O sages, gather close and listen, for I shall recount to you an ancient and sacred tale, rooted in the Vedas themselves. This account is most auspicious, promising both worldly enjoyment and the highest liberation. Upon this earth, there is a land renowned above all others—Bharata. It is here that the field of action lies, where every deed, whether virtuous or sinful, inevitably bears its fruit. This land is not only the stage for human action, but also the very ground where heaven and hell are realized. In Bharata, O twice-born, it is certain that every person receives the results of their actions—good or bad. Here, Brahmins and others, by performing their prescribed duties with self-restraint and discipline, attain the highest perfection; there can be no doubt of this. Indeed, one who is well-restrained in this land achieves all four aims of life: righteousness (dharma), wealth (artha), pleasure (kāma), and liberation (mokṣa). Even mighty Indra and the other gods, having performed noble deeds upon this land, ascended to their divine stations. Likewise, other wise souls—peaceful, free from passion and envy, and with senses under control—have attained liberation here. Those who now dwell in heaven, free of suffering and riding in celestial chariots, gained their heavenly abodes by virtuous actions performed in Bharata. So greatly do the gods long for this land that they are ever eager for the chance to be born here, yearning, “When shall we see the land of Bharata?” For it is only here that deeds—whether meritorious or sinful—bear fruit; nowhere else do actions yield such results. Thus, heaven and liberation themselves are attained through this middle realm of Bharata. Nowhere else on earth are mortals prescribed such actions. Therefore, O Brahman, if you are compassionate, describe to us in detail this land of Bharata as it truly exists—its mountains, its divisions, and all its features, without omission. Hear now, O twice-born, of the land of Bharata. It is divided into nine regions, separated by oceans yet mutually connected. These are named Indradvīpa, Kaśeru, Tāmravarṇa, Gabhastimān, Nāgadvīpa, Saumya, Gāndharva, Vāruṇa, and the ninth—this very island, encircled by the sea and stretching a thousand yojanas from south to north. To the east of this land dwell the Kirātas, and to the west, the Yavanas. At the extremities reside Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras, each purified through their respective acts—worship, battle, and trade—governing their mutual dealings accordingly. From virtue and sin arise the experiences of heaven and liberation. Within this land stand seven principal mountains: Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Śuktimān, Ṛkṣa, Vindhya, and Pāriyātra. Nearby lie thousands of other mountains—wide, lofty, delightful, and vast, with many and varied peaks—such as Kolāhala, Vaibhrāja, Mandara, and Dardalācala; Vātaṃdhaya, Vaidyuta, Maināka, Surasa, Tuṅgaprastha, Nāgagiri, Godhana, and Pāṇḍarācala; Puṣpagiri, Vaijayanta, Raivata, Arbuda, Ṛṣyamūka, Gomantha, Kṛtaśaila, and Kṛtācala; Śrīparvata, Cakora, and hundreds more. Among these mountains live diverse peoples, including the Mlecchas. From these mountains flow the greatest rivers. Know, O best of twice-born, the sacred rivers: Gaṅgā, Sarasvatī, Sindhu, and Candrabhāgā; Yamunā, Śatadrū, Vipāśā, Vitastā, Irāvatī, Kuhū, Gomatī, Dhūtapāpā, Bāhudā, and Dṛṣadvatī. Many of these, such as Vipāśā, Devikā, Cakṣur, Niṣṭhīvā, Gaṇḍakī, Kauśikī, and Āpagā, arise from the very foot of Himavat. Other holy rivers include Devamṛti, Devavatī, Vātaghnī, Sindhu, Veṇyā, Candanā, Sadānīrā, and Mahī. Flowing along the Pāriyātra mountains are Carmaṇvatī, Vṛṣī, Vidiśā, Vedavatī, Siprā, Avantī, and many more. Śoṇā, Mahānadī, Narmadā, Surathā, Kriyā, Mandākinī, Daśārṇā, and Citrakūṭā also grace this land. There are yet others: Citrotpalā, Vetravatī, Karamodā, Piśācikā, Anyātilaghuśroṇī, Vipāpmā, and Śaivalā; Sadherujā, Śaktimatī, Śakunī, Tridivā, Kramuḥ, and those rivers born from the roots of ṛkṣa trees, swift-flowing and pure. Siprā, Payoṣṇī, Nirvindhyā, Tāpi, Veṇā, Vaitaraṇī, Sinīvālī, and Kumudvatī are also among the excellent rivers. From the roots of the Vindhya mountains arise Toyā, Mahāgaurī, Durgā, Antaḥśilā, and many other holy and auspicious waters. From the Sahya mountains flow Godāvarī, Bhīmarathī, Kṛṣṇaveṇā, Tuṅgabhadrā, Suprayogā, and Pāpanāśinī. The rivers Kṛtamālā, Tāmraparṇī, Puṣyajā, and Pratyalāvatī, arising from Sahya, are among the best. From the Malayā mountains spring forth cool and holy rivers: Pitṛsomarṣikulyā, Vañjulā, and Tridivā. Lāṅgulinī, Vaṃśakarā, those originating from Mahendra, Suvikālā, Kumārī, Manūgā, and Mandagāminī are also remembered. Kṣayāpalāsinī and those rising from Śuktimat are all considered holy Sarasvatīs, all are Gaṅgās flowing toward the ocean. All these rivers are regarded as mothers of the world, destroyers of sin, and countless smaller rivers flow among them, O best of twice-born. Such is the sacred land of Bharata—rich in mountains and rivers, in diversity and sanctity, and above all, the field where actions yield their fruits and the highest goals of life may be attained.