As mentioned in the Puranas, Krauncha or the Krauncha Dwipa is the fifth of the seven dwipas or islands which makes up the world. Krauncha Dwipa is situated just after the Kusa-dwipa. Krauncha Dwipa encircles the sea of Ghrita or the ocean of butter. The size of Krauncha Dwipa is twice in size to that of the Kusa-dwipa. Dyutiman was the sovereign of the island called Krauncha-dwipa. He was a high-souled king and had named the seven varsas of the island after his seven names. They were Kusala, Mailaga, Ushna, Pivara, Andhakaraka, Muni and Dundhuvi.
The emperor of Krauncha was Dyutirnan. It had seven boundary mountains, each in succession twice as lofty as the one preceding it. The mountains present in the island were picturesque and were resorted by the Gandharvas and the celestials. The names of the mountains are Kraunch, Pavan, Devavrit, Devishtha, Devanand, Govind and Pundareek. There are also six prominent rivers flowing in this island--Gauri, Kumudwati, Ratri, Manojava, Khyati and Pundarika. Kraunch dweepa is surrounded by an ocean of clarified butter on all its sides.
The residents of this place inhabited there without apprehension, associating with the bands of divinities. The Brahmans living there were called Pushkaras, the Kshatriyas, Pushkalas and the Vaishyas were termed as Dhanyas. The Sudras inhabiting in Krauncha was called Trishyas.
In Krauncha Dwipa the four castes of people worship Janardana in the form of Rudra with various sacrifices. The Purana also states that Krauncha Dwipa is encircled by a sea of curds which is similar in dimension to that of the island and the sea of curds in turn is encircled by the Saka-dwipa which is twice in size to that of the Krauncha Dwipa.
The Hindu mythology believes that the seven dwipas represent the earth and the six other invisible companion worlds. Jambu Dwipa represents the earth and the Plaksha, Salmala, Kusa, Krauncha, Saka, and Pushkara symbolizes the six higher and invisible globes of the planetary chain.
The seven dwipas together also corresponds to the geographical continents of the seven great root-races and even to the dry-land divisions of the earth during the period of one root-race. Thus, Krauncha Dwipa corresponds to the fifth root-race continent.
