वेद्यर्द्धं दक्षिणं मेरोरुत्तरार्द्धं तथोत्तरम्
Half of the altar is to the south of Meru, and the other half is to the north.
द्वे द्वे सहस्रे विस्तीर्णा योजनानां समुच्छ्रयात्
Each is two thousand yojanas in breadth and in height.
योजनानां सहस्राणि शतं द्वावायतौ गिरी
The two mountains extend for a hundred thousand yojanas.
श्वेतश्च हेमकूटश्च हिमवाञ्छृङ्गवांस्तथा
Śveta and Hemakūṭa, as well as Himavat and Śṛṅgavat.
तेषां मध्ये जनपदास्तानि वर्णाणि सप्त वै
Among them are the inhabited regions, which are indeed the seven colors.
संततानि नदीभेदैरगम्यानि परस्परम्
They are separated by river branches and are mutually inaccessible.
इदं हैमवतं वर्षं भारतं नाम विश्रुतम्
This region of Himavat is renowned as Bhārata.
नैषधं हेमकूटात्तु हरिवर्षं तदुच्यते
From Hemakūṭa is Niṣadha, and from there it is called Harivarṣa.
इलावृतात्पिरं नीलं सम्यकं नाम विश्रुतम्
From Ilāvṛta is Piṣa, and from Nīla, it is well known as Samyaka.
हिरण्मयात्परं चैव शृङ्गवत्तः कुरु स्मृतम्
Beyond Hiraṇmaya and Śṛṅgavat, it is known as Kuru.
दीर्घाणि तत्र चत्वारि मध्यमं तदिलावृतम्
There are four long regions there, and the middle one is Ilāvṛta.
परं नीलवतो यच्च वेद्यर्द्धं तु तदुत्तरम्
Beyond Nīla, and half of the altar, that is the northern region.
तयोर्मध्ये तु विज्ञेयो मेरुर्मध्य इलावृतम्
Between those two, Meru is to be known at the center of Ilāvṛta.
उदगायेतो महाशैलो माल्यवान्नाम नामतः
To the north is that great mountain, known by name as Mālyavat.
आयामतश्चतुस्त्रिंशत्सहस्राणि प्रकीर्तितः
Its length is said to be thirty-two thousand.
आयामतो ऽथ विस्तारान्माल्यवा नितिविश्रुतः
As for its length and breadth, Mālyavat is renowned for its measure.
चतुर्वणः स सौवर्णः चतुरस्रः समुच्छ्रितः
It is of four castes, golden, quadrangular, and elevated.
तरुणादित्यवर्णाभो विधूम इव पावकः
It shines with the hue of a young sun, like a smokeless fire.
प्रविष्टः षोडशाधस्ताद्विस्तृतः षोडशैव तु
It extends sixteen below and is likewise spread out sixteen.
विस्तारात्रिगुणस्तस्य परिणाहः समन्ततः
Its circumference all around is three times its breadth.
चत्वारिंशत्सहस्राणि योजनानां समन्ततः
All around, its circumference is forty thousand yojanas.
चतुरस्रेण मानेन परिणाहः समन्ततः
Measured as a quadrangle, its circumference is all around.
स पर्वतो महादिव्यो दिव्यौषधिसमन्वितः
That mountain is great and divine, endowed with celestial herbs.
तत्र देवगणाः सर्वे गन्धर्वोरगराक्षसाः
There, all the hosts of gods, Gandharvas, serpents, and Rākṣasas dwell.
स तु मेरुः परिवृतो भुवनैर्भूतभावनैः
That Meru is surrounded by worlds and by the creators of beings.
भद्राश्वा भरताश्वैव केतुमालाश्च पश्चिमाः
Bhadrāśva, Bharata, and Ketumālā are to the west.
गन्धमादनपर्श्वे तु परैषापरगण्डिका
Beside Gandhamādana is the region called Paraīṣāparagaṇḍikā.
द्वात्रिंशत्तु सहस्राणि योजनैः पूर्वपश्चिमात्
There are thirty-two thousand yojanas from east to west.
तत्र ते शुभकर्माणः केतुमालाः प्रतिष्ठिताः
There, the Ketumālās, doers of virtuous deeds, are established.
स्त्रियश्चोत्पल पत्राभाः सर्वास्ताः प्रियदर्शनाः
And the women there are all lovely to behold, with the radiance of lotus petals.