Ancient Prabhāsa region: A Geographical Study of Sanskrit Texts

The geographical knowledge preserved within ancient Sanskrit literature provides invaluable insights into the evolution of landscapes, geological processes, human settlements, and cultural practices across time. This paper explores such geographical information as presented within the Prabhāsa khaṇḍa of the Skanda Purāṇa text. A systematic analysis is conducted, focusing specifically on the geographical information pertaining to the Prabhāsa region as provided in the Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya and the Vastrāpatha-kṣetra-māhātmya, the first two books of Prabhāsa khaṇḍa. The cryptic details embedded within the verses are interpreted and elucidated from both geographical and geological perspectives. Furthermore, through meticulous research and analysis, the precise locational coordinates of various geographical sites have been identified and subsequently mapped, providing a visual representation of their spatial distribution. Through this comprehensive study, previously unknown aspects of the geography of Prabhāsa region in Saurāṣṭra, from antiquity to the period before the 8th century CE, are brought to light, significantly contributing to our understanding of the region’s historical geography.