दे वेभ्यो यमु नामनु 12029041c सरस्वती ं तवंशततं चगङ्गामनु चतुदवश
132 12148010a पुण्यमाहः कुरुक्षेत्रंसरस्वत्यां पृर्ूदकम् 12148010c यत्रावगाह्य पीत्वा वानै वं श्वोमरणं तपेत्
133 12148012a सरस्वतीदृषद्वत्यौसेवमानोऽनु संचरे ः 12148012c स्वाध्यायशीलःस्र्ाने षु सवेषु समु पस्पृ शेः
134 12176008a तेषां धमव मयी वाणीसवेषां श्रोत्रमागमत् 12176008c तदव्या सरस्वती तत्र संबभूवनभस्तलात्
135 12255039a सवाव न्ः सरस्वत्यःसवे पुण्याः तशलोच्चयाः 12255039c जाजले तीर्वमात्मैवमा म दे शातततर्भवव
12286037a दानं त्यागः शोभनामू ततवरद्भ्यो; भूयः प्लाव्यं तपसा 12286037c सरस्वतीनै तमषपुष्करे षु ; येचाप्यन्ये पुण्यदे शाः
136
वैशरीरम् पृतर्व्याम्
137 12335046a कणाववाकाशपाताले ललाटं भूतधाररणी 12335046c गङ्गा सरस्वती पुण्याभ्रुवावास्तां महानदी
138 13018025a चतुःषष्ट्यङ्गमददात्कालज्ञानं ममाद् भुतम् 13018025c सरस्वत्यास्तटे तुष्टोमनोयज्ञेन पाण्डव
139 13075012a शेषोत्सगेकमव तभदे हमोक्षे ; सरस्वत्यः श्रेयतससंप्रवृत्ताः 13075012c यूयं तनत्यंपुण्यकमोपवाह्या; तदशर्ध्वं मे गतततमष्टां प्रपिाः
140 13105047a गौतमीं कौतशकींपाकां महात्मानो धृ तव्रताः 13105047c सरस्वतीदृषद्वत्यौयमु नां ये प्रयान्वि च
141 13134015a एषा सरस्वती पुण्यानदीनामु त्तमा नदी 13134015c प्रर्मा सववसररतां नदीसागरगातमनी
142 13139026a अदृश्या गच्छ् भीरु त्वंसरस्वतत मरुं प्रतत 13139026c अपुण्य एष भवतुदेशस्त्यक्तस्त्वया शुभे
143 13151014a शतद्रूश्च तवपाशा चचन्द्रभागा सरस्वती 13151014c तसन्धुश्च दे तवका चैवपु ष्करं तीर्वमेव च
13151022a कौतशकी यमु ना सीतातर्ा चमव ण्वती नदी 13151022c नदी भीमरर्ी चैवबाहदा च महानदी
144
13151022e महे न्द्रवाणी तत्रतदवा नीतलकाच सरस्वती
to a compilation of 222 occurrences of the that features crucial details of the river
strings ‘सरस्व’ and ‘सारस्व’, so that forms of Sarasvatī, including geographical and
temporal markers is the one which has
the river such as sarasvatī, sarasvatyām,
been widely discussed by several
sarasvatya, sarasvatyāh and so on are
studies of the Mahābhārata - the trail
included, in the BORI critical edition of the
of Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa Vāsudeva’s
Mahābhārata. Among these, we find that at
brother, during the events of the war.
least 144 relate to the river Sarasvatī in
The Śalya Parva of the Mahābhārata
definite terms as seen in Table 2, with a
provides great detail of Balarāma’s
further number of more than fifty of these
journey, which began at Prabhās tīrtha.
explicitly referring to the river as not dry in
Accompanied by his troupe including
various degrees. A study of the verses
priests and bearing gifts for people he
APPENDIX
Figure 4: Methodology
Figure 5: Results