Linga Purana

विस्तारान्मण्डलाच्चैव योजनैश् च निबोधत

Hear from me the measures, the circle, and the distances in yojanas.

शतमेकं सहस्राणां योजनानां स तु स्मृतः अनु द्वीपं सहस्राणां द्विगुणं द्विगुणोत्तरम्

A hundred thousand yojanas is said to be the measure; each continent is twice the previous, increasing twofold each time.

पञ्चाशत्कोटिविस्तीर्णा ससमुद्रा धरा स्मृता द्वीपैश् च सप्तभिर् युक्ता लोकालोकावृता शुभा

The earth, together with the oceans, is said to be fifty crores in breadth, joined with seven continents, and encircled by Lokāloka, the auspicious.

नीलस्तथोत्तरे मेरोः श्वेतस्तस्योत्तरे पुनः शृङ्गी तस्योत्तरे विप्रास् त्रयस्ते वर्षपर्वताः

To the north of Meru is Nīla, and further north of that is Śveta; again to its north is Śṛṅgī—these three, O sages, are the Varṣaparvatas.

जठरो देवकूटश् च पूर्वस्यां दिशि पर्वतौ निषधो दक्षिणे मेरोस् तस्य दक्षिणतो गिरिः हेमकूट इति ख्यातो हिमवांस्तस्य दक्षिणे

Jaṭhara and Devakūṭa are the mountains to the east; Niṣadha is to the south of Meru, and south of that is the mountain known as Hemakūṭa; south of that is Himavān.

मेरोः पश्चिमतश्चैव पर्वतौ द्वौ धराधरौ माल्यवान्गन्धमादश् च द्वावेतावुदगायतौ

To the west of Meru are two mountains, Dharādhara and Mālyavān; Gandhamādana is also there—these two extend northward.

एते पर्वतराजानः सिद्धचारणसेविताः तेषाम् अन्तरविष्कम्भो नवसाहस्रमेकशः

These are the kingly mountains, frequented by Siddhas and Cāraṇas; the distance between each is nine thousand yojanas.

इदं हैमवतं वर्षं भारतं नाम विश्रुतम् हेमकूटं परं तस्मान् नाम्ना किंपुरुषं स्मृतम्

This region of Himavat is renowned as Bhārata; beyond Hemakūṭa is the land called Kiṃpuruṣa.

नैषधं हेमकूटात्तु हरिवर्षं तदुच्यते हरिवर्षात्परं चैव मेरोः शुभमिलावृतम्

Beyond Hemakūṭa is Niṣadha, and that is called Harivarṣa; beyond Harivarṣa is the auspicious Ilāvṛta of Meru.

इलावृतात्परं नीलं रम्यकं नाम विश्रुतम् रम्यात्परतरं श्वेतं विख्यातं तद्धिरण्मयम्

Beyond Ilāvṛta is Nīla, famed as Ramyaka; further beyond Ramyaka is Śveta, known as Hiraṇmaya.

हिरण्मयात्परं चापि शृङ्गी चैव कुरुः स्मृतः धनुःसंस्थे तु विज्ञेये द्वे वर्षे दक्षिणोत्तरे

Beyond Hiraṇmaya is Śṛṅgī, and Kuru is remembered there; in the form of a bow, two regions are to be known, one to the south and one to the north.

दीर्घाणि तत्र चत्वारि मध्यतस्तदिलावृतम् मेरोः पश्चिमपूर्वेण द्वे तु दीर्घेतरे स्मृते

There are four long regions, with Ilāvṛta in the middle; to the west and east of Meru are two other long regions.

अर्वाक्तु निषधस्याथ वेद्यर्धं चोत्तरं स्मृतम् वेद्यर्धे दक्षिणे त्रीणि वर्षाणि त्रीणि चोत्तरे

South of Niṣadha is called half the altar, and the same to the north; on the southern half are three regions, and three also on the northern.

तयोर्मध्ये च विज्ञेयं मेरुमध्यमिलावृतम् दक्षिणेन तु नीलस्य निषधस्योत्तरेण तु

Between these, know that the middle of Meru is Ilāvṛta; to the south of Nīla and north of Niṣadha.

उदगायतो महाशैलो माल्यवान्नाम पर्वतः योजनानां सहस्रे द्वे उपरिष्टात्तु विस्तृतः

To the north rises the great mountain Mālyavān, which is two thousand yojanas in extent above.

आयामतश्चतुस्त्रिंशत् सहस्राणि प्रकीर्तितः तस्य प्रतीच्यां विज्ञेयः पर्वतो गन्धमादनः

Its length is said to be thirty-two thousand yojanas; to its west is the mountain Gandhamādana.

आयामतः स विज्ञेयो माल्यवानिव विस्तृतः जम्बूद्वीपस्य विस्तारात् समेन तु समन्ततः

It is to be known that Gandhamādana is as extensive in length as Mālyavān, equal in all directions to the breadth of Jambūdvīpa.

प्रागायताः सुपर्वाणः षडेते वर्षपर्वताः अवगाढाश्चोभयतः समुद्रौ पूर्वपश्चिमौ

These six Varṣaparvatas extend eastward, well-formed; on both sides, they are immersed in the eastern and western oceans.

हिमप्रायस्तु हिमवान् हेमकूटस्तु हेमवान् तरुणादित्यसंकाशो हैरण्यो निषधः स्मृतः

Himavān is mostly snowy, Hemakūṭa is golden, and Niṣadha is said to be golden, resembling the young sun.

चतुर्वर्णः ससौवर्णो मेरुश्चोर्ध्वायतः स्मृतः वृत्ताकृतिपरीणाहश् चतुरस्रः समुत्थितः

Mount Meru is described as having four colors and a golden hue, rising high, with a circular shape and circumference, and standing upright with four sides.

नीलश् च वैडूर्यमयः श्वेतः शुक्लो हिरण्मयः मयूरबर्हवर्णस्तु शातकुंभस् त्रिशृङ्गवान्

It is blue, made of beryl, white, shining, golden, and colored like a peacock's tail; three-peaked, and made of yellow gold.

एवं संक्षेपतः प्रोक्ताः पुनः शृणु गिरीश्वरान् मन्दरो देवकूटश् च पूर्वस्यां दिशि पर्वतौ

Thus, the summary has been given; now listen again about the lordly mountains: Mandara and Devakūṭa are the two mountains in the eastern direction.

कैलासो गन्धमादश् च हेमवांश्चैव पर्वतौ पूर्वतश् चायतावेताव् अर्णवान्तर्व्यवस्थितौ

Kailāsa and Gandhamāda, as well as Hemavān, are mountains situated to the east, stretching out and located within the ocean.

निषधः पारियात्रश् च द्वावेतौ वरपर्वतौ यथा पूर्वौ तथा याम्याव् एतौ पश्चिमतः श्रितौ

Niṣadha and Pāriyātra are two excellent mountains; just as the previous ones are in the east, these two are situated to the south and west.

त्रिशृङ्गो जारुचिश्चैव उत्तरौ वरपर्वतौ पूर्वतश् चायतावेताव् अर्णवान्तर्व्यवस्थितौ

Triśṛṅga and Jāruci are the two great mountains to the north; these two also stretch out to the east and are situated within the ocean.

मर्यादापर्वतान् एतान् अष्टावाहुर्मनीषिणः यो ऽसौ मेरुर्द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्रांशुः कनकपर्वतः

The wise call these eight the boundary mountains; and that Meru, O best of twice-born, is the lofty golden mountain.

तस्य पादास्तु चत्वारश् चतुर्दिक्षु नगोत्तमाः यैर्विष्टब्धा न चलति सप्तद्वीपवती मही

It has four great peaks at the four directions, by which the earth with its seven continents is supported and does not move.

दशयोजनसाहस्रम् आयामस् तेषु पठ्यते पूर्वे तु मन्दरो नाम दक्षिणे गन्धमादनः

Each of these has a length of ten thousand yojanas; in the east is Mandara by name, in the south Gandhamādana.

विपुलः पश्चिमे पार्श्वे सुपार्श्वश्चोत्तरे स्मृतः महावृक्षाः समुत्पन्नाश् चत्वारो द्वीपकेतवः

On the western side is Vipula, and on the north is Supārśva; four great trees have grown there, the banners of the continents.