इयं दिग्दियिता राज्ञो वरुणस्य तु गोपतेः । सदा सलिलराजस्य प्रतिष्ठा चादिरेव च
This is the direction of the king Varuṇa, the lord of waters; it is always the domain and foundation of the king of the waters.
अत्र पश्चादहः सूर्यो विसर्जयति गाः स्वयम् । पश्चिमेत्यभिविख्याता दिगियं द्विजसत्तम
Here, at day's end, the sun himself sets his rays; this direction is renowned as the west, O best of twice-born.
यादसामत्र राज्येन सलिलस्य च गुप्तये । कश्यपो भगवान्देवो वरुणं स्माभ्यषेचयत्
Here, for the sake of the kingdom of the aquatic beings and the protection of the waters, the revered sage Kaśyapa anointed Varuṇa as king.
अत्र पीत्वा समस्तान्वै वरुणस्य रसांस्तु षट् । जायते तरुणः सोमः शुक्लस्यादौ तमिस्रहा
Here, having drunk all six streams of Varuṇa, the young Soma is born at the beginning of the bright fortnight, dispelling darkness.
अत्र पञ्चात्कृता दैत्या वायुना संयतास्तदा । निश्चसन्तो महावातैरर्दिताः सुषुपुर्द्विज
Here, the Daityas were bound by the wind in five ways; struck by great gusts, they fell and slept, O Brahmin.
अत्र सूर्यं प्रणयिनं प्रतिगृह्णाति पर्वतः । अस्तो नाम यतः सन्ध्या पश्चिमा प्रतिसर्यति
Here, the mountain receives the sun, its beloved; from this place, called Asta, the western twilight proceeds.
अतो रात्रिश्च निद्रा च निर्गता दिवसक्षये। जायते जीवलोकस्य हर्तुमर्धमिवायुषः
From this, night and sleep arise at the end of the day, as if to take away half the lifespan of living beings.
अत्र देवीं दितिं सुप्तामात्मप्रसवधारिणीम् । विगर्भामकरोच्छक्रो यत्र जातो मरुद्गणः
Here, when Diti, the goddess, lay asleep, bearing her own offspring, Indra rendered her without child, and there the host of Maruts was born.
अत्र मूलं हिमवतो मन्दरं याति शाश्वतम् । अपि वर्षसहस्रेण न चास्यान्तोऽधिगम्यते
Here lies the eternal root of Himavat, Mandara; even in a thousand years of rain, its end cannot be reached.
अत्र काञ्चनशैलस्य काञ्चनाम्बुरुहस्य च। उदधेस्तीरमासाद्य सुरभिः क्षरते पयः
Here, at the shore of the ocean, near the golden mountain and the golden lotus, Surabhi pours forth her milk.
अत्र मध्ये समुद्रस्य कबन्धः प्रतिदृश्यते। स्वर्भानोः सूर्यकल्पस्य सोमसूर्यौ जिघांसतः
Here, in the midst of the ocean, Kabandha is seen, as Svarbhanu, desiring to seize the moon and sun, rivals their radiance.
सुवर्णशिरसोऽप्यत्र हरिरोम्णः प्रगायतः । अदृश्यस्याप्रमेयस्य श्रूयते विपुलो ध्वनिः
Here, too, is heard the mighty sound of the golden-headed Hariromā, who sings, though unseen and immeasurable.
अत्र ध्वजवती नाम कुमारी हरिमेधसः। आकाशे तिष्ठतिष्ठेति तस्थौ सूर्यस्य शासनात्
Here stands the maiden named Dhvajavatī, daughter of Harimedhas, remaining in the sky at the command of the sun.
अत्र वायुस्तथा वह्निरापः खं चापि गालव । आह्निकं चैव नैशं च दुःखं स्पर्शं विमुञ्चति
Here, O Gālava, wind, fire, water, and ether, as well as day and night, release their painful touch.
अतःप्रभृति सूर्यस्य तिर्यगावर्तते गतिः। अत्र ज्योतींषि सर्वाणि विशन्त्यादित्यमण्डलम्
From here, the sun's course turns obliquely; here, all the lights enter the solar orb.
अष्टाविंशतिरात्रं च क्रम्य सह भानुना। निष्पतन्ति पुनः सूर्यात्सोमसंयोगयोगतः
Having traversed twenty-eight nights together with the sun, they emerge again from the sun, due to conjunction with the moon.
अत्र नित्यं स्रवन्तीनां प्रभवः सागरोदयः । अत्र लोकत्रयस्यापस्तिष्ठन्ति वरुणालये
Here is the source and rising of the ever-flowing rivers; here, in Varuṇa's abode, the waters of the three worlds remain.
अत्र पन्नगराजस्याप्यनन्तस्य निवेशनम् । अनादिनिधनस्यात्र विष्णोः स्थानमनुत्तमम्
Here is the dwelling of Ananta, king of serpents; here is the supreme abode of Viṣṇu, without beginning or end.
अत्रानलसखस्यापि पवनस्य निवेशनम्। महर्षेः कश्यपस्यात्र मारीचस्य निवेशनम्
Here is the dwelling of Vāyu, friend of fire, and here also is the abode of the great sage Kaśyapa, son of Marīci.
एष ते पश्चिमो मार्गो दिग्द्वारेण प्रकीर्तितः। ब्रूहि गालव गच्छावो बुद्धिः का द्विजसत्तम
This, for you, is the western path, known as the gate of the directions; speak, O Gālava, let us go—what is your decision, best of twice-born?
यस्मादुत्तार्यते पापाद्यस्मान्निश्रेयसोऽश्रुते । अस्मादुत्तारणबलादुत्तरेत्युच्यते द्विज ।। 1
Because one is carried across from sin, and from what is not heard of as supreme good, by the power of crossing over, this is called 'uttara,' O twice-born.
उत्तरस्य हिरण्यस्य परिवापस्य गालव । मार्गः पश्चिमपूर्वाभ्यां दिग्भ्यां वै मध्यमः स्मृतः
North of the golden, enclosing region, O Gālava, the path is considered the middle one between the western and eastern directions.
अस्यां दिशि वरिष्ठायामुत्तरायां द्विजर्षभ । नासौम्यो नाविधेयात्मा नाधर्मो वसते जनः
In this most excellent northern direction, O best of twice-born, no unkind, undisciplined, or unrighteous person dwells.
अत्र नारायणः कृष्णो जिष्णुश्चैव नरोत्तमः । बदर्यामाश्रमपदे तथा ब्रह्मा च शाश्वतः
Here, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, and the victorious best of men dwell in the hermitage at Badarī, as does the eternal Brahmā.
अत्र वै हिमवत्पृष्ठे नित्यमास्ते महेश्वरः। `प्रकृत्या पुरुषः सार्धं युगान्ताग्निसमप्रभः
Here, upon the summit of the Himalayas, Maheshvara always resides, shining like the fire at the end of an age, together with Prakriti and Purusha.
न स दृश्यो मुनिगणैस्तथा देवैः सवासवैः । गन्धर्वयक्षसिद्धैर्वा नरनारायणादृते
He is not visible to assemblies of sages, nor to the gods with Indra, nor to Gandharvas, Yakshas, or Siddhas, except for Nara and Narayana.
अत्र विष्णुः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रचरणोऽव्ययः । सहस्रशिरसः श्रीमानेकः पश्यति मायया
Here, Vishnu, the thousand-eyed, thousand-footed, imperishable one, the glorious lord with a thousand heads, perceives all through his power of illusion.
अत्र राज्येन विप्राणां चन्द्रमाश्चाभ्यषिच्यत । अत्र गङ्गां महादेवः पतन्तीं गगनाच्च्युताम्
Here, the moon was anointed as king of the Brahmins; here, Mahadeva received the Ganga, falling from the sky.
प्रतिगृह्य ददौ लोके मानुषे ब्रह्मवित्तम । अत्र देव्या तपस्तप्तं महेश्वरपरीप्सया
Having accepted her, he bestowed her upon the world of men, O best knower of Brahman; here, the goddess performed austerities desiring Maheshvara.
अत्र कामश्च रोषश्च शैलश्चोमा च संबभुः । अत्र राक्षसयक्षाणां गन्धर्वाणां च गालव
Here, desire, anger, the mountain, and Uma were born; here, among the Rakshasas, Yakshas, and Gandharvas, O Galava,