उत्तरेण तु श्वेतस्य पार्श्वे शृङ्गस्य दक्षिणे वर्षं हिरण्वतं नाम यत्र हैरण्वती नदी
North of Śveta, beside the southern slope of Śṛṅga, is a land called Hiraṇvata, where the river Hairaṇvatī flows.
महाबला महासत्त्वा नित्यं मुदितमानसाः शुक्लाभिजनसम्पन्नाः सर्वे च प्रियदर्शनाः
There, men of great strength and spirit, ever cheerful, endowed with noble lineage, all are pleasing to behold.
एकादश सहस्राणि वर्षाणां ते नरोत्तमाः आयुष्प्रमाणं जीवन्ति शतानि दश पञ्च च
Those excellent men live for eleven thousand years and one hundred and fifty more, as their measure of life.
तस्मिन्वर्षे महावृक्षो लकुचः पत्त्रसंश्रयः तस्य पीत्वा फलरसं तत्र जीवन्ति मानवाः
In that land is a great tree, the lakuca, sheltering with its leaves; by drinking the juice of its fruit, people there live.
शृङ्गसाह्वस्य शृङ्गाणि त्रीणि तानि महान्ति वै एकं मणियुतं तत्र एकं तु कनकान्वितम् सर्वरत्नमयं चैकं भुवनैरुपशोभितम्
Śṛṅgasāhvā has three great peaks: one adorned with jewels, one with gold, and one made of all precious stones, shining among the worlds.
उत्तरे चास्य शृङ्गस्य समुद्रान्ते च दक्षिणे कुरवस्तत्र तद्वर्यं पुण्यं सिद्धनिषेवितम्
To the north of this Śṛṅga, and at the southern edge by the sea, are the Kurus; that region is sacred, frequented by perfected beings.
तत्र वृक्षा मधुफला दिव्यामृतमयापगाः वस्त्राणि ते प्रसूयन्ते फलैश्चाभरणानि च
There, trees bear honeyed fruit, and divine, nectar-like streams flow; garments are produced there, and ornaments from the fruits as well.
सर्वकामप्रदातारः केचिद्वृक्षा मनोरमाः अपरे क्षीरिणो नाम वृक्षास्तत्र मनोरमाः ये रक्षन्ति सदा क्षीरं षड्रसं चामृतोपमम्
Some delightful trees there grant every desire; others, called milk-trees, ever yield milk, six-flavored and like nectar, to those who preserve it.
सर्वा मणिमयी भूमिः सूक्ष्मा काञ्चनवालुका सर्वत्र सुखसंस्पर्शा निःशब्दाः पवनाः शुभाः
The entire ground is made of jewels, fine with golden sand, pleasant to the touch everywhere, with auspicious breezes that are silent.
देवलोकच्युतास्तत्र जायन्ते मानवाः शुभाः शुक्लाभिजनसम्पन्नाः सर्वे ते स्थिरयौवनाः
There, auspicious humans are born who have fallen from the world of the gods; all of them possess pure lineage and steady youth.
मिथुनानि प्रजायन्ते स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसोपमाः तेषां ते क्षीरिणां क्षीरं पिबन्ति ह्यमृतोपमम्
Couples are born, and the women are like apsarases; they drink the milk of those who give milk, which is like nectar.
एकाहाज्जायते युग्मं समं चैव विवर्धते समं रूपं च शीलं च समं चैव म्रियन्ति वै
A pair is born in one day, they grow equally, their form and character are the same, and they die at the same time.
एकैकमनुरक्ताश्च चक्रवाकमिव ध्रुवम् अनामया ह्यशोकाश्च नित्यं मुदितमानसाः
Each is devoted to one, just like the chakravāka birds; they are free from illness and sorrow, and their minds are always joyful.
दश वर्षसहस्राणि दश वर्षशतानि च जीवन्ति च महासत्त्वा न चान्या स्त्री प्रवर्तते
These great beings live for ten thousand and ten hundred years, and no other woman is involved.
एवमेव निसर्गो वै वर्षाणां भारते युगे दृष्टः परमधर्मज्ञाः किं भूयः कथयामि वः
Such indeed is the nature of the years seen in Bhārata Yuga by those who know the highest dharma; what more shall I tell you?
आख्यातास्त्वेवमृषयः सूतपुत्रेण धीमता उत्तरश्रवणे भूयः पप्रच्छुः सूतनन्दनम्
Thus the sages were told by the wise son of Sūta; in the northern recitation, they again questioned the son of Sūta.
यदिदं भारतं वर्षं यस्मिन् स्वायम्भुवादयः चतुर्दशैव मनवः प्रजासर्गं ससर्जिरे
This land of Bhārata, in which the fourteen Manus beginning with Svāyambhuva created the generations of beings.
एतद् वेदितुम् इच्छामः सकाशात्तव सुव्रत उत्तरश्रवणं भूयः प्रब्रूहि वदतां वर
We wish to know this from you, O virtuous one; tell us again the northern recitation, O best of speakers.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा ऋषीणां तु प्राब्रवील्लौमहर्षणिः पौराणिकस्तदा सूत ऋषीणां भावितात्मनाम्
Having heard this, Lomaharṣaṇa, the Purāṇika, then spoke to the sages of purified soul, O Sūta.
बुद्ध्या विचार्य बहुधा विमृश्य च पुनः पुनः तेभ्यस्तु कथयामास उत्तरश्रवणं तदा
Having considered with reason in many ways and reflected again and again, he then related to them the northern recitation.
अथाहं वर्णयिष्यामि वर्षे ऽस्मिन्भारते प्रजाः भरणात्प्रजनाच्चैव मनुर्भरत उच्यते
Now I shall describe the peoples in this land of Bhārata; because of bearing and begetting, Manu is called Bharata.
निरुक्तवचनैश्चैव वर्षं तद्भारतं स्मृतम् यतः स्वर्गश्च मोक्षश्च मध्यमश्चापि हि स्मृतः
By etymological explanation, this land is called Bhārata, because heaven, liberation, and even the middle state are known here.
न खल्वन्यत्र मर्त्यानां भूमौ कर्मविधिः स्मृतः भारतस्यास्य वर्षस्य नव भेदान्निबोधत
Nowhere else on earth is the rite of action prescribed for mortals; listen to the nine divisions of this land of Bhārata.
इन्द्रद्वीपः कशेरुश्च ताम्रपर्णो गभस्तिमान् नागद्वीपस्तथा सौम्यो गन्धर्वस्त्वथ वारुणः
Indradvīpa, Kaśeru, Tāmraparṇa, Gabhastimān, Nāgadvīpa, Saumya, Gandharva, and Vāruṇa.
अयं तु नवमस्तेषां द्वीपः सागरसंवृतः योजनानां सहस्रं तु द्वीपो ऽयं दक्षिणोत्तरः
This is the ninth among them, an island surrounded by the ocean; this island stretches a thousand yojanas from south to north.
आयतस्तु कुमारीतो गङ्गायाः प्रवहावधिः तिर्यगूर्ध्वं तु विस्तीर्णः सहस्राणि दशैव तु
It extends from Kumārī to the source of the Gaṅgā, and its width from side to side is indeed ten thousand.
द्वीपो ह्युपनिविष्टो ऽयं म्लेच्छैरन्तेषु सर्वशः यवनाश्च किराताश्च तस्यान्ते पूर्वपश्चिमे
This island is entirely inhabited at its borders by foreigners: Yavanas and Kiratas dwell at its eastern and western ends.
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्या मध्ये शूद्राश्च भागशः इज्यायुतवणिज्यादि वर्तयन्तो व्यवस्थिताः
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas are settled in the middle, and Shudras in portions, engaged in worship, trade, and other occupations.
तेषां स व्यवहारो ऽयं वर्तनं तु परस्परम् धर्मार्थकामसंयुक्तो वर्णानां तु स्वकर्मसु
Their mutual dealings and livelihoods are conducted according to dharma, wealth, and desire, each according to their own duties.
संकल्पपञ्चमानां तु आश्रमाणां यथाविधि इह स्वर्गापवर्गार्थं प्रवृत्तिरिह मानुषे
The fivefold order of life-stages is observed here as prescribed, with human activity directed toward heaven and liberation.