In the sacred land of Bhārata, the four classes—Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and, to some extent, Śūdras—are established at the heart of the realm. Each is engaged in their own noble pursuits: some in sacrifice, others in warfare, commerce, or various occupations, maintaining the order and vitality of society. From the mighty foot of the Himalaya arise the revered rivers Śatadrū, Candrabhāgā, and many others, their names echoing through the Vedas and Smṛtis. Some rivers begin their journeys from the Pāriyātra mountains, as the sages have recounted. The Vindhya range gives birth to the Narmadā, Suramā, and other sacred rivers, including Tāpi, Payoshnī, Nirvindhyā, and the illustrious Kaverī. Further, at the foot of Ṛkṣa, flow rivers famed for cleansing sin—Godāvarī, Bhīma, Rathī, Kṛṣṇā, Veṇī, and more. The Sahya mountains, too, are the source of rivers that remove sin and fear; among these, the Kṛtamālā and Tāmraparṇī, which spring from the Malaya range, are especially celebrated. From the Mahendra mountain, rivers like Ṛṣikulyā and Kumārā flow, remembered for their purity. The Śuktimat mountain also gives rise to the Ṛṣikulyā and Kumārā. Across the vast land, thousands of rivers and their tributaries nourish the people—the Kurus, Pañcālas, and inhabitants of the central regions dwell along their banks. So too do the peoples of the east—Kāmarūpa, Pauṇḍra, Kaliṅga, Magadha, and the southern lands—find their homes near these life-giving waters. The Saurāṣṭras, Śūdras, Ābhīras, Arbudas, Mārukas, Mālavas, and those of Pāriyātra, as well as the Sauvīras, Saindhavas, Śālvas, the people of Śākala, Madras, Rāmas, Ambaṣṭhas, and the Pārasīkas, all dwell joyfully and prosperously along the riverbanks, sustained by their sacred waters. In this land of Bhārata, people have dwelled throughout the four ages—Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali—cycles that occur nowhere else. Here, ascetics practice austerities, sacrificers offer their oblations, and gifts are given with reverence, all for the sake of the next world. On Jambūdvīpa, the Purusha of sacrifice is worshipped by men through ritual offerings. Viṣṇu, who is sacrifice itself, is honored in different forms on other islands, but even there, Bhārata stands foremost in Jambūdvīpa, for it is the land of action; the other regions are lands of enjoyment. In this sacred realm, after countless births and the accumulation of merit, a being may finally attain the rare and precious birth as a human. The gods themselves sing in praise: “Blessed are those who, in the land of Bhārata, are born as humans, for here lies the cause and abode of heaven and liberation.” Those who renounce actions and the fruits of actions, dedicating all to Viṣṇu, the Supreme Self, and attain the greatness of action in the Infinite, become pure and reach dissolution, freed from all bonds. It is known and declared that when the actions leading to heaven are exhausted, the bond of the body is attained again; truly blessed are those humans in Bhārata who are freed from the senses. Thus, O Brāhmaṇas, this Jambūdvīpa, with its nine regions, stretches a hundred thousand yojanas and has been briefly described. Encircling Jambūdvīpa is the great ocean of milk, extending a hundred thousand yojanas in a perfect circle. Just as the island of Jambū is surrounded by the ocean of salt, so too, beyond the salt ocean, lies the island of Plakṣa. The expanse of Jambūdvīpa is said to be one hundred thousand yojanas, but Plakṣadvīpa is twice as vast, as the sages proclaim. On Plakṣadvīpa, Medhātithi, its lord, had seven illustrious sons: Śāntabhaya, the foremost, followed by Śiśira, Sukhodaya, Ānanda, Śiva, Kṣemaka, and Dhruva. Each became a ruler of one of the seven regions: Śāntabhaya in the east, then Śiśira, Sukhada, Ānanda, Śiva, Kṣemaka, and Dhruva. Their lands are marked and divided by seven great mountains: Gomeda, Candra, Nārada, Dandubhi, Somaka, Sumanā, and Vaibhrāja. In these delightful mountain regions, sinless people dwell in harmony with gods and gandharvas, together with their own folk. In these blessed lands, people are heroic and do not die; there is no sorrow or disease, and happiness prevails unceasingly. Seven sacred rivers flow there to the sea, their very names removing sin: Anutaptā, Śikhā, Viprāśā, Tridivā, Kramu, Amṛtā, and Sukṛtā. Alongside these principal rivers and mountains are thousands more, nourishing the land and its joyful people. The rivers there all descend, none rise anew, and the inhabitants drink their waters with gladness. Among the seven regions, there is no division into ages; time is ever like the Tretā Yuga, a golden age. In Plakṣadvīpa and the lands beyond Śākadvīpa, people live for five thousand years, free from illness. There, dharma is fourfold, arising from the division of classes and stages of life. The four classes are known as Āryakas, Kurus, Viviśvas, and Bhāvinas, corresponding to Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras. At the very center of Plakṣadvīpa stands a great Plakṣa tree, equal in size to the Jambū tree, from which the island takes its name. There, the Lord is worshipped by all classes, beginning with the Āryakas. Hari, the creator and lord of all, appears there in the form of Soma, and is revered by all the people. Thus is recounted the sacred geography, the peoples, the rivers, and the divine order that pervades Jambūdvīpa and Plakṣadvīpa, where dharma and joy flourish under the watchful gaze of the Lord.