Linga Purana

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.

न तत्र सूर्यस्तपति न ते जीर्यन्ति मानवाः चन्द्रसूर्यौ न नक्षत्रं न प्रकाशम् इलावृते

There, the sun does not shine, nor do the people grow old; in Ilāvṛta, there is neither moon nor sun nor star nor light.

पद्मप्रभाः पद्ममुखाः पद्मपत्त्रनिभेक्षणाः पद्मपत्त्रसुगन्धाश् च जायन्ते भवभाविताः

They are radiant like lotuses, with faces like lotuses, eyes resembling lotus petals, and fragrant like lotus leaves; they are born there, devoted to existence.

जम्बूफलरसाहारा अनिष्पन्दाः सुगन्धिनः देवलोकागतास्तत्र जायन्ते ह्यजरामराः

They live on the juice of jambū fruits, unmoving and fragrant; those who have come from the world of the gods are born there, free from old age and death.

त्रयोदशसहस्राणि वर्षाणां ते नरोत्तमाः आयुःप्रमाणं जीवन्ति वर्षे दिव्ये त्विलावृते

Those excellent men live for thirteen thousand years in the divine region of Ilāvṛta.

जंबूफलरसं पीत्वा न जरा बाधते त्विमान् न क्षुधा न क्लमश्चापि न जनो मृत्युमांस् तथा

By drinking the juice of the Jambu fruit, neither old age afflicts them, nor hunger, nor fatigue, nor do people there encounter death.

तत्र जाम्बूनदं नाम कनकं देवभूषणम् इन्द्रगोपप्रतीकाशं जायते भास्वरं तु तत्

There arises a kind of gold called Jambunada, an ornament of the gods, shining like the insect Indragopa, radiant in appearance.

एवं मया समाख्याता नववर्षानुवर्तिनः वर्णायुर्भोजनाद्यानि संक्षिप्य न तु विस्तरात्

Thus I have briefly described the colors, lifespans, foods, and other features of those who dwell in the nine regions, but not in detail.

हेमकूटे तु गन्धर्वा विज्ञेयाश्चाप्सरोगणाः सर्वे नागाश् च निषधे शेषवासुकितक्षकाः

On Hemakuta are to be known the Gandharvas and all the hosts of Apsaras, and on Nishadha, all the Nagas: Shesha, Vasuki, and Takshaka.

महाबलास् त्रयस्त्रिंशद् रमन्ते याज्ञिकाः सुराः नीले तु वैडूर्यमये सिद्धा ब्रह्मर्षयो ऽमलाः

The thirty-three powerful sacrificial gods delight there; on the blue lapis mountain dwell the perfected beings and pure Brahmarshis.

दैत्यानां दानवानां च श्वेतः पर्वत उच्यते शृङ्गवान् पर्वतश्चैव पितॄणां निलयः सदा

The white mountain is said to be the abode of the Daityas and Danavas; Shringavan mountain is always the dwelling place of the ancestors.