Linga Purana

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.

मन्दरस्य गिरेः शृङ्गे महावृक्षः सकेतुराट् प्रलम्बशाखाशिखरः कदम्बश् चैत्यपादपः

On the summit of Mandara mountain is the great tree Keturāṭ, with spreading branches, and the kadamba, the sacred tree.

दक्षिणस्यापि शैलस्य शिखरे देवसेविता जम्बूः सदा पुण्यफला सदा माल्योपशोभिता

On the summit of the southern mountain, worshipped by the gods, is the jambu tree, always bearing auspicious fruit and ever adorned with garlands.

सकेतुर् दक्षिणे द्वीपे जम्बूर्लोकेषु विश्रुता विपुलस्यापि शैलस्य पश्चिमे च महात्मनः

On the southern continent is the famous jambu tree among the worlds; on the summit of the great mountain Vipula to the west.

संजातः शिखरे ऽश्वत्थः स महान् चैत्यपादपः सुपार्श्वस्योत्तरस्यापि शृङ्गे जातो महाद्रुमः

There has arisen on its summit the great aśvattha, the sacred tree; and on the peak of northern Supārśva has grown a great tree.

न्यग्रोधो विपुलस्कन्धो ऽनेकयोजनमण्डलः तेषां चतुर्णां वक्ष्यामि शैलेन्द्राणां यथाक्रमम्

A banyan tree with a massive trunk, spanning many yojanas; I will now describe these four lordly mountains in order.

अमानुष्याणि रम्याणि सर्वकालर्तुकानि च मनोहराणि चत्वारि देवक्रीडनकानि च

There are four delightful, supernatural playgrounds of the gods, charming in all seasons and times.

वनानि वै चतुर्दिक्षु नामतस्तु निबोधत पूर्वे चैत्ररथं नाम दक्षिणे गन्धमादनम्

Learn now the names of the forests in the four directions: in the east is Caitraratha, in the south Gandhamādana.

वैभ्राजं पश्चिमे विद्याद् उत्तरे सवितुर्वनम् मित्रेश्वरं तु पूर्वे तु षष्ठेश्वरम् अतः परम्

In the west is Vaibhrāja, in the north is Savitṛ's forest; in the east is Mitreśvara, and next is Ṣaṣṭheśvara.

वर्येश्वरं पश्चिमे तु उत्तरे चाम्रकेश्वरम् महासरांसि च तथा चत्वारि मुनिपुङ्गवाः

In the west is Varyeshvara, and in the north is Amrakeshvara; likewise, O foremost sages, there are four great lakes.

यत्र क्रीडन्ति मुनयः पर्वतेषु वनेषु च अरुणोदं सरः पूर्वं दक्षिणं मानसं स्मृतम्

There, the sages sport upon the mountains and in the forests; Arunodha lake lies to the east, and the southern lake is known as Manasa.