Linga Purana

विभज्यमानसलिला सा जवेनानिलेन च मेरोरन्तरकूटेषु निपपात चतुर्ष्वपि

Her waters, divided and driven swiftly by the wind, fell into the four inner peaks of Meru.

समन्तात्समतिक्रम्य सर्वाद्रीन्प्रविभागशः नियोगाद्देवदेवस्य प्रविष्टा सा महार्णवम्

Surpassing all the mountains on every side, and by the command of the god of gods, she entered the great ocean, branching out in all directions.

अस्या विनिर्गता नद्यः शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः सर्वद्वीपाद्रिवर्षेषु बहवः परिकीर्तिताः

From her, hundreds and thousands of rivers arise, and many are renowned throughout all the islands, mountains, and regions.

क्षुद्रनद्यस्त्वसंख्याता गङ्गा यद्गाङ्गताम्बरात् केतुमाले नराः कालाः सर्वे पनसभोजनाः

Countless small rivers flow, and in Ketumāla, all people are dark, clothed in garments of the Ganges, and eat jackfruit.

स्त्रियश्चोत्पलवर्णाभा जीवितं चायुतं स्मृतम् भद्राश्वे शुक्लवर्णाश् च स्त्रियश्चन्द्रांशुसंनिभाः

The women there are lotus-hued, and their lifespan is said to be ten thousand years; in Bhadrāśva, the women are white as the moon's rays.

कालाम्रभोजनाः सर्वे निरातङ्का रतिप्रियाः दशवर्षसहस्राणि जीवन्ति शिवभाविताः

All eat black mangoes, are free from trouble, delight in love, and, devoted to Śiva, live for ten thousand years.

हिरण्मया इवात्यर्थम् ईश्वरार्पितचेतसः तथा रमणके जीवा न्यग्रोधफलभोजनाः

Their minds are wholly dedicated to the Lord, and they shine like gold; likewise, in Ramaṇaka, the people live on banyan fruit.

दशवर्षसहस्राणि शतानि दशपञ्च च जीवन्ति शुक्लास्ते सर्वे शिवध्यानपरायणाः

All those pure ones, devoted to meditation on Śiva, live for one hundred and fifty thousand years.

हैरण्मया महाभागा हिरण्मयवनाश्रयाः एकादश सहस्राणि शतानि दशपञ्च च

They are golden, greatly fortunate, dwelling in golden forests, and their number is eleven thousand and one hundred and fifty.

वर्षाणां तत्र जीवन्ति अश्वत्थाशनजीवनाः हैरण्मया इवात्यर्थम् ईश्वरार्पितमानसाः

There, they live for that many years, subsisting on peepal fruit, shining like gold, their minds wholly offered to the Lord.

कुरुवर्षे तु कुरवः स्वर्गलोकात् परिच्युताः सर्वे मैथुनजाताश् च क्षीरिणः क्षीरभोजनाः

In the land of the Kurus, the Kurus, fallen from heaven, are all born from union, drink milk, and live on milk.

अन्योन्यमनुरक्ताश् च चक्रवाकसधर्मिणः अनामया ह्यशोकाश् च नित्यं सुखनिषेविणः

They are mutually devoted, like chakravāka birds, free from disease and sorrow, always enjoying happiness.

त्रयोदशसहस्राणि शतानि दशपञ्च च जीवन्ति ते महावीर्या न चान्यस्त्रीनिषेविणः

Those of great strength live for thirteen thousand and one hundred and fifty years, and do not consort with women other than their own.

सहैव मरणं तेषां कुरूणां स्वर्गवासिनाम् हृष्टानां सुप्रवृद्धानां सर्वान्नामृतभोजिनाम्

For those Kurus, dwellers in heaven, death comes together; they are joyful, greatly prosperous, and partake of all kinds of ambrosial food.

सदा तु चन्द्रकान्तानां सदा यौवनशालिनाम् श्यामाङ्गानां सदा सर्वभूषणास्पददेहिनाम्

They always possess moonstone, are ever youthful, dark-limbed, and their bodies are always adorned with every ornament.

जंबूद्वीपे तु तत्रापि कुरुवर्षं सुशोभनम् तत्र चन्द्रप्रभं शम्भोर् विमानं चन्द्रमौलिनः

On Jambudvīpa, there too is the splendid region of Kuru, where stands the celestial palace of Śambhu, the moon-crested one, shining like the moon.

वर्षे तु भारते मर्त्याः पुण्याः कर्मवशायुषः शतायुषः समाख्याता नानावर्णाल्पदेहिनः

In the land of Bhārata, mortals live according to the results of their deeds; they are said to have long lives, of various colors and with limited bodies.

नानादेवार्चने युक्ता नानाकर्मफलाशिनः नानाज्ञानार्थसम्पन्ना दुर्बलाश्चाल्पभोगिनः

Engaged in worship of various gods, enjoying the fruits of diverse actions, possessing different kinds of knowledge and wealth, they are weak and have little enjoyment.

इन्द्रद्वीपे तथा केचित् तथैव च कसेरुके ताम्रद्वीपं गताः केचित् केचिद्देशं गभस्तिमत्

Some dwell on Indradvīpa, others likewise on Kaseru; some have gone to Tāmradvīpa, and some to the region called Gabhastimat.

नागद्वीपं तथा सौम्यं गान्धर्वं वारुणं गताः केचिन्म्लेच्छाः पुलिन्दाश् च नानाजातिसमुद्भवाः

Some have gone to the gentle Nāgadvīpa, to the Gandharva or Varuṇa regions; there are also Mlecchas and Pulindas, born of many kinds of races.

पूर्वे किरातास्तस्यान्ते पश्चिमे यवनाः स्मृताः ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्या मध्ये शूद्राश् च सर्वशः

In the east are the Kirātas, at the end in the west are the Yavanas; in the middle are Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and everywhere the Śūdras.

इज्यायुद्धवणिज्याभिर् वर्तयन्तो व्यवस्थिताः तेषां संव्यवहारो ऽयं वर्तते ऽत्र परस्परम्

They are established in sacrifices, warfare, and trade; among them, mutual dealings proceed here with one another.

धर्मार्थकामसंयुक्तो वर्णानां तु स्वकर्मसु संकल्पश्चाभिमानश् च आश्रमाणां यथाविधि

Connected with righteousness, wealth, and desire, each class performs its own duties, with resolve and pride, according to the proper order of life-stages.

इह स्वर्गापवर्गार्थं प्रवृत्तिर्यत्र मानुषी तेषां च युगकर्माणि नान्यत्र मुनिपुङ्गवाः

Here, human activity is directed toward heaven and liberation; their actions are bound to the ages, and not otherwise, O best of sages.

दशवर्षसहस्राणि स्थितिः किंपुरुषे नृणाम् सुवर्णवर्णाश् च नराः स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसोपमाः

In Kiṃpuruṣa, the lifespan of humans is ten thousand years; the men are golden-hued, and the women are like celestial nymphs.

अनामया ह्यशोकाश् च सर्वे ते शिवभाविताः शुद्धसत्त्वाश् च हेमाभाः सदाराः प्लक्षभोजनाः

All of them are free from disease and sorrow, devoted to Śiva, pure in nature, golden in appearance, living with their spouses, and eating the fruit of the plakṣa tree.

महारजतसंकाशा हरिवर्षे ऽपि मानवाः देवलोकाच्च्युताः सर्वे देवाकाराश् च सर्वशः

In Harivarṣa too, the people resemble great silver; all are of divine form, having fallen from the world of the gods.

हरं यजन्ति सर्वेशं पिबन्तीक्षुरसं शुभम् न जरा बाधते तेन न च जीर्यन्ति ते नराः

They worship Hara, the Lord of all, and drink pure sugarcane juice; old age does not afflict them, nor do those people grow old.

दशवर्षसहस्राणि तत्र जीवन्ति मानवाः मध्यमं यन्मया प्रोक्तं नाम्ना वर्षमिलावृतम्

There, humans live for ten thousand years; the central region I have described is called Ilāvṛta by name.