What is Aryavarta?

 

Aryavarta means "Land of the Aryans".

Now, which land constitutes Aryavarta was variously defined by the composers of various Dharma Shastras.

—

āryā (आर्या) was first mentioned in the Rig Veda, at many places.

The basic meaning of this word is different from the meaning propagated by subsequent generations.

Rig Veda 7.83.1

yuvāṃ narā paśyamānāsa āpyam prācā gavyantaḥ pṛthuparśavo yayuḥ | dāsā ca vṛtrā hatam āryāṇi ca sudāsam indrāvaruṇāvasāvatam ||

—-

Rig Veda mentions the formless, all powerful BRAHMAN/GOD, with various epithets.

Rig Veda 2.1 mentions AGNI as BRAHMAN. And, in the same Sukta (Rig Veda 2.1.4), it was mentioned that AGNI is aryaman, another epithet of the same BRAHMAN.

tvam agne rājā varuṇo dhṛtavratas tvam mitro bhavasi dasma īḍyaḥ |

tvam aryamā satpatir yasya sambhujaṃ tvam aṃśo vidathe deva bhājayuḥ ||

---

It is common in Sanskrit that the name of any descendant/follower of any particular person or method or kingdom, etc, will be adopted from the name of the latter, with a long vowel.

For Example: King dasharatha’s son is Rama. Hence, he is also called dāsharathi.

King janaka’s daughter is Sita. Hence, she is also called jānaki.

---

In Rig Veda also the spiritual seeker, who attained SELF-REALISATION or merged with the BRAHMAN, was called āryā (आर्या), deriving the name from the aryaman, an epithet of the BRAHMAN.

Hence, the word āryā (आर्या) used to be indicate in Rig Veda, a SELF-REALISED person, but not any invader or a nomadic/barberic person, as misunderstood and propagated in the recent past.

—-

By the time Ramayana was composed the word āryā (आर्या) used to indicate a Noble person, as explained hereunder.

After reaching Lanka and searching for Sita, Shri Hanuman reaches the palace of Ravana. After finding Ravana and observing his physical characteristics, Shri Hanuman thinks that Ravana could be a great person, except for the heinous/ignoble act of abducting Sita.

पुनः च सो अचिन्तयद् आर्त रूपो |
ध्रुवम् विशिष्टा गुणतो हि सीता |
अथ अयम् अस्याम् क्ऱ्तवान् महात्मा |
लन्का ईश्वरः कष्टम् अनार्य कर्म || ५-९-७३

Hanuma became gloomy and thought thus: "Seetha is definitely the best by virtues; then this lord of Lanka even though being great otherwise, did an evil and an un-gentlemanly deed with her.

---

Please note the phrase कष्टम् अनार्य कर्म - evil and an un-gentlemanly deed.

- - -

Hence, even in the Ramayana era, the word āryā (आर्या) was not used to indicate a geographical area, but used to indicate a character of a person.

If we have to define Aryavarta, according to definition of Ramayana period, then it indicates, the area where noble persons reside.

—-

By the time Manusmriti was composed, the broad perspective of the word āryā (आर्या) was shrinked, and the narrow-minded definition came into existence. Thus, we can find a narrow definition of Aryavarta, which defines the area between the mountains Himalayas and Vindhyas.

हिमवद्विन्ध्ययोर्मध्यं यत् प्राग् विनशनादपि ।
प्रत्यगेव प्रयागाच्च मध्यदेशः प्रकीर्तितः ॥ २१ ॥

himavadvindhyayormadhyaṃ yat prāg vinaśanādapi |
pratyageva prayāgācca madhyadeśaḥ prakīrtitaḥ || 21 ||

The country lying between the Himālaya and the Vindhya, to the east of Vinaśana and to the west of Prayāga, is called the ‘Madhyadeśa,’ the ‘Middle Country.’ (21)

आ समुद्रात् तु वै पूर्वादा समुद्राच्च पश्चिमात् ।
तयोरेवान्तरं गिर्योरार्यावर्तं विदुर्बुधाः ॥ २२ ॥

ā samudrāt tu vai pūrvādā samudrācca paścimāt |
tayorevāntaraṃ giryorāryāvartaṃ vidurbudhāḥ || 22 ||

The country extending as far as the Eastern Ocean and as far as the Western Ocean, and lying between the same two mountains,—the learned know as ‘Āryāvarta.’ (22).