The Atlantis island in Mahabharata and Puranas remains a highly debated subject of history regarding its existence. Today most people are aware of this mythical paradise only from Greek history in the writings of philosopher Plato received through his ancestor Solon, an Athenian statesman. Solon was given a great description of Atlantis by an Egyptian priest in 590 BC.
Atlantis Island In Mahabharata
Did you know there is a wide and detailed description of Atlantis already given in the ancient record of Mahabharata and in the Puranas that point toward the same geographical location as previously assumed by many historians? The nature of Atlantis in Vedic history is given as a sacred and holy place of enlightened sages and “beings of light”. Unknown to people, a similar description is provided in Tibetan (Shakya) and Egyptian history, as well as Native American and Mayan history, but none of them provides a description as detailed as given in the Mahabharata and in an ancient wisdom text called the ‘Tripura Rahasya’.
Atlantis as described in Mahabharata:
The Mahabharata refers to ‘Atala’, the White island of Great Splendour. The Vishnu-Purana explains that Atala had white soil.
Artist’s depiction of Atlantis
Atlantis is described in Mahabharata, Book no. 12, ‘Santi Parva’ – Part 3, Section 337:
The first account of Atalntis is narrated in book no. 12 by Bhishma, the warrior commander of the Kauravas. Bhishma belonged to an aristocratic family from the Lunar (Chandravanshi) Ksatriya lineage and was a highly respected and wise guru alongside being a warrior. In Mahabharata, he explains to his pupils about a ‘White island of Great Splendour’. He explains that the island of ‘Atala’ is inhabited by enlightened “beings of light”, that are devoted to the God Narayana (Vishnu as an extension of the cosmos – Brahman).
Bhishma
Quoting Bhishma from Mahabharata Book no. 12:
“The beings that inhabit this island have complexions as radiant as the rays of the moon. They do not depend on any kind of food. Their bodies emit a fragrance and they know only One God (Brahman).”
Likely appearance of Atlantis inhabitants as per Bhishma’s description
Further, Bhishma instructs his ascetic students to prepare for their journey to the white island by meditating for several years and understanding their own nature in order to comprehend the “higher dimension” and the “higher energy” of the island, and therefore to physically see the inhabitants.
Bhishma also goes on to warn the students about a possible calamity that would overtake the world and bring destruction to this island. The Greeks, the Egyptians and the Tibetan ‘Stanzas of Dzyan’ also explain about the Great Flood that destroyed the island of Atlantis.
Quoting Bhishma from book no. 12: “You foremost of regenerate one, you have a great duty to perform. After the expiration of this Krita-Yuga (Golden Age), when the Treta Yuga (Silver Age) comes in the course of Vivaswata Cycle, a great calamity will overtake the worlds. All of you Rishi-Munis, you shall then have to become the allies of these “beings of light”.”
Higher frequency beings (art by Gilbert Williams)
The Mahabharata also narrates an account of the enlightened Rishi Narada who succeeded in reaching Atlantis:
From Mahabharata, Book no. 12, ‘Santi Parva’ – Part 3, Section 339:
“Arriving at the spacious realm called White Island, the illustrious Rishi (Narada) beheld those same radiant men possessed of lunar splendour. Worshipped by them, in return by bending his head and having revered them through his mind (by using telepathy) he gave them salutations.”
Sage Narada
Note that narrated by Bhishma, the legend of sage Narada reaching Atlantis was already considered “very ancient”’ during the time of Mahabharata. The Egyptians and Greeks both considered Atlantis to be as old as millions if not thousands of years old.
‘Tripura Rahasya’ (त्रिपुरा रहस्य) and Atlantis:
The ‘Tripura Rahasya’ (The Mystery beyond the Three cities) , also called the ‘The Gospel of Tripura’ is an ancient Sanskrit text that teaches the wisdom of enlightenment and liberation. The wisdom of this text is said to have been passed down from Lord Dattatreya to the legendary Parashurama, who further passed it on to Haritayana. Haritayana transferred the wisdom and knowledge into a text, and therefore ‘Tripura Rahasya’ also goes by the title ‘Haritayana Samhita’.
Tripura Rahasya
The ‘Matsya-Purana’ describes the Tripura of the west being three circular (concentric) cities merged into one. Much later, Plato also gave the same description of Atlantis passed on to him from Solon.
“‘Tripura’ literally means the three cities. They are the (consciousness) states — Jagrat, Svapna and Sushupti. The undercurrent of consciousness in all of them, remaining unaffected, is metaphorically called the Resident Mistress by name Sri Tripura.” — Tripura Rahasya
Artist’s depiction of Atlantis
The description of the inhabitants of Atlantis / Tripura given by Plato (through Solon) is the same as the one given in ‘Tripura Rahasya’, the latter being much more descriptive and far more ancient.
By combining the account of ‘Tripura Rahasya’ together with Plato’s description of the city’s inhabitants, we come to an understanding that the citizens of Atlantis were full of wisdom, liberated of the worldly attachments and “God-realised”. The enlightened citizens enjoyed a paradise full of bliss, decorated with beautiful architecture and natural environment, living harmonious lives consisting of productivity, games, song and dance. The citizens were engaged in activities like artisanry, farming, philosophy, priestcrafts and many more without an attachment toward wealth or bodily desires. They lived in an environment of union and harmony and radiated wisdom and energy.
Inhabitants of Atlantis
“They ignored everything but virtue and thought little about the possession of gold and other property, which seemed only a burden to them of their self-control. By such reflections and by the continuance in them of a divine nature, the qualities which we have described grew and increased among them gradually.” — Plato in ‘Timaeus’
‘Tripura Rahasya’ describes a ripple-effect through which Hemachuda, a prince who was taught by a wise sage became liberated of worldly desires and senses. After becoming “self-realised” he energetically influenced his family and caused a chain reaction enabling all the citizens to become liberated and be ‘God-realised’.
*“There was no one born in that city who remained ignorant. The city was like that of Brahma, the abode of happy, peaceful and contented people.
O Man, Think of that consciousness which is alone, illuminating all and pervading all. Be of clear vision. Those holy saints Vamadeva and others having on one occasion heard these sacred words of parrots, wondered at the wisdom of even the birds of that city and named it the ‘City of Wisdom’.” — Tripura Rahasya.
Higher frequency beings (art by Gilbert Williams)
“Undisturbed you have heard, O Narada! The Glory of Sri Tripura, which teaches the way to Transcendence.” — Tripura Rahasya
There are two Tripura locations mentioned in the Puranas. The location of the first and most ancient Tripura is the North Pole Tripura. Historian Balgangadhar Tilak explained in his studies through astrology and geography that the knowledge of the Vedas was brought from the North Pole in the Krita-Yuga when the Polar cap had a temperate and pleasant climate. Theosophical history terms this as ‘Hyperborea’. The second Tripura was said to have been in the west of ancient India. The texts of Edfu Temple in Egypt also describe Thoth arriving from a sacred island from west of Egypt.
Scythians and their Atlantis ancestry:
The Scythians (Kshatriyas) were said to be the first people to civilise after the age of Atlantis, about 10,000 years ago and the Scythian Kingship began right after the flood.
Theosophical writings mention that the age of the Aryans came after the age of Atlantis. The royal lineages of Scythian-Arya included many branches across the world – the Sumerian Kings, Iksvaku (solar) and Shakya kings, the Chandravanshi (lunar) kings, the Egyptian Pharaohs, the Germanic kings, the Celts, the Trojans, the Spartans and Persians – all following the Ksatriya code of Dharma – were descendents of the first Scythians / Ksatriyas.
The Assyrians (Sumerians) rendered the name of the Scythians as ‘Iškuzaya’ (𒅖𒆪𒍝𒀀𒀀), a name very much cognate to Vedic ‘Ikšvaku’, implying that both names originate from the same Solar religion.
Scythians being the ancestors of all ancient kings of the world, it is difficult to tell when the ‘Scythian’ ends and the Indian, Sumerian, Greek, Egyptian and German begins.
From all legitimate evidence the notion that the Indians along with the Sumerians (both essentially one) were the most ancient, as the sages took the first refuge in the Himalayas after the flood destroyed Atlantis. Their age was followed by the Egyptians, Trojans and Greeks together and then followed by the Romans, Germans and Celts.
Scythian Kshatriya King
“The nation of the Scythians (Kshatriya Kings) was always regarded as very ancient: though there was long a dispute between them and the Egyptians concerning the antiquity of their respective races. The Egyptians being confounded by these arguments; the Scythians were always accounted the more ancient.”
— Marcus Justinus
Territory of the Scythian Kshatriyas after the Flood (10,000 BC – 5000 BC)
The Scythian kings were the descendents of the sages of Atlantis who, after the flood had brought about the sacred knowledge to the people. We see a Kshatriya / warrior code of life-philosophy followed by the Scythians that is a spiritual successor of the life-code of inhabitants of Tripura / Atlantis, as quoted before.
Scythian nobility
“Justice was observed among them, more from the temper of the people than from the influence of laws. No crime in their opinion is more heinous than theft. Gold and Silver they despise as much as other men covet them. They live on milk and honey. They are a nation hardy in toils and warfare; their strength of body is extraordinary; they take possession of nothing which they fear to lose, and covet when they are conquerors, nothing but glory.”
— Trogus Pompeius on the Scythians
The ‘Tripura Rahasya’ and Srimad-Bhagavatam mention several names of sages that laid the spiritual foundations for the Scythian descendents:
Sanaka, Sananda, Sanat-kumara and Sanatsujata, Vasishta, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Brighu, Atri, Angiras, Pracheta, Narada, Chyavana, Vamadeva, Visvamitra, Gautama, Suka, Parasara, Vyasa, Kanva, Kasyapa, Daksha, Sumanta, Sanka, Likhita, Devala and other celestial and royal Sages.
*One of the first Brahmins were the ‘Sakaldwipiya’ brahmins of Northern India. ‘Sakaldwipiya’ means descendants of the White Island. These brahmins worship the sun deity till today and trace their lineage from the Scythian Brahmins.*
The name of the sage ‘Guatama’ from above here plays a significant part in Vedic religion with respect to other nations. Gautama here, is a purely Vedic-Scythian name, and along with others, hailing from the very time and period of Atlantis, it is quite commonly used in Indian languages. The Buddha of the Shakya nobility was named Gautama. Apart from this, the name ‘Gaut’, derived from Gautama plays a significant role in German history. The name ‘Gautaz’ is the ancient German version of the Indian name ‘Gautama’. Gautaz is said to be a sacred name of an ancestor of a people whose name is derived from the same root – ‘Goths’. A soldierly people in the region of ancient Gothic Germany who were said to have been worshipping but One God (Brahma) that was recognised as a supreme spirit and as a source of all universe.
Paolo Diacono, in his famous book ‘Historia Langobardorum’, the History of the Langobards (Lombards), talks about the great Seven Sages (saptarishi) who deeply meditated in a cave. The book explains that on edge of ancient Germany, facing north and right on the shores of the ocean, a cave is dominated by a cliff, where the Seven Sages arriving after a flood were once sitting in deep meditation, and over a long period of time, they had become figures of veneration for the ancient Goths (Germans). One of those seven sages was the sage Gautama from which the Goths received their name.
We find another instance where the Sanskrit term ‘Tat’ (तत्) / ‘Tatwa’ and Gautama / Gaut are fairly connected. In the lore of ancient Germans (Goths), the father of Gaut was Tat / Teut who was considered as an ancestor of many Scythian related peoples.
The Sanskrit word ‘Tat’ (तत्) is likely of Atlantis origin.* ‘Tat’ in both Vedic and Buddhist philosophy means ‘Supreme Spirit’ (Brahma), or the “cause of the universe”.
The names for the Scythian ancestral gods / deities possibly originate from this term.
Artist’s depiction of Brahma
Sanskrit: ‘Tat’ (तत्) (Brahma)
Phoenician: ‘Taaut’ – Ancestral deity of Phoenician nobles
German: ‘Teut’ / Tuisto – Ancestor of the ancient Germans, father of Gaut
Egyptian: Thoth – A deity known to have given spiritual teachings after arriving from Atlantis
That all being said, it is clearly evident that the vedic religion and the code of Dharma was to be established first in India then the rest of Asia and Europe, through the Scythians. The sacred knowledge practised and taught on the Island of Atlantis was rescued by the royal sages and other divine beings after the destruction of Atlantis. The seven sages along with others of their race passed on the knowledge through their Scythians descendants, who further went on to establish (or re-establish) the code of Dharma across the known world, at the time. They were the first to eradicate and prohibit any form of slavery.
Pandavas of Scythian Chandravanshis (art by Giampaolo Tomassetti)
“The laws, customs and manners of the Scythians were received by the other nations as a standard of policy, civility and polite learning, and they were the first after the flood to reform mankind under the notions of courtesy, the art of government, and the practice of civilised government.”
— Epiphanius of Salamis
Phoenician-Scythians
The texts on the walls of Egyptian temple of Edfu (Thoth) describe the seven sages who escaped the island of Atlantis after the flood destruction, and their sacred teachings were taught in Egypt by the god Thoth. Inscribed upon the ancient ‘Emerald Tablets of Thoth’, these teachings give the same principles as the ones given in the Vedic Upanishads whose teachings were given by the Seven Sages.
Carvings upon the walls of Temple of Edfu (Horus) in Egypt
Atlantis – Location and origin of the name
By all the gathered evidence, including topological and geographical history, soil and rock characteristics, the Richat Structure in Mauritania, North-Western Africa was most likely the city of Atlantis.
Richat Structure (Eye of the Sahara), Mauritania, Africa
Atlantis / Atala was named after one of its rulers – King Atlas / Atal. The name has the same meaning in Greek as it does in Sanskrit.
Sanskrit ‘Atal’ (अटल) — Immovable / Leader
Greek ‘Atlas’ — The one that endures / Immovable / Leader
The Atlas mountains lie north of the Richat Structure, and were named after the god-king Atlas / Atal.
Atlas Mountains North of the Richat structure, North-Western Africa
Topography map showing the flow direction of the flood that destroyed Atlantis
Direction of the flood in ancient Sahara Region — said to have temperate climate in the ancient days before it became a desert
Scientists discover that the Sahara in ancient times consisted of seaways and rivers with huge water bodies.
Ancient River Network in Sahara
Illustration showing approximate depiction of Atlantis in relation to the Richat Structure. The city was also entered using seaways / rivers
That’s all about the Atlantis island introduced in the history of Mahabharata and the Puranas. I hope you liked it. If you liked then please share it with your friends and family. And explore more related articles.
Article by: Marg Trivedi
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