Whoever rises early in the morning and reads of the glory of Prayaga, remembering it each day, attains the highest state. Such a person is freed from all sins and, upon leaving this world, reaches the realm of Rudra. These words must be followed, O great king—always recite and offer oblations at Prayaga, remaining free from affliction. Remember Prayaga always, O Yudhishthira, along with us; surely, O king of kings, you will attain the heavenly world—there is no doubt. Whoever goes to Prayaga, or even dwells there, is purified from all sins and attains the world of Rudra. And he who refrains from accepting gifts, who is content, self-controlled, pure, and free from pride, will gain the full fruit of pilgrimage. Likewise, one who is not prone to anger, who is truthful, firm in vows, and regards all beings as his own self, also attains the fruit of pilgrimage. Sacrifices have been prescribed by the seers and the gods in due order, O king, but the poor are often unable to perform these rites. Sacrifices require many implements and great variety of materials, and only the wealthy can sometimes accomplish them. Yet, O lord of men, there is a rite that even the poor can perform, which yields merit equal to the fruits of sacrifice. Know, O Yudhishthira, that this is the supreme secret of the seers: the meritorious act of pilgrimage to holy places surpasses even sacrifices. In the sacred month of Magha, ten thousand holy places and thirty million sacred rivers all converge upon the Ganga, O bull among the Bharatas. Therefore, be at ease, O great king, and enjoy your kingdom without hindrance; you will once again see the sacrificer in particular. Having spoken thus, the illustrious and great ascetic Markandeya vanished from before King Yudhishthira. Then, together with his companions, the king bathed his limbs there, and by following the prescribed rite, attained supreme contentment. Therefore, O divine sage, you too should set out for Prayaga; after performing the ablution today, you will have accomplished your purpose. When these words were spoken, Nandisha vanished, and Narada quickly set out towards Prayaga. There, after bathing and reciting mantras, performing the prescribed rites, and giving gifts to the foremost twice-born, Narada returned to his own dwelling. Thereafter, the inquiry arose: "O Lord, how many continents and oceans are there, and how many mountains? How many regions are there, and which rivers are remembered within them? What is the measure of the great earth, and likewise of Lokāloka? Tell us also the extent, dimensions, and courses of the moon and the sun. Tell us all this in detail, as you know the truth; we wish to hear everything you say." In response, it was explained: there are a thousand divisions of continents, and seven within them; it is not possible to describe the entire world here in order. But I will describe only the seven, along with the moon, sun, and planets; their measures are given according to human reasoning. Indeed, those things which are inconceivable cannot be established by reasoning; what is beyond nature is the mark of the inconceivable. Now, listen as I describe the seven regions of Jambūdvīpa in their proper order, its extent and its circle, and their measures in yojanas. The breadth of the continent is one hundred thousand yojanas, filled with various peoples and adorned with many splendid cities. It is crowded with Siddhas and Cāraṇas, beautified by mountains covered with minerals and rising with masses of rock. All around are rivers originating from the mountains, flowing forth with great banks; these six are the mountain ranges of the regions. On both sides, the eastern and western oceans must be crossed; Himavat, mostly snowy, Hemakūṭa, and Hemavān are there. Encircling all is the great mountain Niṣadha, with a beautiful face; and Meru, golden and lofty, is said to be four-caste and made of gold, spreading twenty-four thousand yojanas in all directions. Its shape is circular, but it is set as a square, equal on all sides, adorned with various colors and endowed with the qualities of the Lord of Creatures. Meru is born from the binding of the navel of Brahmā, whose birth is unmanifest. To the east, it is white, establishing its Brāhmaṇa nature; to the south, yellow, marking its Vaiśya nature; to the west, the color of the bhṛṅgi leaf, indicating its Śūdra aspect; and to the north, red, establishing its Kṣatriya nature—thus are the colors described. It is blue, made of beryl, white, yellow, golden, peacock-feather colored, and made of refined gold, and it is horned. These are the kings among mountains, frequented by perfected beings and celestial wanderers; the distance between them is said to be nine thousand yojanas. In the middle, all around Mahāmeru, lies a region called Ilāvṛta, twenty-four thousand yojanas wide and equal on all sides. In the center of that region stands Mahāmeru, like a smokeless fire; half of its altar lies to the south, and the other half to the north. The seven regions here each have their own mountain ranges; each range, to the north and south, is two thousand yojanas wide. The breadth of Jambūdvīpa is described by their length; Nīla and Niṣadha, and those others beyond, are lesser in extent. Śveta, Hemakūṭa, and Himavān with its peaks are also named; Ṛṣabha is mentioned according to the measure of Jambūdvīpa.