In the wondrous region of Ilāvṛta, a realm unlike any other, neither sun nor moon nor stars shed their light. There, no radiance comes from celestial bodies, and the people who dwell within know nothing of aging. Instead, the inhabitants themselves glow with a natural brilliance, their faces and eyes as lovely as lotus blossoms, and their fragrance reminiscent of fresh lotus leaves. Born in this blessed land, they are devoted to the very essence of existence. The people of Ilāvṛta sustain themselves on the sweet juice of the jambū fruit. Their bodies remain unmoving, suffused with fragrance, and those who have come from the world of the gods are reborn here, free forever from the touch of old age and the shadow of death. These excellent beings live for thirteen thousand years in this divine region, untouched by hunger, weariness, or mortality. Such is the power of the jambū fruit’s nectar: it wards off all suffering and decay. From this land also arises a special kind of gold, known as Jambunada, which gleams with the brilliance of the Indragopa insect and serves as a splendid ornament for the gods. Thus, the colors, lifespans, foods, and other features of those who dwell in the nine regions have been described, though only in brief. Across the sacred mountains, many wondrous beings make their homes. On Hemakuta mountain reside the Gandharvas and the entire host of Apsaras, while on Nishadha dwell the mighty Nagas: Shesha, Vasuki, and Takshaka. The thirty-three powerful sacrificial gods take delight in these places, and on the blue lapis mountain, the perfected beings and pure Brahmarshis abide. The white mountain is known as the home of the Daityas and Danavas, while Shringavan mountain is ever the dwelling place of the ancestors. Himavat is the domain of the chief Yakshas and spirits, and there too is the Lord himself. Among all mountains, Mahadeva is ever present, accompanied by Hari, Brahma, and Ambika. With Nandi and his hosts of attendants, the Blessed Blue-Red One abides in the regions and forests, as well as on the blue, white, and three-peaked mountains. He is always visible to the perfected beings, gods, and ancestors, especially on the blue lapis, white, bright, and golden mountains. On Jambudvipa itself stand the mountains adorned with peacock plumes, the golden peaks, and the three summits of Shringavan—these are the mountain kings established on the continent. Beyond Jambudvipa, on each of the other great continents—Plaksha and the rest—there are seven mighty mountains, stretching in every direction, known as the regional mountains. On Plaksha-dvipa, the seven divine mountains are: Gomedaka first, Chandra second, Narada third, Dundubhi fourth, Somaka fifth, Sumanas sixth, and Vaibhava, also called Vaibhraja, as the seventh. These are the sacred peaks of Plaksha-dvipa. On Shalmali-dvipa too are seven: Kumuda, Uttama, Balāhaka, Drona, Kanka, Mahisha, and the seventh, Kakudman. Likewise, Kusha-dvipa has its seven principal mountains: Vidruma, Hemaparvata, Dyutiman, Pushpita, Kuseshaya, Harigiri, and the splendid Mandara, which is the abode of the great god. Mandara is especially renowned, for there the Lord with the bull-banner, the pure Shiva—Lord of all, Soma—resides in a most excellent golden mansion, together with Nandi. It was here, in ancient times, that Maheśvara was pleased by Mandara’s austerities, and in the sacred field of Avimukta, he received the highest boon. When the great god was requested for a dwelling place, together with Ambā, he left Avimukta and took up residence on Mandara. With Nandi and his attendants, Soma remains there always. On the island of Krauñca, seven chief mountains rise: Krauñca, then Vāmanaka, the third Andhakāraka, followed by Divāvṛn, then Vivinda, the great Puṇḍarīka, and finally Dundubhisvana. These seven, adorned with jewels, are the pride of Krauñca island. On Śāka island there are also seven mountains: Udaya, Raivata, Śyāmaka, the splendid Rājata which belongs to Ambikā, the delightful Ambikeya, the herb-filled mountain, and Kesarī, from which the wind itself arises. On Puṣkara island, there is a single great mountain of resplendent stone, its peaks glittering with many jewels, rising gloriously on the eastern half of the island. This wondrous mountain soars upwards for fifty thousand yojanas and extends downwards for thirty-four thousand. Encircling half the island is the Mānasottara mountain, near the shore, shining like a crescent moon newly risen. Mānasottara too rises fifty thousand yojanas high and is equally broad and round on its sides. On the western half of Puṣkara stands Mānasa, the earth-bearing mountain, a single great peak divided into two by its very formation. On this island, two auspicious and sacred regions are remembered: Rājata and Mānasya, which lie around the mountain. Outside Mānasa is the region called Mahāvīta, and within is the inner region known as Dhātakīkhaṇḍa. Such is the grand and sacred geography of these divine realms, where gods, sages, and blessed beings dwell amidst mountains of splendor and lands of eternal radiance.