Ramanaka

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Ramanaka (रमणक) was a varsha or mahadvipa mentioned in Mahabharata.

Variants

• Ramanaka (रमणक) (AS, p.777)
• Ramanakadvipa/Ramanaka Dwipa/Ramanaka Dvipa
• Sughdha: Sanskrit name Ramanaka (रमणक) or Rochaka (रोचक), Greek Sogdiana (सोग्डियाना), present Samarkand city of Uzbekistan..

Jat clans

• Kaliramana
• Shveta

Kaliya and Ramanaka Dwipa

Sister Nivedita & Ananda K.Coomaraswamy mentions that .... Kaliya in Hindu mythology, was the name of a poisonous hydra or Naga living in the Yamuna River. The water of the Yamuna for four leagues all around him boiled and bubbled with poison. No bird or beast could go near, and only one solitary kadamba tree grew on the river bank.

The proper home of Kāliyā was Ramanaka Dwipa, but he had been driven away from there by fear of Garuda, the foe of all serpents. Garuda had been cursed by a yogi dwelling at Brindaban, so that he could not come to Brindaban without meeting his death. Therefore Kāliyā lived at Brindaban, the only place where Garuda could not come.

Once Krishna and herd-boys were playing ball, and while playing Krishna climbed up the Kadamba tree and hung over the river bank, the ball fell into the river and Krishna jumped after it. Kāliyā rose up with his hundred and ten hoods vomiting poison and wrapped himself around Krishna's body. Krishna became so huge that Kāliyā had to release him. So Krishna saved himself from every attack, and when he saw the Brij folk were so much afraid he suddenly sprang into Kāliyā's head and assumed the weight of the whole universe, and danced on the Naga's heads, beating time with his feet. Then Kāliyā began to die. But then the Naga's wives came and prayed to Krishna with joined palms, worshipping Krishna and praying for their husband.

Kāliyā, recognizing the greatness of Krishna, surrendered, promising he would not harass anybody. So Krishna pardoned him and then let him go free to leave the river and go to Ramanaka Dwipa.

रमणक

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...रमणक (AS,p.777 ) नामक एक प्राचीन स्थान का उल्लेख महाभारत, सभापर्व में हुआ है- 'दक्षिणेन तु श्वेतस्य निषधस्योत्तरेण तु वर्षं रमणकं नाम जायन्ते तत्र मानवाः।' महाभारत, सभापर्व 8, 2. यह स्थान श्वेत के दक्षिण तथा निषध के उत्तर में स्थित एक वर्ष या महाद्वीप था।

In Mahabharata

Ramanaka in Mahabharata (रमणक) (VI.9.2)

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Bhisma Parva, Mahabharata/Book VI Chapter 9 mentions names of the Varshas, mountains and all those that dwell on those mountains. Ramanaka (रमणक) Varsha is mentioned in Mahabharata (VI.9.2). ....On the south of Sweta and the north of Nishadha, is the Varsha, called Ramanaka (रमणक) (VI.9.2). The men that are born there are all of white complexion, of good parentage, and handsome features. And the men born there are also all without enemies. And they live, O king, for eleven thousand and five hundred years, being ever of cheerful hearts....

See also

• Ramaniyaka