22 - ESSAY ON THE "-:■- ' 



the island of Su-varna or gold, might be called also, in a derivative form, 

 Su-varn'eycL simply, as Aiiglia for E^ngle-hnd. ' It is called also Hiran'ya, 

 a denomination of the same import, as well as Canchana-bhumi or land of 

 gold. Hiran'ya a.nd Su-var?i'eya3iYQ obviously the same with Erin, and 

 Juvernia, or Ireland. Another name for it is Siirya-dwipa^ or the Island 

 of the sun; and it is probably the old garden of Phcebus of the v/estern 

 mythologists. 



The third peak-land, or^S^o^/^^^i, is called Aya~c\ita, or the Iron peak or 

 island. It is called Ayasa in the Bhdgavata, a v/ord of the same import. 

 In a derivative form we might grammatically say Ayiya^ though this term 

 be never used : but that is no reason for supposing that the term never v/as 

 in use : for it is the Island of Aiaia^ or Acecioi the western mythologists. 

 It might be called also Loha-dwipa : but this denomination is never found 

 m the Pur an as ; though there is every reaspn to belieye that it was used 

 also formerly : and I believe, that it was really the original name, as we 

 shall see when we come to treat of that country. We have seen be- 

 fore that England is called Chandra-cant a; Ireland^ Surya-pdnta, Scot^ 

 land is likewise denominated Ayascdnta, 



Nothing but faint vestiges of Tri-cuta, or the Tkree-peak-land, are to 

 he found in the ancient history, and mythology of the west. These are 

 consiclered as three distindl islands by the Paurdiiics: and it was even so 

 in the opinion of the JVi!^fe'(3;^ geographer, in the twelfth century. The 

 word dzvipa signifies only a country between two waters, as^ Do-ah in 

 Persian; and like the Arahic Jezirah^ is applied to any country bordering 

 on the sea. These three peaMands are supposed to be solid masses of 

 gold, silver and iron, .; r..,^ 



