Dear Dr.Joshi,
Previously also you have expressed your view that MB might have out-side-India localization. I had then requested you to make out a full fledged article providing all the data you have collected, both textual and other. From the few place names you have mentioned, I find it difficult to jump to a conclusion. There are a few names which might have been added into the text at a later date. Since MB is layered, this is expected. Some of the ancient texts name two countries or regions Kuru and Uttara-kuru, the latter appearing to be trans-Himalayan. But the MB-kurukshetra is most probably the present day land of the same name (give & take a few 10-100 sq Km! ). I say most probably, because the largest number of places mentioned are typically Indian; the physical features, Mountains, Rivers, cultural ambience, and even climate is typically Indian. If you are able to demonstrate statistically that my hypothesis is wrong, I will start rethinking! Hence the default option for MB studies is that its location is Greater India including Gaandhaara and a little north. You are referring to Ukraine, Lithuania, Croatia, Manchuria as being important to MB. By implication you seem to say even River Sarasvati was not flowing in present day India. I had in one of my previous posts quoted the Utathya legend in MB to show that River Sarasvati as known to MB was flowing near IriNa (Rann-of-kutch), the sea receded and the river shifted west towards Maru. If Lithuanian river names are similar to Indian names, it may just mean people went out of India to that country.
Recession of the sea in Sanskrit literature is connected with Agastya in many places including MB.
Please do me a favour. Please post legends about Agastya (both as a person, sage and as star Canopus) available from Croatia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Manchuria, ancient Persia, and other places.
I am much interested in collecting info on Agastya as known to people living north of 34-37 degree latitude. There is a special reason for this but that depends on the above information.
Another request! Please do not make a new post each time. It is very cumbersome to keep track of your breaking thread.
Regards
RNI
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