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.
महामेरुर्महाकाशो जलदः कुमुदोत्तरः । जलधारो महाराज सुकुमार इति स्मृतः
Mahameru, Mahakasha, Jalada, Kumudottara, Jaladhara, O king, and Sukumara are remembered.
रेवतस्य तु कौमारः श्यामस्य मणिकाञ्चनः । केसरस्याथ मौदाकी परेण तु महापुमान्
Kaumara belongs to Revata, Manikanchana to Shyama, Maudaki to Kesara, and Mahapuman to the last.
परिवार्य तु कौरव्य दैर्घ्यं ह्रस्वत्वमेव च। जम्बूद्वीपेन संक्यातस्तस्य मध्ये महाद्रुमः
Encircling them, O descendant of Kuru, both in length and shortness, is Jambudvipa; in its midst stands a great tree.
शाको नाम महाराज प्रजा तस्य सदानुगा। तत्र पुण्या जनपदाः पूज्यते तत्र शंकरः
O king, it is called Shaka; its people always follow it. There are holy regions there, and Shiva is worshipped there.
तत्र गच्छन्ति सिद्धाश्च चारणा दैवतानि च। धार्मिकाश्च प्रजा राजंश्चत्वारोऽतीव भारत
There, siddhas, charanas, and divine beings go; and the people, O Bharata, are fourfold and very righteous.
वर्णाः स्वकर्मनिरता न च स्तेनोऽत्र दृश्यते । दीर्घायुषो महाराज जरामृत्युविवर्जिताः
The castes are devoted to their own duties; no thief is seen there. They are long-lived, O king, free from old age and death.
प्रजास्तत्र विवर्धन्ते वर्षास्विव समुद्रगाः। नद्यः पुण्यजलास्तत्र गङ्गा च बहुधा गता
The people flourish there, as rivers flow in the rainy season; there are holy rivers, and the Ganga flows in many forms.
सुकुमारी कुमारी च शीताशी वेणिका तथा। महानदी च कौरव्य तथा मणिजला नदी
Sukumari, Kumari, Shitashi, Venika, and also, O descendant of Kuru, the great river and the river with jewel-like waters.
चक्षुर्वर्धनिका चैव नदी भरतसत्तम । तत्र प्रवृत्ताः पुण्योदा नद्यः कुरुकुलोद्वह
Cakshurvardhanika, O best of Bharatas, is also a river there; holy rivers flow there, O uplifter of the Kuru lineage.
सहस्राणां शतान्येव यतो वर्षति वासवः । न तासां नामधेयानि परिमाणं तथैव च
Hundreds of thousands, where Indra rains; their names and measurements are not known.