On the banks of a sacred river, desire draws all beings: animals of every kind, ascetics dwelling in forest hermitages, and even gods accompanied by Apsarases, all find joy and delight there. Women of pure bodies, revered by the gods themselves, and celestial maidens whose faces glow like lotuses and the moon, are found in abundance along her shores. The river herself bears water continually, pressed by the hosts of gods, by Pulindas, by groups of kings, and even by bands of tigers. Her waters, fit for the gods to drink and as pure as the star-studded sky, are seen by the king; she is the giver of wishes to the virtuous. Her banks shine, adorned with tall kāśa grass that gleams as brightly as moonbeams, and with great trees of many forms. Her lovely shore is always frequented by sages and gods alike. This river swiftly destroys the troubles of her devoted followers. She is accompanied by flocks of rivers and is constantly followed by great sages. She protects humans as if they were her own children, always joined by bands of snow and attended by hosts of gods, sought by people for their welfare. Enjoyed by lions and elephants, her waters teem with offspring. They are adorned with gold, cooled and warmed by the sun’s rays, and her fame, as witnessed by the king, rivals that of the moon. Beholding this sacred river, the king felt his fatigue swept away by its gentle breeze. Continuing onward, he gazed upon the great mountain Himavat. Its many pale peaks seemed to scratch the sky, so steep and high that even birds could not move freely, and the auspicious paths of the Siddhas were absent. All around, the thunderous sound of river currents filled the air, drowning out all other sounds in this cool, delightful place. The king saw the mountain, clothed in blue by forests of celestial deodar trees, its slopes washed clean and draped with clouds like an upper garment. In some places, it wore a white cloud as a turban; elsewhere, the moon and sun crowned it. Some regions were smeared with snow, others streaked with minerals. In certain places, sandalwood seemed to have been applied by a five-fingered hand, bringing coolness even in the heat. The rocky, steep paths were imprinted here and there with the red-lacquered feet of Apsarases. Some places were touched by the sun’s rays, others shrouded in darkness. Fierce mountain streams with gaping mouths seemed to drink up great quantities of water. Elsewhere, groups of Vidyādharas played, and chief bands of Kinnaras sang. On some slopes, divine flowers from Gandharvas and Apsarases had fallen, especially those from celestial trees like the Santānaka. Lovely beds of Gandharvas, where they had just risen or where the flowers had been crushed, were scattered about. Where the wind was stilled, the ground was adorned with dark green grass; elsewhere, it was splendidly beautiful, covered with flowers. The mountain was a refuge for ascetics, exceedingly difficult for lovers to attain, traversed by wild animals, and with great trees broken by elephants. The terrifying roar of lions frightened other creatures; herds of elephants, restless but never weary, wandered its slopes. Ascetics and elephant herds adorned the slopes, and the jewels that arose from the mountain adorned all three worlds. Himavat was always a refuge for the Nāgas, constantly attended by Nāga people; they saw the mountain, rich in jewels, as Nāga-like itself. Here, ascetics attained success with little austerity, and the mere sight of the mountain destroyed all sins. In some places, the land was always satisfied by water brought by the wind from great waterfalls, cascades, and streams. In other places, peaks rose high after gathering water, so harsh with constant sun and heat that they could not be imagined by the mind. Regions were adorned with unbroken branches of great deodar trees and other mighty trees, and with bamboo groves standing like pillars. The great peaks were like snowy umbrellas, with hundreds of waterfalls and streams; water could be found by sound alone, and the caves were blocked by snow. The king, seeing the reddish slopes of this land, wandered joyfully, and after some time, discovered a certain place. By divine arrangement, he reached a most delightful region of that king of mountains, a place inaccessible to other humans. From that land flows the Iravati, the foremost of rivers, and the land itself, dark as a raincloud, is thickly covered with many kinds of trees. There grow shala, tala, tamala, and karnikara trees, shaded by nyagrodha, asvattha, sirisa, and simshapa trees. Shleshmātaka, amalaki, haritaki, vibhitaka, bhurja, samuñjaka, bana, and saptacchada trees flourish there. Great nimba and nimba trees, nirgundi, haridru, mighty devadaru trees, and kaleyaka trees abound. Padma, candana, bilva, kapittha, red sandalwood, matamra, rishtaka, akshota, abdaka, and arjuna trees stand tall. Hastikarṇa, sumanasa, kovidara—all splendidly flowering—are found, along with prachinamalaka, dhanaka, and samarataka trees. Kharjura, coconut, priyala, amrataka, inguda, tantumala, dhava, bhavya, and kashmiri-leaved trees fill the land. Nutmeg, betel nut, katphala, avaliphala, mandara, kovidara, kimshuka, and kusumamshuka trees flourish. Yavas, shamiparna, vetasa, ambuvetasa, red atiranga, naranga, hingu, and priyangu trees grow in abundance. Red asoka and asoka trees, akalla, avicharaka, mucukunda, kunda, and atarusha-parushaka trees all adorn this wondrous place, completing the king’s vision of the sacred mountain and its divine bounty.