इदं तु भारतं वर्षं ततो हैमवतं परम् । हेमकूटात्परं चैव हरिवर्षं प्रचक्षते
This is the land of Bharata, and beyond it is the Himavat region; beyond Hemakuta is called Harivarsha.
दक्षिणेन तु नीलस्य निषधस्योत्तरेण च । प्रागायतो महाभागा माल्यवान्नाम पर्वतः
To the south of Nilachala and to the north of Nishadha, stretches the great mountain named Malyavat.
ततः परं माल्यवतः पर्वतो गंधमादनः । परिमंडलस्तयोर्मध्ये मेरुः कनकपर्वतः
Beyond that, the Gandhamadana mountain lies to the north of Malyavat; between these two, the circular golden mountain Meru stands.
आदित्यतरुणाभासो विधूम इव पावकः । योजनानां सहस्राणि चतुरशीतिरुच्छ्रितः
It shines with the radiance of the rising sun, like a smokeless fire, and rises to a height of eighty-four thousand yojanas.
अधस्ताच्चतुरशीतिर्योजनानां द्विजोत्तमाः । ऊर्ध्वमधश्च तिर्यक्च लोकानावृत्य तिष्ठति
O best of twice-born, it extends eighty-four thousand yojanas below as well; above, below, and across, it stands enveloping the worlds.
तस्य पार्श्वेष्वमी द्वीपाश्चत्वारः संस्थिता द्विजाः । भद्राश्वः केतुमालश्च जंबूद्वीपश्च सत्तमाः
At its sides, O Brahmins, these four excellent continents are situated: Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, and Jambūdvīpa.
उत्तराश्चैव कुरुवः कृतपुण्य प्रतिश्रयाः । विहंगसुमुखो यस्तु सुपार्श्वस्यात्मजः किल
And to the north, the Kurus, a refuge for those who have performed meritorious deeds; Vihaṅgasumukha, said to be the son of Supārśva, is there.
स वै विचिंतयामास सौवर्णान्प्रेक्ष्य वायसान् । मेरुरुत्तममध्यानामधमानां च पक्षिणाम्
He, seeing the golden crows, began to reflect on Meru as the highest, the middle, and the lowest among birds.
अविशेषकरो यस्मात्तस्मादेनं त्यजाम्यहम् । तमादित्योनुपर्येति सततं ज्योतिषां वरः
Because it makes no distinction, therefore I abandon it; the best among lights, the Sun, always follows after it.
चंद्रमाश्च सनक्षत्रो वायुश्चैव प्रदक्षिणः । स पर्वतो महाप्राज्ञा दिव्यपुष्पसमन्वितः
The Moon with its constellations and the Wind also circle it to the right; that mountain, O wise ones, is adorned with divine flowers.
भवनैरावृतैः सर्वैः र्जांबूनदमयैः शुभैः । तत्र देवगणा विप्रा गंधर्वासुरराक्षसाः
It is surrounded on all sides by splendid mansions made of Jambū gold; there, O Brahmins, are hosts of gods, Gandharvas, Asuras, and Rākṣasas.
अप्सरोगणसंयुक्ताः शैले क्रीडंति सर्वदा । तत्र ब्रह्मा च रुद्रश्च शक्रश्चापि सुरेश्वरः
Joined by groups of Apsarases, they always sport on the mountain; there too are Brahmā, Rudra, and Śakra, the lord of the gods.
समेत्य विविधैर्यज्ञैर्यजंतेऽनेक दक्षिणैः । तुंबुरुर्नारदश्चैव विश्वावसुर्हाहा हूहूः
Gathering together, they perform various sacrifices with many gifts; Tumburu, Nārada, Viśvāvasu, Hāhā, and Hūhū are present.
अभिगम्यामरश्रेष्ठं स्तुवंति विविधैः स्तवैः । सप्तर्षयो महात्मानः कश्यपश्च प्रजापतिः
Approaching the best among immortals, they praise him with various hymns; the seven great sages and Kaśyapa, the lord of creatures, are there.
तत्र गच्छंति भद्रं वः सदा पर्वणि पर्वणि । तस्यैव मूर्द्धन्युशना काव्यो दैत्यैर्महीयते
They go there, may good fortune be yours, always at each festival; on its summit, Uśanas Kāvya is honored by the Daityas.
तस्य हैमानि रत्नानि तस्यैते रत्नपर्वताः । तस्मात्कुबेरो भगवांश्चतुर्थं भागमश्नुते
Its jewels are golden, and these are the jewel mountains; therefore, the blessed Kubera enjoys a fourth share there.
ततः कलांशं वित्तस्य मनुष्येभ्यः प्रयच्छति । पर्वतस्यांतरे दिव्यं सर्वर्तुकुसुमैश्चितम्
From there, he gives a portion of wealth to humans; within the mountain is a divine grove adorned with flowers of all seasons.
कर्णिकारवनं रम्यं शिलाजालसमुच्छ्रितम् । तत्र साक्षात्पशुपतिर्दिव्यभूतैः समावृतः
There is a delightful grove of Karnikāra trees, rising with clusters of rocks; there, Lord Paśupati himself, surrounded by divine beings, resides.
उमासहायोभगवान्रमते भूतभावनः । कर्णिकारमयीं मालां बिभ्रदापादलंबिनीम्
The blessed Lord, creator of beings, enjoys there with Umā as his companion, wearing a garland of Karnikāra flowers that hangs down to his feet.
त्रिभिर्नेत्रैः कृतोद्द्योतस्त्रिभिः सूर्यैरिवोदितैः । तमुग्रतपसः सिद्धाः सुव्रताः सत्यवादिनः
Illuminated by three eyes, like three suns arisen, the accomplished ascetics of fierce austerity, of good vows and truthful speech, approach him.
पश्यंति नहि दुर्वृत्तैः शक्यो द्रष्टुं महेश्वरः । तस्य शैलस्य शिखरात्क्षीरधारा द्विजोत्तमाः
Maheśvara cannot be seen by those of wicked conduct; from the summit of that mountain, O best of twice-born, a stream of milk descends.
विश्वरूपात्परमिता भीमनिर्घातनिस्वना । पुण्यापुण्यतमैर्जुष्टा गंगा भागीरथी शुभा
The Ganga, Bhagirathi, auspicious and vast as the form of the universe, resounding with a terrible thunder, is filled with the most virtuous and the most sinful.
प्लवंती च प्रवेगेन ह्रदे चंद्रमसः शुभे । तया ह्युत्पादितः पुण्यः स ह्रदः सागरोपमः
Swiftly flowing, she enters the pure lake of the moon; by her, that lake, vast as the ocean, became sacred.
तां धारयामास तदा दुर्द्धरां पर्वतैरपि । शतं वर्षसहस्राणि शिरसैव पिनाकधृक्
Then Pinākadhṛt bore her, difficult to sustain even for mountains, upon his head for a hundred thousand years.
मेरोस्तु पश्चिमे पार्श्वे केतुमालो द्विजोत्तमाः । जंबूखंडे तु तत्रैव महाजनपदो द्विजाः
On the western side of Meru is Ketumala, O best of twice-born; there, in the Jambū continent, is a great country, O twice-born.
आयुर्दशसहस्राणि वर्षाणां तत्र सत्तमाः । सुवर्णवर्णाश्च नरा स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसां समाः
There, O excellent ones, the lifespan is ten thousand years; the men are golden-hued, and the women are like Apsarases.
अनामया वीतशोका नित्यं मुदितमानसाः । जायंते मानवास्तत्र निस्तप्तकनकप्रभाः
There, people are free from disease and sorrow, always with joyful minds; men are born there with the radiance of refined gold.
गंधमादनशृंगेषु कुबेरः सह राक्षसैः । संवृतोप्सरसां संघैर्मोदते गुह्यकाधिपः
On the peaks of Gandhamādana, Kubera, lord of the Guhyakas, delights with hosts of Apsarases and Rākṣasas.
गंधमादनपार्श्वे तु परे विगतपातकाः । एकादशसहस्राणि वर्षाणां परमायुषः
Beside Gandhamādana, there are others, free from sin, whose supreme lifespan is eleven thousand years.
तत्र कृष्णा नरा विप्रास्तेजोयुक्ता महाबलाः । स्त्रियश्चोत्पलपत्राभाः सर्वाः सुप्रियदर्शनाः
There, O brāhmaṇas, the men are dark, endowed with energy and great strength; the women have the radiance of lotus petals, all exceedingly beautiful.