महोत्साहा महात्मानो धार्मिकाः सत्यवादिनः। प्रियदर्शना वपुष्मन्तो महावीर्या धनुर्धराः
They are of great energy, noble-minded, righteous, speakers of truth, pleasing in appearance, handsome, of great valor, and skilled with the bow.
वरार्हा युधि जायन्ते क्षत्रियाः शूरसत्तमाः। त्रेतायां क्षत्रिया राजन्सर्वे वै चक्रवर्तिनः
Worthy of honor in battle, the Kṣatriyas born are the foremost of heroes; in the Tretā age, O king, all Kṣatriyas are universal sovereigns.
सर्ववर्णाश्च जायन्ते सदा चैव च द्वापरे । महोत्साहा वीर्यवन्तः परस्परजयैषिणः
In Dvāpara, people of all classes are always born, full of energy and valor, each seeking to conquer the other.
तेजसाल्पेन संयुक्ताः क्रोधनाः पुरुषा नृप। लुब्धा अनृतकाश्चैव तिष्ये जायन्ति भारत
O king, in Tiṣya, men are born with little brilliance, prone to anger, greedy, and untruthful, O Bhārata.
ईर्ष्या मानस्तथा क्रोधो मायाऽसूया तथैव च। तिष्ये भवति भूतानां रागो लोभश्च भारत
In Tiṣya, O Bhārata, beings are afflicted by envy, pride, anger, deceit, and jealousy, as well as passion and greed.
संक्षेपो वर्तते राजन्द्वापरेऽस्मिन्नराधिप । गुणोत्तरं हैमवतं हरिवर्षं ततः परम्
O king, in this Dvāpara age, there is a decline; after that, the Himālayan region and Harivarṣa are superior in qualities.
जम्बूखण्डस्त्वया प्रोक्तो यथावदिह सञ्जय। विष्कम्भमस्य प्रब्रूहि परिमाणं तु तत्त्वतः
O Sañjaya, you have properly described Jambūdvīpa; now tell me its breadth and true dimensions.
समुद्रस्य प्रमाणं च सम्यगच्छिद्रदर्शनम् । शाकद्वीपं च मे ब्रूहि कुशद्वीपं च सञ्जय
Describe to me accurately the measure of the ocean, its true extent, and also tell me about Śākadvīpa and Kuśadvīpa, O Sañjaya.
शाल्मलिं चैव तत्त्वेन क्रौञ्चद्वीपं तथैव च। ब्रूहि गावल्गणे सर्वं राहोः सोमार्कयोस्तथा
And likewise, O Gāvalgaṇa, tell me in detail about Śālmalī and also about Krauñca-dvīpa, as well as about Rāhu, Soma, and the Sun.
राजन्सुबहवो द्वीपा यैरिदं सन्ततं जगत्। सप्त द्वीपान्प्रवक्ष्यामि चन्द्रादित्यौ ग्रहं तथा
O King, there are many dvīpas by which this entire world is encompassed; I will describe the seven dvīpas, as well as the Moon, the Sun, and the planets.
अष्टादश सहस्राणि योजनानि विशांपते। षट् शतानि च पूर्णानि विष्कम्भो जम्बुपर्वतः
O lord of men, Jambu mountain has a diameter of eighteen thousand and six hundred yojanas, complete in measure.
लावणस्य समुद्रस्य विष्कम्भो द्विगुणः स्मृतः । नानाजनपदाकीर्णो मणिविद्रुमचित्रितः
The diameter of the salt ocean is said to be twice that, filled with various peoples and adorned with jewels and coral.
नैकधातुविचित्रैश्च पर्वतैरुपशोभितः। सिद्धचारणसंकीर्णः सागरः परिमण्डलः
It is beautified by mountains of various metals and minerals, and is crowded with Siddhas and Cāraṇas, that circular ocean.
शाकद्वीपं च वक्ष्यामि यथावदिह पार्थिव । शृणु मे त्वं यथान्यायं ब्रुवतः कुरुनन्दन
I will also describe Śāka-dvīpa here, O King, as it truly is; listen to me as I speak properly, O descendant of Kuru.
जम्बूद्वीपपरमाणेन द्विगुणः स नराधिप । विष्कम्भेण महाराज सागरोऽपि विभागशः
O great king, Śāka-dvīpa is, by its diameter, twice the size of Jambu-dvīpa, and so is its ocean, in due proportion.
क्षीरोदो भरतश्रेष्ठ येन संपरिवारिताः । तत्र पुण्या जनपदास्तत्र न म्रियते जनः। कुत एव हि दुर्भिक्षं क्षमातेजोयुता हि ते
O best of Bharatas, the Kṣīroda ocean surrounds it; there, the lands are holy, and people do not die; how could there be famine, for they are endowed with the strength of the earth and energy.
शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावद्भरतर्षभ। उक्त एष महाराज किमन्यत्कथयामि ते
O bull among the Bharatas, the summary of Śāka-dvīpa has been told as it is, O great king; what else shall I tell you?
शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावदिह सञ्जय । उक्तस्त्वया महाप्राज्ञ विस्तरं ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः
O Sañjaya, the summary of Śāka-dvīpa has been told by you as it is; now, O wise one, tell it in detail and in truth.
तथैव पर्वता राजन्सप्तात्र मणिभूषिताः। रत्नाकरास्तथा नद्यस्तेषां नामानि मे शृणु
In the same way, O king, there are seven mountains here adorned with jewels, and mines of gems, and rivers; listen to their names from me.
अतीव गुणवत्सर्वं तत्र पुण्यं जनाधिप
Everything there is exceedingly virtuous, O lord of men.
देवर्षिगन्धर्वयुतः प्रथमो मेरुरुच्यते। प्रागायतो महाराज मलयो नाम पर्वतः
The first is Meru, attended by gods, sages, and Gandharvas; to the east stretches the great mountain called Malaya.
ततो मेघाः प्रवर्तन्ते प्रभवन्ति च सर्वशः । ततः परेण कौरव्य जलधारो महागिरिः
From there, clouds arise and are produced in every way; beyond that, O Kauravya, is the great mountain Jaladhāra.
ततो नित्युमुपादत्ते वासवः परमं जलम्। ततो वर्षं प्रभवति वर्षकाले जनेश्वर
From there, Indra always takes the supreme water; from that, rain arises in the rainy season, O lord of people.
उच्चैर्गिरी रैवतको यत्र नित्यं प्रतिष्ठिता। रेवती दिवि नक्षत्रं पितामहकृतो विधिः
There stands the high mountain Raivataka, where always is established Revati, the constellation in the sky, ordained by the Grandsire.
उत्तरेण तु राजेन्द्र श्यामो नाम महागिरिः । नवमेघप्रभः प्रांशुः श्रीमानुज्ज्वलविग्रहः । यतः श्यामत्वमापन्नाः प्रजा जनपदेश्वर
To the north, O king of kings, is the great mountain called Śyāma, dark as new clouds, tall, splendid, and radiant in form; from it, the people have attained their dark complexion, O lord of the land.
सुमहान्संशयो मेऽद्य प्रोक्तोऽयं सञ्जय त्वया। प्रजाः कथं सूतपुत्र संप्राप्ताः श्यामतामिह
Today, O Sañjaya, you have spoken of a great doubt of mine: how did the people here, O son of a charioteer, come to have a dark complexion?
सर्वेष्वेव महाराज द्वीपेषु कुरुनन्दन। गौरः कृष्णश्च पतगस्तयोर्वर्णान्तरे नृप
O king, in all the islands, O descendant of Kuru, the bird is white and black; between these two, O ruler, there is a difference in color.
श्यामो यस्मात्प्रवृत्तो वै तस्माच्छ्यामो गिरिःस्मृतः
Because the mountain is dark, it is called 'Shyama' (the dark one).
ततः परं कौरवेन्द्र दुर्गशैलो महोदयः । केसरः केसरयुतो यतो वातः प्रवर्तते
Next, O lord of the Kurus, is the great mountain Durga, abundant in height, with golden flowers, from which the wind arises.
तेषां योजनविष्कम्भो द्विगुणः प्रविभागशः। वर्षाणि तेषु कौरव्य सप्तोक्तानि मनीषिभिः
Their breadth, O descendant of Kuru, is twice as much, divided accordingly; in those regions, seven are said by the wise.