व्यास उवाच इति सर्वान्विसृज्याथ गौतमो मुनिसत्तमः । प्रारब्धामिति मत्वा तु चित्ते शान्तिं जगाम ह
Vyasa said: Thus, after dismissing them all, the noble sage Gautama, thinking that what was destined had begun, attained peace in his mind.
एतस्मात्कारणाद्राजन् गते कृष्णे तु धीमति । कलौ युगे प्रवृत्ते तु कुम्भीपाकात्तु निर्गताः
For this reason, O King, when the wise Krishna departed and the Kali age began, they emerged from Kumbhipaka.
भुवि जाता ब्राह्मणाश्च शापदग्धाः पुरा तु ये । सन्ध्यात्रयविहीनाश्च गायत्रीभक्तिवर्जिताः
Those Brahmins who were formerly burned by the curse were born on earth, lacking the three daily Sandhyas and devoid of devotion to Gayatri.
वेदभक्तिविहीनाश्च पाखण्डमतगामिनः । अग्निहोत्रादिसत्कर्मस्वधास्वाहाविवर्जिताः
Lacking devotion to the Vedas, following heretical doctrines, deprived of proper rituals like Agnihotra and the offerings of svadha and svaha.
मूलप्रकृतिमव्यक्तां नैव जानन्ति कर्हिचित् । तप्तमुद्राङ्किताः केचित्कामाचाररताः परे
They never know the unmanifest primal nature; some are marked with heated seals, others delight in sensual practices.
कापालिकाः कौलिकाश्च बौद्धा जैनास्तथापरे । पण्डिता अपि ते सर्वे दुराचारप्रवर्तकाः
Some are Kapalikas, Kaulas, Buddhists, or Jains; even those learned in texts are all engaged in wicked conduct.
लम्पटाः परदारेषु दुराचारपरायणाः । कुम्भीपाकं पुनः सर्वे यास्यन्ति निजकर्मभिः
They are lustful with others' wives, devoted to evil deeds; all of them will again go to Kumbhipaka because of their own actions.
तस्मात्सर्वात्मना राजन् संसेव्या परमेश्वरी । न विष्णूपासना नित्या न शिवोपासना तथा
Therefore, O King, the Supreme Goddess must be worshipped with all one's being; constant worship of Vishnu or Shiva is not the way.
नित्या चोपासना शक्तेर्यां विना तु पतत्यधः । सर्वमुक्तं समासेन यत्पृष्टं तत्त्वयानघ
Only constant worship of Shakti prevents a fall; in brief, I have told you everything you asked, O sinless one.
अतः परं मणिद्वीपवर्णनं शृणु सुन्दरम् । यत्परं स्थानमाद्याया भुवनेश्या भवारणेः
Now, listen to the beautiful description of Mani-dvipa, the supreme abode of the Primal Lady, the Mistress of the World.
; मणिद्वीपवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच ब्रह्मलोकादूर्ध्वभागे सर्वलोकोऽस्ति यः श्रुतः । मणिद्वीपः स एवास्ति यत्र देवी विराजते
Vyasa said: Above Brahma's world is a realm known to all, called Mani-dvipa, where the Goddess shines forth.
सर्वस्मादधिको यस्मात्सर्वलोकस्ततः स्मृतः । पुरा पराम्बयैवायं कल्पितो मनसेच्छया
Because it surpasses all, it is called the world of all; long ago, the Supreme Mother created it by her own will.
सर्वादौ निजवासार्थं प्रकृत्या मूलभूतया । कैलासादधिको लोको वैकुण्ठादपि चोत्तमः
In the very beginning, for her own dwelling, by her own primordial nature, she created a world superior to Kailāsa and even more excellent than Vaikuṇṭha.
गोलोकादपि सर्वस्मात्सर्वलोकोऽधिकः स्मृतः । न तत्समं त्रिलोक्यां तु सुन्दरं विद्यते क्वचित्
This world is said to surpass even Goloka and all other worlds; nowhere in the three worlds is there anything as beautiful as that.
छत्रीभूतं त्रिजगतो भवसन्तापनाशकम् । छायाभूतं तदेवास्ति ब्रह्माण्डानां तु सत्तम
Serving as a canopy for the three worlds, it removes the suffering of existence; it alone stands as a shelter for the best of the universes.
बहुयोजनविस्तीर्णो गम्भीरस्तावदेव हि । मणिद्वीपस्य परितो वर्तते तु सुधोदधिः
Surrounding Maṇidvīpa on all sides is the pure ocean, vast for many yojanas and deep to that extent.
मरुत्सङ्घट्टनोत्कीर्णतरङ्ग शतसङ्कुलः । रत्नाच्छवालुकायुक्तो झषशङ्खसमाकुलः
It is crowded with hundreds of waves raised by the wind, filled with sands of jewels, and teeming with fish and conch shells.
वीचिसङ्घर्षसञ्जातलहरीकणशीतलः । नानाध्वजसमायुक्तनानापोतगतागतैः
Cooled by the spray of waves colliding together, it is adorned with various flags and traversed by many kinds of ships coming and going.
विराजमानः परितस्तीररत्नद्रुमो महान् । तदुत्तरमयोधातुनिर्मितो गगने ततः
All around, the great shore shines with jewel trees; beyond that, in the sky, stands a wall made of celestial metals.
सप्तयोजनविस्तीर्णः प्राकारो वर्तते महान् । नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणा नानायुद्धविशारदाः
There is a great enclosure seven yojanas wide, equipped with various weapons and skilled warriors of many kinds.
रक्षका निवसन्त्यत्र मोदमानाः समन्ततः । चतुर्द्वारसमायुक्तो द्वारपालशतान्वितः
Guardians dwell there joyfully on all sides; it has four gates, each attended by hundreds of gatekeepers.
नानागणैः परिवृतो देवीभक्तियुतैर्नृप । दर्शनार्थं समायान्ति ये देवा जगदीशितुः
It is surrounded by various groups devoted to the Goddess, O King; those gods who are lords of the world come there for her audience.
तेषां गणा वसन्त्यत्र वाहनानि च तत्र हि । विमानशतसङ्घर्षघण्टास्वनसमाकुलः
Their groups reside there, along with their vehicles; the place is filled with the clamor of hundreds of celestial chariots and the ringing of bells.
हयहेषाखराघातबधिरीकृतदिङ्मुखः । गणैः किलकिलारावैर्वेत्रहस्तैश्च ताडिताः
The quarters are deafened by the neighing of horses and the clashing of chariots; the attendants, striking with staffs, make a clamor with their shouts.
सेवका देवसङ्घानां भ्राजन्ते तत्र भूमिप । तस्मिन्कोलाहले राजन्न शब्दः केनचित्क्वचित्
The servants of the hosts of gods shine there, O King; in that tumult, no other sound is heard anywhere.
कस्यचिच्छ्रूयतेऽत्यन्तं नानाध्वनिसमाकुले । पदे पदे मिष्टवारिपरिपूर्णसरांसि च
Amidst that multitude of sounds, nothing else is ever heard; at every step are lakes filled with sweet water.
वाटिका विविधा राजन् रत्नद्रुमविराजिताः । तदुत्तरं महासारधातुनिर्मितमण्डलः
There are various gardens, O King, adorned with jewel trees; beyond that is a great circle made of precious metals.
सालोऽपरो महानस्ति गगनस्पर्शि यच्छिरः । तेजसा स्याच्छतगुणः पूर्वसालादयं परः
There is another great hall whose summit touches the sky; it is a hundred times more radiant than the previous hall.
गोपुरद्वारसहितो बहुवृक्षसमन्वितः । या वृक्षजातयः सन्ति सर्वास्तास्तत्र सन्ति च
It has gateways with lofty towers and is filled with many trees; all the varieties of trees that exist are found there.
निरन्तरं पुष्पयुताः सदा फलसमन्विताः । नवपल्लवसंयुक्ताः परसौरभसङ्कुलाः
They are always laden with flowers and fruits without interruption, adorned with new shoots and filled with supreme fragrance.