सरो विष्णुपदं नाम निषधे पर्वतोत्तमे यस्मादग्रे प्रभवति गन्धर्वानुकुले च ते
On the lofty mountain Niṣadha is the lake called Viṣṇupada, from which, in front, the Gandharvas' favorite river arises.
मेरोः पार्श्वात्प्रभवति ह्रदश्चन्द्रप्रभो महान् जम्बूश्चैव नदी पुण्या यस्यां जाम्बूनदं स्मृतम्
From the side of Meru arises the great lake called Candraprabha, and the sacred river Jambū, in which the gold called Jāmbūnada is found.
पयोदस्तु ह्रदो नीलः स शुभ्रः पुण्डरीकवान् पुण्डरीकात्पयोदाच्च तस्माद् द्वे सम्प्रसूयताम्
The lake Payoda is blue, pure, and filled with lotuses; from Puṇḍarīka and Payoda, two rivers are born.
सरसस्तु सरस्त्वेतत् स्मृतमुत्तरमानसम् मृग्या च मृगकान्ता च तस्माद् द्वे सम्प्रसूयताम्
This lake is called Uttaramānasa; from it, the rivers Mṛgyā and Mṛgakāntā both arise.
ह्रदाः कुरुषु विख्याताः पद्ममीनकुलाकुलाः नाम्ना ते वै जया नाम द्वादशोदधिसंनिभाः
The lakes in the land of the Kurus are renowned, teeming with lotuses and fish; by name, they are called Jayā, twelve in number, and resemble oceans.
तेभ्यः शान्ती च मध्वी च द्वे नद्यौ सम्प्रसूयताम् किम्पुरुषाद्यानि यान्यष्टौ तेषु देवो न वर्षति
From them arise two rivers, Śāntī and Madhvī; among the eight regions beginning with Kimpuruṣa, the gods do not send rain there.
उद्भिदान्युदकान्यत्र प्रवहन्ति सरिद्वराः बलाहकश्च ऋषभो चक्रो मैनाक एव च
There, springs and waters emerge, and noble rivers flow: Balāhaka, Ṛṣabha, Cakra, and Maināka as well.
विनिविष्टाः प्रतिदिशं निमग्ना लवणाम्बुधिम् चन्द्रकान्तस्तथा द्रोणः सुमहांश्च शिलोच्चयः
Firmly set in every direction, immersed in the salty ocean, are Candrakānta, Droṇa, and the great mountain Sumahān.
उद्गायता उदीच्यां तु अवगाढा महोदधिम् चक्रो बधिरकश्चैव तथा नारदपर्वतः
In the north, they rise up, plunging into the great ocean: Cakra, Badhiraka, and also the mountain Nārada.
प्रतीचीमायतास्ते वै प्रतिष्ठास्ते महोदधिम् जीमूतो द्रावणश्चैव मैनाकश्चन्द्रपर्वतः
Those stretched toward the west reach the great ocean: Jīmūta, Drāvaṇa, Maināka, and Candraparvata.
आयतास्ते महाशैलाः समुद्रं दक्षिणं प्रति चक्रमैनाकयोर्मध्ये दिवि सन् दक्षिणापथे
Those great mountains extend toward the southern sea; between Cakra and Maināka, in the southern path, they stand in the sky.
तत्र संवर्तको नाम सो ऽग्निः पिबति तज्जलम् अग्निः समुद्रवासस्तु और्वो ऽसौ वडवामुखः
There, the fire called Saṃvartaka drinks up that water; the fire dwelling in the ocean is Aurva, known as the Vadavāmukha.
इत्येते पर्वताविष्टाश् चत्वारो लवणोदधिम् छिद्यमानेषु पक्षेषु पुरा इन्द्रस्य वै भयात्
Thus, these four mountains are situated in the salty ocean; when the lunar phases were being cut, formerly, out of fear of Indra.
तेषां तु दृश्यते चन्द्रे शुक्ले कृष्णे समाप्लुतिः ते भारतस्य वर्षस्य भेदा येन प्रकीर्तिताः
Among them, immersion is seen during the waxing and waning of the moon; these are the divisions of Bhārata's region, as described.
इहोदितस्य दृश्यन्ते अन्ये त्वन्यत्र चोदिताः उत्तरोत्तरमेतेषां वर्षम् उद्रिच्यते गुणैः
Some are seen here as stated, others elsewhere as mentioned; in each, the rainfall increases progressively with their qualities.
आरोग्यायुःप्रमाणाभ्यां धर्मतः कामतो ऽर्थतः समन्वितानि भूतानि तेषु वर्षेषु भागशः
In those regions, beings are endowed, in portions, with health, lifespan, righteousness, desire, and wealth.
वसन्ति नानाजातीनि तेषु सर्वेषु तानि वै इत्येतद्धारयद्विश्वं पृथ्वी जगदिदं स्थिता
Various kinds of creatures dwell in all those regions; thus, the whole world, this earth, is sustained and established.
शाकद्वीपस्य वक्ष्यामि यथावदिह निश्चयम् कथ्यमानं निबोध त्वं शाकं द्वीपं द्विजोत्तमाः
I will now explain the certainty regarding Śākadvīpa as it is here; listen as I describe Śākadvīpa, O best of twice-born.
जम्बूद्वीपस्य विस्ताराद् द्विगुणस्तस्य विस्तरः विस्तारात्त्रिगुणश्चापि परिणाहः समन्ततः
Its expanse is twice that of Jambūdvīpa; and its circumference, all around, is three times the expanse.
तेनावृतः समुद्रो ऽयं द्वीपेन लवणोदधिः तत्र पुण्या जनपदाश् चिराच्च म्रियते जनः
This ocean, the salty sea, is encircled by that island; there, the people are virtuous, and death comes to them only after a long time.
कुत एव च दुर्भिक्षं क्षमातेजोयुतेष्विह तत्रापि पर्वताः शुभ्राः सप्तैव मणिभूषिताः
There is no famine at all, for the land is endowed with energy; there too are seven radiant mountains, adorned with gems.
शाकद्वीपादिषु त्वेषु सप्त सप्त नगास् त्रिषु ऋज्वायताः प्रतिदिशं निविष्टा वर्षपर्वताः
In Śākadvīpa and the other islands, there are seven mountains in each; three are straight and extended, situated in every direction as the region's mountains.
रत्नाकरादिनामानः सानुमन्तो महाचिताः समोदिताः प्रतिदिशं द्वीपविस्तारमानतः
The great cremation grounds, bearing the names of Ratnākara and others, rise as lofty mountains, extending in every direction across the breadth of the continent.
उभयत्रावगाढौ च लवणक्षीरसागरौ शाकद्वीपे तु वक्ष्यामि सप्त दिव्यान्महाचलान्
On both sides, the salt and milk oceans are deep; now, in Śākadvīpa, I will describe the seven divine great mountains.
देवर्षिगन्धर्वयुतः प्रथमो मेरुरुच्यते प्रागायतः स सौवर्ण उदयो नाम पर्वतः
The first is called Meru, surrounded by gods, sages, and gandharvas; to the east lies the golden mountain named Udaya.
तत्र मेघास्तु वृष्ट्यर्थं प्रभवन्त्यपयान्ति च तस्यापरेण सुमहाञ् जलधारो महागिरिः
There, clouds arise and disperse for the sake of rain; beyond it stands the immense, water-bearing great mountain.
स वै चन्द्रः समाख्यातः सर्वौषधिसमन्वितः तस्मान्नित्यमुपादत्ते वासवः परमं जलम्
That is known as Candra, endowed with all medicinal herbs; from it, Indra always draws the supreme water.
नारदो नाम चैवोक्तो दुर्गशैलो महाचितः तत्राचलौ समुत्पन्नौ पूर्वं नारदपर्वतौ
There is also the formidable mountain called Nārada, a difficult peak; on it, the Nārada and Parvata mountains first arose.
तस्यापरेण सुमहाञ् श्यामो नाम महागिरिः यत्र श्यामत्वमापन्नाः प्रजाः पूर्वमिमाः किल
Beyond that lies the vast, dark-hued great mountain named Śyāma, where, it is said, the people first acquired their dark complexion.
स एव दुन्दुभिर्नाम श्यामपर्वतसंनिभः शब्दमृत्युः पुरा तस्मिन् दुन्दुभिस्ताडितः सुरैः
That very mountain is called Dundubhi, resembling the Śyāma mountain; in ancient times, the gods struck the drum of sound and death there.