Himavanta

The Himaphan Forest ( in Thai: ป่า หิมพานต์ ) is a forest area from the mythology of Thailand. It is located on the slopes of Mount Meru, the central axis of the Buddhist world. Mount Meru is located in the northern part of the Jambu continent.

After Phra Ruang Traiphum the Himaphan Forest is located. In the large salt - ocean between the iron mountains and the seven mountain ranges that surround Mount Meru, therefore there are four continents: in the east Pubbavideha, in the north Uttarakuru, in the west Aparagoyana and south of the Jambu continent (Sanskrit Jambudvipa, Thai: ชมพูทวีป - " Chomphuthawip " ), on which people live. Jambudvipa means "continent of Jambu - fruits " that are large sweet fruits that ripen on the tree of life Jambu. In Tibet, ie the same tree Jambi, the Mongols Zambu.

In the north of the continent of Jambu - Himaphan Forest lies in the Himaphan Mountains. The Himaphan Mountains are 500 Yojana high. They extend over 3,000 Yojana and have 84,000 mountain peaks.

In Himaphan forest there are many wondrous trees, such as the virgins - tree, the young girl wears instead of fruit. They are like girls who are just turned 16 years old. When men see them, they fall in love on the spot. If they fall to the ground, many birds gather to eat them, such as bears, which feast on the honey.

At the foot of Himaphan Mountains, there are seven large bodies of water that are never dull or even dry out. They are partly covered with beautiful plants, various Lotus species and water lilies. One of these waters is called Anotatta Lake. Near the Anotatta lake there are five mountain ranges, all of which are 200 Yojana high. One of these mountains is called Kelasa (see Kailash ), where the Kinnaris live. The five mountain ranges are rich in many special gems. Swans and elephants live here.

In Anotatta Lake spring four rivers, the first three flow around the lake, before flowing to the northeast, northwest, southwest and south until they open into the great salt ocean. The southern river after it has worked its way through the mountain ranges, divided into 5 major rivers, such as the fingers on one hand. One is called the Ganga, Yamuna, another, a Aciravatī, a mahi and a Sarabhū. These rivers flow through the land of the people before they flow into the ocean.

The birds and the other animals of the forest Himaphan come to drink at the Anotatta Lake. At the edge of the lake there are four giant gargoyle. The gargoyles in the form of animal heads: a bull, a horse, an elephant and a lion. The water from these gargoyles flows first three times around the Anotatta Lake before it empties into an ocean. The water from one of the four gargoyles first flows around three times around the lake. It is Avatta - called Ganga and is 4,000 Wa wide. After about 480,000 Wa it hits around on a hill where it shoots up 60 Yojana and then 6,000 Wa around the mountain and it is now Akasan - called Ganga. Then it falls on a rock with the name Tiyaggala Rock, where it forms a lake Tiyaggala Lotus Lake is named. It continues to flow from the lotus - lake out of 480,000 Wa and leads through rocky terrain where it says Bahala Ganga. For further 480,000 Wa it flows underground, called Ummagga Ganga. Then it hits the Vijjha Natirag Chana mountain where it reappears from the ground around here to make up the five great rivers of the ancient Asian world: the Ganga ( Ganges ), the Aciravatī ( Irrawaddy ), the Sarabhū ( Salween ), the mahi and the Yamuna ( Jumna ).

In Himaphan forest there are many strange animals. In addition to the Garuda, the Nagas, swans and birds are there, for example, the gemstone elephant whose family Chaddanta is called. The representatives of this family are worthy of a Chakravartin ( a universal ruler of the world ) to serve as a mount. They are big and strong and their bodies are white like the moonlight on a full moon night, their feet red and beautiful as the rising sun, and their trunks red and beautiful like a red lotus. You can quickly travel through the air as a perfect saint. They move through the air like the Royal Golden Swan. These elephants are as big as a silver mountain of Vissukhamma created. They are tame and learn how really old elephant.

Also worth mentioning is that the gemstone horses Sindhava family whose king is called Valakha. They are white like the clouds or fog and surrounds a greenish aura like a flash. The hair on their heads is black and shiny like the neck of a crow, it shines like a sapphire. Your mane is white and soft and shimmers like the moon and it moves in the wind as elegant as straws plong grass. They can also fly through the air like a hermit who use their magical powers to fly.

The descriptions of these animals in the Phra Ruang Traiphum have inspired generations of Thai artists, they represent about on the stage or map them in magnificent paintings on the walls of sacred buildings in temples as praise of the Buddha. A wonderful example is the success, the painting on the east wall of the Ubosoth in Wat Suthat in Bangkok. Here you can see the entire richness of mythical creatures in Himaphan forest.