Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.1.40

bhū-saḿsthānaḿ kṛtaḿ yena

sarid-giri-vanādibhiḥ

sīmā ca bhūta-nirvṛtyai

dvīpe dvīpe vibhāgaśaḥ

SYNONYMS

bhū-saḿsthānam — the situation of the earth; kṛtam — done; yena — by whom; sarit — by rivers; giri — by hills and mountains; vana-ādibhiḥ — by forests and so on; sīmā — boundaries; ca — also; bhūta — of different nations; nirvṛtyai — to stop fighting; dvīpe dvīpe — on the various islands; vibhāgaśaḥ — separately.

TRANSLATION

"To stop the quarreling among different peoples, Mahārāja Priyavrata marked boundaries at rivers and at the edges of mountains and forests so that no one would trespass upon another's property."

PURPORT

The example set by Mahārāja Priyavrata in marking off different states is still followed. As indicated here, different classes of men are destined to live in different areas, and therefore the boundaries of various tracts of land, which are described here as islands, should be defined by different rivers, forests and hills. This is also mentioned in relation to Mahārāja Pṛthu, who was born from the dead body of his father by the manipulation of great sages. Mahārāja Pṛthu's father was very sinful, and therefore a black man called Niṣāda was first born from his dead body. The Naiṣāda race was given a place in the forest because by nature they are thieves and rogues. As animals are given places in various forests and hills, men who are like animals are also destined to live there. One cannot be promoted to civilized life unless one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for by nature one is destined to live in a particular situation according to one's karma and association with the modes of nature. If men want to live in harmony and peace, they must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for they cannot achieve the highest standard while absorbed in the bodily concept of life. Mahārāja Priyavrata divided the surface of the globe into different islands so that each class of men would live peacefully and not clash with the others. The modern idea of nationhood has gradually developed from the divisions made by Mahārāja Priyavrata.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness