न यत्र वैकुण्ठकथासुधापगा न साधवो भागवतास्तदाश्रयाः । न यत्र यज्ञेशमखा महोत्सवाः सुरेशलोकोऽपि न वै स सेव्यताम्
Where the nectar-stream of stories about Vaikuṇṭha does not flow, where there are no virtuous devotees of Bhagavān, where there are no great festivals for the Lord of sacrifices—even the world of the gods is not to be sought there.
प्राप्ता नृजातिं त्विह ये च जन्तवो ज्ञानक्रियाद्रव्यकलापसम्भृताम् । न वै यतेरन्न पुनर्भवाय ते भूयो वनौका इव यान्ति बन्धनम्
Those beings who attain human birth here, endowed with knowledge, action, wealth, and skill, if they do not strive for liberation, again go to bondage like forest-dwellers.
यैः श्रद्धया बर्हिषि भागशो हवि- र्निरुप्तमिष्टं विधिमन्त्रवस्तुतः । एकः पृथङ्नामभिराहुतो मुदा गृह्णाति पूर्णः स्वयमाशिषां प्रभुः
With faith, when offerings are placed upon the sacred grass in portions, and the oblation is performed according to proper ritual, mantra, and materials, the one Lord, though invoked by many names and separately addressed, joyfully accepts them all in full, being the master of blessings.
सत्यं दिशत्यर्थितमर्थितो नृणां नैवार्थदो यत्पुनरर्थिता यतः । स्वयं विधत्ते भजतामनिच्छता- मिच्छापिधानं निजपादपल्लवम्
Indeed, when sincerely entreated, the Lord grants what is asked by people; yet, not always does He give wealth, for repeated requests may not yield it. Instead, to those who worship Him without desire, He bestows His own lotus-like feet, concealing other wishes.
(यद्यत्र नः स्वर्गसुखावशेषितं स्विष्टस्य पूर्तस्य कृतस्य शोभनम् । तेनाब्जनाभे स्मृतिमज्जन्म नः स्या- द्वर्षे हरिर्भजतां शं तनोति ॥) श्रीनारायण उवाच एवं स्वर्गगता देवाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । प्रवदन्ति च माहात्म्यं भारतस्य सुशोभनम्
(If, in any place, our happiness in heaven remains incomplete, and the merit of our sacrifices and good deeds is left unfinished, then, O Lotus-naveled One, may we not forget You in our next birth—may Hari grant well-being to His devotees in every year.) Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Thus, the gods who have attained heaven, the perfected beings, and the great sages, all proclaim the great glory of Bhārata.
जम्बुद्वीपस्य चाष्टौ हि उपद्वीपाः स्मृताः परे । हयमार्गान्विशोधद्भिः सागरैः परिकल्पिताः
And Jambudvīpa is said to have eight subsidiary islands, which are established by the seas, as determined by those who know the paths of horses.
स्वर्णप्रस्थश्चन्द्रशुक्र आवर्तनरमाणकौ । मन्दरोपाख्यहरिणः पाञ्चजन्यस्तथैव च
They are called Svarṇaprastha, Candra, Śukra, Āvartana, Ramāṇaka, Mandara, Hariṇa, and Pāñcajanya.
सिंहलश्चैव लङ्केति उपद्वीपाष्टकं स्मृतम् । जम्बुद्वीपस्य मानं हि कीर्तितं विस्तरेण च
Siṃhala and Laṅkā are also counted, making eight subsidiary islands; thus, the extent of Jambudvīpa has been described in detail.
अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्लक्षादिद्वीपषट्ककम्
Now, I shall describe the six islands beginning with Plakṣa.
भुवनकोशवर्णने प्लक्षद्वीपकुशद्वीपवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच जम्बुद्वीपो यथा चायं यत्प्रमाणेन कीर्तितः । तावता सर्वतः क्षारोदधिना परिवेष्टितः
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Just as Jambudvīpa has been described with its measurements, so too is it entirely surrounded by the ocean of salt water.
जम्बाख्येन यथा मेरुस्तथा क्षारोदकेन च । क्षारोदधिस्तु द्विगुणः प्लक्षाख्येनोपवेष्टितः
Just as Mount Meru is known as Jambu, so is it encircled by the salt ocean; and that salt ocean is twice as wide, surrounded by the island called Plakṣa.
यथैव परिखा बाह्योपवनेन हि वेष्ट्यते । प्लक्षाख्यश्च स्वयं जम्बुप्रमाणो द्वीपरूपधृक्
Just as a moat is encircled by an outer garden, so too is the island called Plakṣa, equal in size to Jambudvīpa, taking the form of an island.
हिरण्मयोऽग्निस्तत्रैव तिष्ठतीति विनिश्चयः । प्रियवतात्मजस्तत्र सप्तजिह्व इति स्मृतः
There, it is certain that the golden fire-god resides; his beloved son is known as Saptajihva.
अग्निस्तदधिपस्त्विध्मजिह्वः स्वं द्वीपमेव च । विभज्य सप्तवर्षाणि स्वपुत्रेभ्यो ददौ विभुः
The fire-god, whose name is Idhmajihva, is the lord there; he divided his own island into seven regions and gave them to his sons.
स्वयमात्मविदां मान्यां योगचर्यां समाश्रितः । तेनैव चात्मयोगेन भगवन्तमुपागतः
He himself, established in the revered discipline of yoga honored by the wise, by that very yoga, attained the Supreme Lord.
शिवं च यवसं भद्रं शान्तं क्षेमामृते तथा । अभयं चेति सप्तैव तद्वर्षाणि सदेक्षताम्
Śiva, Yavasa, Bhadra, Śānta, Kṣema, Amṛta, and Abhaya—these seven are the regions, all governed by his sons.
तेषु प्रोक्ता नदीः सप्त गिरयः सप्त चैव हि । अरुणा नृम्णाङ्गिरसी सावित्री सुप्रभातिका
In these, seven rivers and seven mountains are described: Aruṇā, Nṛmṇāṅgirasī, Sāvitrī, Suprabhātikā,
ऋतम्भरा सत्यम्भरा इति नद्यः प्रकीर्तिताः । मणिकूटो वज्रकूट इन्द्रसेनस्तथैव च
Ṛtambharā and Satyambharā—these are the rivers named; Maṇikūṭa, Vajrakūṭa, Indrasena,
ज्योतिष्मान्वै सुपर्णश्च हिरण्यष्ठीव एव च । मेघमाल इति ख्याताः प्लक्षद्वीपस्य पर्वताः
Jyotiṣmat, Suparṇa, Hiraṇyaṣṭhīva, and Meghamāla—these are known as the mountains of Plakṣadvīpa.
नदीनां जलमात्रेण दर्शनस्पर्शनादिभिः । निर्धूताशेषरजसो निस्तमस्काः प्रजास्तथा
By the mere water of these rivers, through sight, touch, and so on, the people there are cleansed of all impurity and become free from darkness.
हंसश्चैव पतङ्गश्च ऊर्ध्वायन इतीव च । सत्याङ्गसंज्ञाश्चत्वारो वर्णाः प्लक्षस्य द्वीपके
The four classes named Hamsa, Patanga, Urdhvayana, and Satyanga dwell on the island of Plaksha.
सहस्रायुप्रमाणाश्च विविधोपमदर्शनाः । स्वर्गद्वारं त्रयीविद्याविधिनार्कं यजन्ति ते
They are said to live for a thousand years, possessing various forms and appearances; by the rites of the three Vedas, they worship the sun as the gateway to heaven.
प्रत्नस्य विष्णो रूपं च सत्यर्तस्य च ब्रह्मणः । अमृतस्य च मृत्योश्च सूर्यमात्मानमीमहि
We meditate upon the sun as the ancient form of Vishnu, the embodiment of true sacrifice, the essence of immortality and mortality.
प्लक्षादिषु च सर्वेषु पज्जद्वीपेषु नारद । आयुरिन्द्रियमोजश्च बलं बुद्धिः सहोऽपि च
O Narada, in all the islands beginning with Plaksha, there is longevity, strength of senses, energy, power, intellect, and endurance.
विक्रमः सर्वलोकानां सिद्धिरौत्पत्तिकी सदा । प्लक्षद्वीपात्परं चेक्षुरसोदः सरिताम्पतिः
There is valor, innate accomplishment in all worlds, and natural success; beyond Plaksha-dvipa lies the river Suroda, lord of streams.
प्लक्षद्वीपं समग्रं च परिवार्यावतिष्ठते । शाल्मलाख्यस्ततो द्वीपश्चास्माद् द्विगुणविस्तरः
Suroda completely encircles Plaksha-dvipa; beyond this is the island named Shalmala, which is twice as wide as the former.
समानेन सुरोदेन सिन्धुना परिवेष्टितः । यत्र वै शाल्मलीवृक्षः प्लक्षायामः प्रकीर्तितः
It is surrounded by the river Suroda, equal in breadth; there stands the Shalmali tree, renowned as equal in size to the Plaksha.
स्थानं तत्पक्षिराजस्य गरुडस्य महात्मनः । तस्य द्वीपस्य नाथो हि यज्ञबाहुः प्रियव्रतात्
That is the abode of the great-souled king of birds, Garuda; the lord of that island is Yajñabahu, son of Priyavrata.
जातः स एव सप्तभ्यः स्वपुत्रेभ्यो ददौ धराम् । तद्वर्षाणां च नामानि कथितानि निबोधत
He was born there and gave the earth to his seven sons; now listen to the names of those regions.
सुरोचनं सौमनस्यं रमणं देववर्षकम् । पारिभद्रे तथा चाप्यायनं विज्ञातनामकम्
They are Surocana, Saumanasya, Ramana, Devavarshaka, Paribhadra, and also Apyayana, and Vijnatanama.