Sakadwipa (RE: Rising of the sea and other Migration myths)

[Paul Kekai Manansala]

Yashwant Malaiya wrote:
>

> I have assumed that Sakadwipa is the land beyond Hindukush
> from where the Maga came from, and the descendants of some
> of them are know as the Sakadvipis in Bihar.
>
> What specific clues Mahabharata and Puranas have regarding its
> location?
>

The Mahabharata states that Sakadwipa is east of Meru (in the
description of the dvipas).

A number of Puranas place Udayagiri, which is traditionally located in
the East (Ramayana, etc.) on Sakadwipa. Matsya, at least, also locate
the home of Garuda on Sakadwipa, and Garuda home is also associated with
the eastern regions in the Ramayana and other works.

Sakadwipa is described in Puranas and other works as lush in Salmali
(silk-cotton), Parijata (coral tree) and sandalwood trees, all tropical
varieties of the Indies.  Another such tree, of course, is the namesake
Saka, or teak, tree.

I have discussed this subject with a few Sakadwipi brahmins from
Deoghar, Noida and Patna and they agreed that their origin was from the
far east.

Whether this was connected in any way at all with Epic and Puranic
tradition, they did not say.

Regards,
Paul Kekai Manansala

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