Now, listen as I recount the origin of Nābhi. Nābhi, a sage of profound wisdom, had a son with Merudevī. This son was Ṛṣabha, the foremost among kings, revered by all Kṣatriyas. Ṛṣabha himself became the father of Bharata, the heroic eldest of a hundred sons. Ṛṣabha, filled with affection for his son, installed Bharata as king. He did so relying on the power of knowledge and detachment, having mastered the formidable serpents of the senses. Having established the Supreme Self—the Lord—firmly within his own being through complete absorption, Ṛṣabha renounced the world. He became unclad, with matted hair, without food, clad only in bark, and entered into the darkness of renunciation. Free from all desire and doubt, he attained the supreme Śaiva state. Before departing, he assigned the southern region of the Himālaya to Bharata. Because of this, the wise know that land by the name Bhārata, after Bharata himself. Bharata’s son was Sumati, learned and righteous. In time, Bharata installed Sumati as king, relinquishing his own glory, and then withdrew into the forest. In the midst of this continent stands the great mountain Meru, adorned with countless peaks of precious gems, the foremost among the steadfast. Meru is said to rise eighty-four thousand units in height, extending sixteen thousand below the earth and sixteen thousand across. Its shape resembles an upturned bowl, spreading thirty-two thousand at the summit, with a circumference three times its breadth. The mountain shines golden, touched by the auspicious body of Maheshvara, glowing like the dhattura flower, and it is the dwelling of all the gods. Meru is the playground of the celestials, filled with innumerable wonders, stretching a hundred thousand yojanas in length. Below the earth it extends sixteen thousand yojanas, and above as well, its peaks reach into the heavens. Its root is immeasurable, and the breadth at its base is said to be twice its width at the top. To the east, Meru gleams like padmaraga; to the south, it glows like gold; to the west, it resembles sapphire; and to the north, it shines with the brilliance of coral. On the eastern side lies Amaravati, crowded with palaces and filled with hosts of gods, its pathways covered with networks of jewels. Its gateways take many forms, adorned with gold and gems, and its arches are decorated with golden patterns and embedded jewels. The city overflows with those skilled in wit and conversation, adorned with every ornament, with women whose beauty is accentuated by their heavy breasts and rolling, intoxicated eyes. Thousands of women and apsarases fill Amaravati, and its beautiful pools are crowded with blooming lotuses. Golden stairways, heaps of golden sand, blue and other lotuses, and fragrant golden flowers abound. With such lakes, rivers, and streams, this splendid city shines, lending glory to the auspicious mountain. In the southeast lies Tejasvini, the city of Agni, divine and equal to Amaravati, filled with every enjoyment. To the south is Vaivasvati, the city of Yama, foremost among controllers, surrounded by celestial mansions of pure gold. In the southwest is the beautiful city Shuddhavati, dark in hue, and in the northwest, the splendid Gandhavati. In the northeast, at the mountain’s edge, stands the illustrious city Mahodaya, always radiant in the heavens. Mahodaya is the abode of Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshvara, and others; it is filled with all enjoyments, sanctified, adorned with ponds, and is the best among cities. There dwell Siddhas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, eminent sages, and various other beings of four kinds, each with their own forms. Atop the mountain, to the left, stands a vast palace shining like pure crystal, with a thousand courts. There, the great-armed Sharva—whose eyes are the moon, sun, and fire—sits upon a jeweled throne with the goddess and Karttikeya. Nearby is Hari’s palace, half as wide, made of divine padmaraga gems, and to the south lies the splendid palace of Padmaja. Around Sharva’s abode are the grand and delightful cities of Shakra, Yama, Soma, Varuna, Nirriti, Agni, as well as the palaces of Vayu and Rudra. In these various divine residences, each deity abides. In the northeast, within the domain of Ishvara, constant worship is established. There dwells the blessed Lord Shailadi, revered by Siddhas and disciples. Sanatkumara, lord of the gods, sits joyfully with the Siddhas; Sanaka, Sananda, and thousands of others like them are present. In some places is the realm of yoga, elsewhere the realm of enjoyment; there, a splendid palace shines like the young sun. This is the auspicious abode of Shailadi, where Ganesha resides with Karttikeya and thousands of Ganas. There too are the mothers Suyaśā and Sunetrā, and Madana. At the base of the mountain flows the river Jambūnadī. On its southern bank stands the magnificent Jambu tree, tall and wide, bearing fruit in all seasons. All around Meru stretches a vast and blessed region covered with Varshamila trees, where some partake of Jambu fruits and others of nectar. The people there are of various hues, resembling Jambunada gold. The Brahmins who dwell at the foot of Meru call this sacred place the auspicious middle continent.