Let me tell you now of the peoples and lands of ancient Bharata. Among them dwell the Anupas, the Tundikeras, the Vitihotras, and the people of Avanti. Beyond these, let us journey to the mountains and learn of those who reside there: the Apapra, the Rana, the Urna, the Darva, and the Sahuhuka. The sages have declared that, in the land of Bharata, there are four yugas, or great ages. I shall now describe their nature to you, fully and in detail. You have asked me to recount, as it truly is, all that is known about Bharata. So let us turn to the vast region called Plaksha Khanda, which lies in Kimpurusha and is as splendid as the celestial Nandana garden. In this wondrous land, the men are golden in color, and the women possess the beauty and grace of celestial nymphs. All humans born there shine with a radiance like refined gold. The Kimpurushas of this realm partake of the most excellent and delightful juice. There too, humans are born with the luster of great silver. In the land of Harivarsha, all men drink pure sugarcane juice, and every heart is filled with joy. At the very center of these lands lies the region known as Ilavrita. In Ilavrita, the moon, sun, and stars do not shine with their usual light; instead, humans are born with the fragrance of lotus petals. These people are wise, they enjoy pleasures, and they reap the fruits of their good deeds. The excellent men of Ilavrita live for thirteen thousand years. Ilavrita stretches outward from Mount Meru in every direction, measuring nine thousand units in breadth. It is four-sided on all sides and shaped like a great dish. Encircling this central region, the mighty Gandhamadana mountain extends for thirty-four thousand units, rising to forty thousand from the surface of the earth. To the east lies the Malyavan mountain, said to be equal in measure. Among these peaks, the great Mount Meru stands established, with its own vast dimensions—its breadth is the same as its length, which is said to be one niyuta. As one moves outward, the lengths of the regions decrease, and they are remembered as being square in shape. Through these lands flows the Jambu river, rich with water, appearing dark and broken like collyrium. Near its banks stands the great and eternal Jambu tree, known as Sudarshana. From this tree, the land itself is called Jambudvipa. The king of trees, this Jambu tree reaches the sky in all directions. Sages who see the truth have measured the size of its fruit, and the juice of this fruit becomes a river that flows forth. Those who dwell near the Jambu tree always drink of this juice, and in that place, there is no hunger, no fatigue, no death, and no drowsiness. The river of juice shines with the color of indragopas, those tiny red insects, and as it drips, it becomes bright and pure, like gold—the very ornament of the gods. By the grace of the Lord, the earth there consumes those who have died, freeing the land from decay. Upon the slopes of Hemakuta mountain dwell the Gandharvas, together with their groups of Apsaras. On the sacred summit of Mount Meru, the thirty-three divine gods, worthy of sacrifice, sport and play. And among the Daityas and Dānavas, the mountain called Śveta is renowned. This, then, is the wondrous expanse of Bharata and its neighboring realms, as revealed by the sages and preserved in our ancient lore.