Do you know how Bharat got her name as INDIA : क्या अप जानते हैं भारत का नाम इंडिया कब बना

 Do you know how Bharat got her name as India:

The Republic of India has two principal short names, each of which is historically significant, "India" and "Bhārat". A third name, "Hindūstān", is sometimes an alternative name for the region comprising most of the modern Indian states of the Indian Subcontinent when Indians speak among themselves. The usage of "Bhārat", "Hindūstān", or "India" depends on the context and language of conversation.

The geographic region containing the Indian subcontinent.

"Bhārat", the name for India in several Indian languages, is mainly derived from the name of the Vedic tribe of Bharatas who are mentioned in the Rigveda as one of the principal kingdoms of the Aryavarta. It is also variously said to be derived from the name of either, King Dasaratha's son Bharat of Ramcharitmanas or King Dushyanta's son Bharata of Mahabharata or Rishabha's son Bharata.^[1] At first the name Bhārat referred only to the western part of the Gangetic Valley,^[2][3] but was later more broadly applied to the Indian subcontinent and the region of Greater India, as was the name "India". Today it refers to the contemporary Republic of India located therein. The name "India" is originally derived from the name of the river Sindhu (Indus River) and has been in use in Greek since Herodotus (5th century BCE). The term appeared in Old English as early the 9th century and reemerged in Modern English in the 17th century.

"Hindūstān" is a 3rd name for Republic of India. This name was popular during Mughal's rule. 'Hindu' term was given by Persian's for the people living around the Sindhu River (Indus River). Marathas also used it as the 'Land of Hindus'. Hindustan word is also used in Saare Jahan se Accha a patriotic Urdu poem used in India, written by Allama Iqbal. Hindustan term is still common between Urdu scholar's.

India i.e. Bharat is the union of states and a fusion of various religions, cultures, customs, heritage etc. which makes it an intriguing nation embracing the diversity of this world. Since ancient times our nation has been termed as Bharat (Sanskrit original name). There are some stories of various historians which fascinate us and explain How India got the name Bharat.

There are lots of wonders seen here; may be an architectural or as a highly developed civilisation in ancient India or an amazing history of much conquered nation, India has always made her presence felt as a great nation. Since ancient times our nation has been termed as Bharat (Sanskrit original name). There are some stories of various historians which fascinate us and explain How India got the name Bharat.   

First, is according to Rig Veda and Battle of Ten Kings

According to the History of India’s Geography; the land of seven rivers, the Rig Veda’s 18^th hymn of seventh book describes about the terrible war which is known as ‘Dasharajna’ or battle of ten kings. The war was fought between ten powerful tribes who plotted to overthrow King Sudasa of the Bharata tribe of Trtsu Dynasty. This battle took place on the river Ravi in Punjab. As a result, Sudasa achieved a great thumping victory over the confederacy of ten kings. Which further led to the popularity of King Sudasa and people eventually started identifying themselves as members of the Bharata tribe. The name ‘Bharata’ stuck on the mouth of people and ultimately named as ‘Bharat Varsha’ meaning the land of Bharata.

Second, is according to Mahabharata and Bharata Chakravarti:

According to Mahabharata the popular story states that India was called Bharatvarsha after the king named Bharata Chakravarti. Bharata was a legendary emperor and the founder of Bharata Dynasty and an ancestor of the Pandavas and Kauravas. He was son of King Dushyanta of Hastinapur and Queen Sakuntala. Also, a descendant of Kshatriya Varna. Bharata had conquered all of Greater India, united in to a single political entity which was named after him as “Bharatvarsha”.

Excerpt of Vishnu Purana ---- “This country is known as Bharatvarsha since the times the father entrusted the kingdom to the son Bharata and he himself went to the forest for ascetic practices”

According to Vishnu Purana—

उत्तरं यत्समुद्रस्य हिमाद्रेश्चैव दक्षिणम् । वर्षं तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र संततिः ।।Uttaraṃ yatsamudrasya himādreścaiva dakṣiṇamvarṣaṃ tadbhārataṃ nāma bhāratī yatra santatiḥ

This shloka means: “The country (Varsam) that lies north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains is called Bharatam; there dwell the descendants of Bharata.

Therefore, it is also said that the name Bharata is derived from the ancient Indian texts, the Puranas which refers to the land that comprises India as Bharata Varsam. They used this term to distinguish it from other varsas or contine.

Amazing is that this Bharat Empire i.e. Bharatvarsha or India includes the present day of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, North-West Tibet, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Third is according to Sanskrit, the origin of Bharata

Bharata is the official Sanskrit name of the country, Bharata Ganarajya. The Sanskrit word Bharata describes Agni. This term has Sanskrit root bhr means “to bear/ to carry” i.e. “to be maintained” (of fire). It also means “One who is engaged in search of Knowledge”.

Fourth is According to Jain Dharma:

India’s real name is Bharat and it was kept after the name of Bharat Chakravarti the eldest son of First Jain Tirthankar & it is said that it is solely gift of Jainism in terms of name Bharat and its original source of Civilisation of Bharat today called India.

According to another historian it is also said that:

The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindus and latter stems from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, which was for the Indus River.

India is also called Hindustan which is a Persian word means “Land of the Hindus”; prior to 1947, it is referred to a region that encompassed northern India and Pakistan.