मनःप्रीतिकरः स्वर्गो नरकस् तद्विपर्ययः नरकस्वर्गसंज्ञे वै पापपुण्ये द्विजोत्तमाः
Heaven brings delight to the mind, while hell is the opposite; O best of twice-born, the terms 'hell' and 'heaven' are applied to sin and merit.
वस्त्व् एकम् एव दुःखाय सुखायेर्ष्योदयाय च कोपाय च यतस् तस्माद् वस्तु दुःखात्मकं कुतः
A single object is the cause of both sorrow and happiness, of envy and anger; therefore, how can an object be of the nature of sorrow alone?
तद् एव प्रीतये भूत्वा पुनर् दुःखाय जायते तद् एव कोपालयतः प्रसादाय च जायते
That very thing, having once brought pleasure, later becomes the cause of sorrow; that same thing, which once caused anger, can also bring about favor.
तस्माद् दुःखात्मकं नास्ति न च किंचित् सुखात्मकम् मनसः परिणामो ऽयं सुखदुःखादिलक्षणः
Therefore, nothing is inherently of the nature of sorrow, nor is anything inherently of the nature of happiness; these are transformations of the mind, characterized as happiness, sorrow, and so on.
ज्ञानम् एव परं ब्रह्माज्ञानं बन्धाय चेष्यते ज्ञानात्मकम् इदं विश्वं न ज्ञानाद् विद्यते परम्
Knowledge alone is the supreme Brahman; ignorance is considered bondage. This entire universe is of the nature of knowledge; nothing exists beyond knowledge.
विद्याविद्ये हि भो विप्रा ज्ञानम् एवावधार्यताम् एवम् एतद् मयाख्यातं भवतां मण्डलं भुवः
O learned ones, know that knowledge alone is both learning and ignorance. Thus have I described to you the sphere of the earth.
पातालानि च सर्वाणि तथैव नरका द्विजाः समुद्राः पर्वताश् चैव द्वीपा वर्षाणि निम्नगाः संक्षेपात् सर्वम् आख्यातं किं भूयः श्रोतुम् इच्छथ
O twice-born, I have concisely described all the netherworlds, hells, oceans, mountains, islands, regions, and rivers. What more do you wish to hear?
कथितं भवता सर्वम् अस्माकं सकलं तथा भुवर्लोकादिकांल् लोकाञ् श्रोतुम् इच्छामहे वयम्
You have told us everything, just as it is. Now we wish to hear about the worlds beginning with Bhuvarloka.
तथैव ग्रहसंस्थानं प्रमाणानि यथा तथा समाचक्ष्व महाभाग यथावल् लोमहर्षण
Likewise, please explain the arrangement and measurements of the planets, O highly fortunate Lomaharṣaṇa, just as they are.
रविचन्द्रमसोर् यावन् मयूखैर् अवभास्यते ससमुद्रसरिच्छैला तावती पृथिवी स्मृता
The earth, with its oceans, rivers, and mountains, is said to extend as far as the rays of the sun and moon shine.
यावत्प्रमाणा पृथिवी विस्तारपरिमण्डला नभस् तावत्प्रमाणं हि विस्तारपरिमण्डलम्
The extent and circumference of the earth are matched by the extent and circumference of the sky.
भूमेर् योजनलक्षे तु सौरं विप्रास् तु मण्डलम् लक्षे दिवाकराच् चापि मण्डलं शशिनः स्थितम्
O Brāhmaṇas, the solar orbit is a hundred thousand yojanas from the earth, and at the same distance from the sun is the orbit of the moon.
पूर्णे शतसहस्रे तु योजनानां निशाकरात् नक्षत्रमण्डलं कृत्स्नम् उपरिष्टात् प्रकाशते
At a full one hundred thousand yojanas above the moon, the entire region of the stars is seen shining.
द्विलक्षे चोत्तरे विप्रा बुधो नक्षत्रमण्डलात् तावत्प्रमाणभागे तु बुधस्याप्य् उशना स्थितः
O sages, at two hundred thousand yojanas above the stellar region, in a space of equal measure, Mercury is situated, and above Mercury is Venus.
अङ्गारको ऽपि शुक्रस्य तत्प्रमाणे व्यवस्थितः लक्षद्वयेन भौमस्य स्थितो देवपुरोहितः
Mars is also established at the same distance above Venus; at two hundred thousand yojanas above Mars stands the priest of the gods.
सौरिर् बृहस्पतेर् ऊर्ध्वं द्विलक्षे समवस्थितः सप्तर्षिमण्डलं तस्माल् लक्षम् एकं द्विजोत्तमाः
Saturn is positioned two hundred thousand yojanas above Jupiter; O best of twice-born, one hundred thousand yojanas above that is the region of the Seven Sages.
ऋषिभ्यस् तु सहस्राणां शताद् ऊर्ध्वं व्यवस्थितः मेढीभूतः समस्तस्य ज्योतिश् चक्रस्य वै ध्रुवः
Above the sages, at a hundred thousand times a thousand yojanas, is fixed Dhruva, the axis of the entire wheel of lights.
त्रैलोक्यम् एतत् कथितं संक्षेपेण द्विजोत्तमाः इज्याफलस्य भूर् एषा इज्या चात्र प्रतिष्ठिता
O best of twice-born, this threefold world has been described to you in brief; this earth is the fruit of sacrifice, and sacrifice is established here.
ध्रुवाद् ऊर्ध्वं महर्लोको यत्र ते कल्पवासिनः एकयोजनकोटी तु महर्लोको विधीयते
Above Dhruva is Maharloka, where those who dwell for an aeon reside; Maharloka is said to be ten million yojanas in extent.
द्वे कोट्यौ तु जनो लोको यत्र ते ब्रह्मणः सुताः सनन्दनाद्याः कथिता विप्राश् चामलचेतसः
Beyond that, at twenty million yojanas, is Janaloka, where the sons of Brahma, such as Sanandana, and pure-minded sages are said to dwell.
चतुर्गुणोत्तरं चोर्ध्वं जनलोकात् तपः स्मृतम् वैराजा यत्र ते देवाः स्थिता देहविवर्जिताः
Four times higher than Janaloka is known as Tapoloka, where the radiant gods, free from bodies, are established.
षड्गुणेन तपोलोकात् सत्यलोको विराजते अपुनर्मारकं यत्र सिद्धादिमुनिसेवितम्
Six times higher than Tapoloka shines Satyaloka, where there is no return to death, and which is served by Siddhas and foremost sages.
पादगम्यं तु यत् किंचिद् वस्त्व् अस्ति पृथिवीमयम् स भूर्लोकः समाख्यातो विस्तारो ऽस्य मयोदितः
Whatever object is accessible by foot and is composed of earth is called Bhurloka; its extent has been described by me.
भूमिसूर्यान्तरं यत् तु सिद्धादिमुनिसेवितम् भुवर्लोकस् तु सो ऽप्य् उक्तो द्वितीयो मुनिसत्तमाः
The region between earth and sun, attended by Siddhas and great sages, is called Bhuvarloka, O best of sages; this is the second world.
ध्रुवसूर्यान्तरं यत् तु नियुतानि चतुर्दश स्वर्लोकः सो ऽपि कथितो लोकसंस्थानचिन्तकैः
The region between Dhruva and the sun, measuring fourteen hundred thousand yojanas, is called Svarloka by those who contemplate the structure of the worlds.
त्रैलोक्यम् एतत् कृतकं विप्रैश् च परिपठ्यते जनस् तपस् तथा सत्यम् इति चाकृतकं त्रयम्
This threefold world is considered created by the sages, while Janaloka, Tapoloka, and Satyaloka are said to be uncreated.
कृतकाकृतको मध्ये महर्लोक इति स्मृतः शून्यो भवति कल्पान्ते यो ऽन्तं न च विनश्यति
Maharloka is remembered as being in between the created and uncreated; it becomes empty at the end of an aeon, yet does not perish.
एते सप्त महालोका मया वः कथिता द्विजाः पातालानि च सप्तैव ब्रह्माण्डस्यैष विस्तरः
O twice-born, these seven great worlds have been described to you by me, along with the seven nether regions; this is the expanse of the cosmic egg.
एतद् अण्डकटाहेन तिर्यग् ऊर्ध्वम् अधस् तथा कपित्थस्य यथा बीजं सर्वतो वै समावृतम्
This is all encompassed above, below, and across by the shell of the cosmic egg, just as a wood-apple seed is surrounded on all sides.
दशोत्तरेण पयसा द्विजाश् चाण्डं च तद् वृतम् स चाम्बुपरिवारो ऽसौ वह्निना वेष्टितो बहिः
O twice-born, the egg is covered by water to a depth of ten units; that watery enclosure is itself surrounded outside by fire.