Linga Purana

ऋषभं पार्थिवश्रेष्ठं सर्वक्षत्रस्य पूजितम् ऋषभाद्भरतो जज्ञे वीरः पुत्रशताग्रजः

He was Ṛṣabha, the foremost of kings, honored by all the Kṣatriyas. From Ṛṣabha was born Bharata, the heroic eldest among a hundred sons.

सो ऽभिषिच्याथ ऋषभो भरतं पुत्रवत्सलः ज्ञानवैराग्यमाश्रित्य जित्वेन्द्रियमहोरगान्

Ṛṣabha, affectionate to his son, installed Bharata as king, relying on knowledge and detachment, having conquered the great serpents of the senses.

सर्वात्मनात्मनि स्थाप्य परमात्मानमीश्वरम् नग्नो जटी निराहारश् चीरी ध्वान्तगतो हि सः

Having established the Supreme Self, the Lord, in his own self by complete absorption, he became naked, matted-haired, without food, clad in bark, and entered darkness.

निराशस्त्यक्तसंदेहः शैवमाप परं पदम् हिमाद्रेर्दक्षिणं वर्षं भरताय न्यवेदयत्

Free from desire and doubt, he attained the supreme Śaiva state; he assigned the southern region of Himālaya to Bharata.

तस्मात्तु भारतं वर्षं तस्य नाम्ना विदुर्बुधाः भरतस्यात्मजो विद्वान् सुमतिर्नाम धार्मिकः

Therefore, the wise know that region as Bhārata after his name; Bharata's son was the learned and righteous Sumati.

बभूव तस्मिंस्तद्राज्यं भरतः संन्यवेशयत् पुत्रसंक्रामितश्रीको वनं राजा विवेश सः

Thereupon, in that realm, Bharata installed his son as king, relinquishing his own glory to him, and the king entered the forest.

अस्य द्वीपस्य मध्ये तु मेरुर् नाम महागिरिः नानारत्नमयैः शृङ्गैः स्थितः स्थितिमतां वरः

In the middle of this continent stands the great mountain called Meru, adorned with peaks made of various precious gems, the foremost among the steadfast.

चतुरशीतिसाहस्रम् उत्सेधेन प्रकीर्तितः प्रविष्टः षोडशाधस्ताद् विस्तृतः षोडशैव तु

It is said to rise eighty-four thousand units in height, and extends sixteen thousand below and likewise sixteen thousand across.

शराववत् संस्थितत्वाद् द्वात्रिंशन्मूर्ध्नि विस्तृतः विस्तारात् त्रिगुणश् चास्य परिणाहो ऽनुमण्डलः

Shaped like an upturned bowl, it spreads thirty-two thousand at the summit, and its circumference is estimated to be three times its breadth.

हैमीकृतो महेशस्य शुभाङ्गस्पर्शनेन च धत्तूरपुष्पसंकाशः सर्वदेवनिकेतनः

Made golden by the touch of the auspicious body of Maheshvara, it shines like the flower of the dhattura, and is the abode of all the gods.

क्रीडाभूमिश् च देवानाम् अनेकाश्चर्यसंयुतः लक्षयोजन आयामस् तस्यैवं तु महागिरेः

It is the playground of the gods, filled with countless wonders, and the length of that great mountain is said to be one hundred thousand yojanas.

ततः षोडशसाहस्रं योजनानि क्षितेरधः शेषं चोपरि विप्रेन्द्रा धरायास्तस्य शृङ्गिणः

Below the earth, it extends sixteen thousand yojanas, and above as well, O best of Brahmins, is the remainder of the mountain's peaks.

मूलायामप्रमाणं तु विस्तारान् मूलतो गिरेः ऊचुर्विस्तारमस्यैव द्विगुणं मूलतो गिरेः

Its root has immeasurable length, and the breadth at the base of the mountain is said to be twice its width at the summit.

पूर्वतः पद्मरागाभो दक्षिणे हेमसन्निभः पश्चिमे नीलसंकाश उत्तरे विद्रुमप्रभः

To the east, it gleams like padmaraga; to the south, it resembles gold; to the west, it appears like sapphire; and to the north, it shines with the radiance of coral.

अमरावती पूर्वभागे नानाप्रासादसंकुला नानादेवगणैः कीर्णा मणिजालसमावृता

On the eastern side is Amaravati, crowded with various palaces, filled with hosts of different gods, and covered with networks of jewels.

गोपुरैर्विविधाकारैर् हेमरत्नविभूषितैः तोरणैर् हेमचित्रैस्तु मणिकॢप्तैः पथि स्थितैः

With gateways of various forms adorned with gold and jewels, and arches decorated with golden designs and jewels set along the pathways.

संलापालापकुशलैः सर्वाभरणभूषितैः स्तनभारविनम्रैश् च मदघूर्णितलोचनैः

Populated by those skilled in conversation and wit, adorned with all kinds of ornaments, with women bowed by the weight of their breasts and their eyes rolling from intoxication.

स्त्रीसहस्रैः समाकीर्णा चाप्सरोभिः समन्ततः दीर्घिकाभिर्विचित्राभिः फुल्लाम्भोरुहसंकुलैः

Filled everywhere with thousands of women and apsarases, with beautiful pools crowded with blooming lotuses.

हेमसोपानसंयुक्तैर् हेमसैकतराशिभिः नीलोत्पलैश्चोत्पलैश् च हैमैश्चापि सुगन्धिभिः

Equipped with golden stairways, heaps of golden sand, blue lotuses and other lotuses, and also fragrant golden flowers.

एवंविधैस्तटाकैश् च नदीभिश् च नदैर्युता विराजते पुरी शुभ्रा तयासौ पर्वतः शुभः

Adorned with such lakes, rivers, and streams, the splendid city shines, and by it that auspicious mountain is made glorious.

तेजस्विनी नाम पुरी आग्नेय्यां पावकस्य तु अमरावतीसमा दिव्या सर्वभोगसमन्विता

There is a city named Tejasvini in the southeast, belonging to Agni, divine and equal to Amaravati, endowed with all enjoyments.

वैवस्वती दक्षिणे तु यमस्य यमिनां वराः भवनैरावृता दिव्यैर् जांबूनदमयैः शुभैः

To the south is Vaivasvati, the city of Yama, foremost among controllers, surrounded by celestial mansions made of pure gold.

नैरृते कृष्णवर्णा च तथा शुद्धवती शुभा तादृशी गन्धवन्ती च वायव्यां दिशि शोभना

In the southwest is the beautiful city Shuddhavati, dark in color, and likewise Gandhavati, splendid in the northwest.

महोदया चोत्तरे च ऐशान्यां तु यशोवती पर्वतस्य दिगन्तेषु शोभते दिवि सर्वदा

In the northeast, at the edge of the mountain, there is the illustrious city Mahodaya, which always shines in the heavens.

ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशानां तथान्येषां निकेतनम् सर्वभोगयुतं पुण्यं दीर्घिकाभिर्नगोत्तमम्

It is the abode of Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshvara, and others; filled with all enjoyments, holy, adorned with ponds, and the best among cities.

सिद्धैर्यक्षैस्तु सम्पूर्णं गन्धर्वैर्मुनिपुङ्गवैः तथान्यैर्विविधाकारैर् भूतसंघैश् चतुर्विधैः

It is filled with Siddhas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, eminent sages, and various other groups of beings of four kinds, each with different forms.

गिरेरुपरि विप्रेन्द्राः शुद्धस्फटिकसन्निभम् सहस्रभौमं विस्तीर्णं विमानं वामतः स्थितम्

On top of the mountain, O best of Brahmins, stands to the left a vast palace, shining like pure crystal, with a thousand courts.

तस्मिन्महाभुजः शर्वः सोमसूर्याग्निलोचनः सिंहासने मणिमये देव्यास्ते षण्मुखेन च

There, the great-armed Sharva, whose eyes are the moon, sun, and fire, sits upon a jeweled throne with the goddess and Karttikeya.

हरेस्तदर्धं विस्तीर्णं विमानं तत्र सो ऽपि च पद्मरागमयं दिव्यं पद्मजस्य च दक्षिणे

Nearby is Hari’s palace, half as wide, made of divine padmaraga gems, and to the south is the splendid palace of Padmaja.