Drishadvati River

The Drishadvati River is a river hypothesized by Indologists to identify the route of the Vedic river Saraswati and the state of Brahmavarta. According to Manusmriti, the Brahmavarta, where the Rishis composed the Vedas and other Sanskrit texts of the Vedic religion, was at the confluence of the Saraswati and Drishadvati rivers during the Vedic period.

Quotes

• 10.15.1 The consecration for the Sarasvata Sattra is performed at the Southern shore of Vinasana
  10.17.10 ‘They should not even once approach the Sarasvati river for the Avabhrta rite. This is, indeed, their sacrificial ground.’
  10.17.11 If no other water-place is available (for the Avabhrta) they should collect water from the Sarasvati and create a water-place in its neighbourhood for the Avabhrta rite.
  10.18.3 ‘The Brahmana states- ‘there are settlements called Naitandhavana near the river Sarasvati. One of them is known as Vyarna. ‘One should kindle fire for one year at this place’ implies that one should perform worship by means of the (Aupasana) single fire.’
  10.17.1 ‘If the river Drsadvati is full of water, they should perform the Aponaptriya Isti near its confluence (in the Sarasvati)
  10.17.2 Dhanamjaya maintains that it may be performed there, even if it (the Drsadvati) has no water.
  10.19.8 ‘He should move by the southern bank of the river Drsadvati.’
  10.19.9 ‘Having reached the settlement at the origin of this river and having performed this Isti (to Agni), he should move to the region called Triplakshaharana on the Yamuna River for the Avabhrta rite.’
  10.19.10 ‘He may even perform this Isti at any point where the Yamuna is at a long distance, and then proceed to the Avabhrta place either while chanting the (Avabhrta) Saman by himself or not.
  • Latyayana Srautasutra , quoted in A Reply to Michael Witzel’s ‘Ein Fremdling im Rgveda’ (Journal of Indo-European Studies, Vol. 31, No.1-2: pp.107-185, 2003) by Vishal Agarwal 11 August 2003