नीलोत्पलधरं श्वेतं श्वेताद्धैरण्यकं वरम् । वर्षमैरावतं विप्रा नानाजनपदावृतम्
There is the excellent white land bearing blue lotuses, and the golden land, and Airāvata, O brāhmaṇas, a region inhabited by many peoples.
धनुखंडेः महाभागा द्वे वर्षे दक्षिणोत्तरे । इलावृत्तं मध्यगं तु पंचवर्षाणि चैव हि
In Dhanukhaṇḍa, O highly fortunate ones, are two regions, southern and northern; in the middle is Ilāvṛta, and indeed there are five regions.
उत्तरोत्तरमेतेभ्यो वर्षमुद्रिच्यते गुणैः । आयुः प्रमाणमारोग्यं धर्मतः कामतोऽर्थतः
Each successive region surpasses the previous in qualities—lifespan, measure, health, righteousness, desire, and wealth.
समन्वितानि भूतानि तेषु सर्वेषु सत्तमाः । एवमेषा महाभागाः पर्वतैः पृथिवी चिता
All beings in these regions, O excellent ones, are endowed with these; thus, O highly fortunate ones, the earth is adorned with mountains.
हेमकूटस्तु सुमहान्कैलासो नाम पर्वतः । तत्र वैश्रवणो देवो गुह्यकैः सह मोदते
Hemakūṭa is a great mountain called Kailāsa; there, the god Vaiśravaṇa delights with the Guhyakas.
अस्त्युत्तरेण कैलासं मैनाकं पर्वतं प्रति । हिरण्यशृंगः सुमहान्दिव्यो मणिमयो गिरिः
To the north of Kailāsa, towards Mount Maināka, is the great and divine mountain Hiraṇyaśṛṅga, made of jewels.
तस्य पार्श्वे महद्दिव्यं शुभ्रं कांचनवालुकम् । रम्यं विष्णुसरो नाम यत्र राजा भगीरथः
Beside it is the great, divine, and pure lake with golden sands, delightful and known as Viṣṇu's Lake, where King Bhagiratha dwelt.
दृष्ट्वा भागीरथीं गंगामुवास बहुलाः समाः । यूपा मणिमयास्तत्र क्षेत्राश्चापि हिरण्मयाः
Having seen the Ganga, Bhagirathi, King Bhagiratha resided there for many years; there are jewel-encrusted sacrificial posts and fields of gold.
तत्रेष्ट्वा तु गतः सिद्धिं सहस्राक्षो महायशाः । स्रष्टा भूतिपतिर्यत्र सर्वलोकैः सनातनः
There, having performed sacrifice and attained perfection, the illustrious thousand-eyed one went, where the eternal creator, the lord of prosperity, abides with all the worlds.
उपास्यते तिग्मतेजा यत्र भूतः समंततः । नरनारायणौ ब्रह्मा मनुः स्थाणुश्च पंचमः
There, the blazing one is worshipped everywhere, along with Nara and Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Manu, and the fifth, Sthāṇu.
तत्र दिव्या त्रिपथगा प्रथमं तु प्रतिष्ठिता । ब्रह्मलोकादपाक्रांता सप्तधा प्रतिपद्यते
There, the divine threefold river was first established; departing from Brahmā's world, she divides into seven streams.
वटोदका सा नलिनी पार्वती च सरस्वती । जंबूनदी च सीता च गंगा सिंधुश्च सप्तमी
They are Vaṭodakā, Nalinī, Pārvatī, Sarasvatī, Jambūnadī, Sītā, and the seventh is Gaṅgā Sindhu.
अचिंत्या दिव्यसंज्ञा सा प्रभावैश्च समन्विता । उपास्यते यत्र सत्रं सहस्रयुगपर्यये
She is inconceivable, known as divine, endowed with powers, and is worshipped in the great assembly at the end of a thousand ages.
दृश्यादृश्या च भवति तत्रतत्र सरस्वती । एता दिव्याः सप्तगंगास्त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुताः
Sarasvatī becomes visible and invisible here and there; these seven divine Gaṅgās are renowned in the three worlds.
रक्षांसि वै हिमवती हेमकूटे च गुह्यकाः । सर्पा नागाश्च निषधे गोकर्णं च तपोवनम्
On Himavat dwell the Rākṣasas, on Hemakūṭa the Guhyakas, and on Niṣadha the serpents and Nāgas; Gokarṇa is a place of austerity.
देवासुराणां सर्वेषां श्वेतः पर्वतमुच्यते । गंधर्वा निषधे नित्यं नीले ब्रह्मर्षयस्तथा
For all the gods and asuras, Śveta is called the mountain; the Gandharvas always dwell on Niṣadha, and the Brahmarṣis on Nīla.
शृंगवांस्तु महाभागा देवानां प्रतिसंचरः । इत्येतानि महाभागाः सप्तवर्षाणि भागशः
The blessed Śṛṅgavān is the retreat of the gods; thus, these seven regions are most excellent, each with its own portion.
भूतान्युपनिविष्टानि गतिमंति ध्रुवाणि च । तेषामृद्धिर्बहुविधा दृश्यते देवमानुषा
Beings are settled there, moving and fixed; their prosperity, divine and human, is seen in many forms.
अशक्यं परिसंख्यातुं श्रद्धे या तु विभूषिता । यां तु पृच्छथ मां विप्रा दिव्यमेनां शशाकृतिम्
It is impossible to count, O faithful ones, that which is adorned; but you ask me, O Brāhmaṇas, about this divine region shaped like a hare.
पार्श्वे शशस्य द्वे वर्षे उक्ते ये दक्षिणोत्तरे । कर्णे तु नागद्वीपश्च काश्यपद्वीप एव च
Beside the hare are two regions, called the southern and northern; at the ear are Nāgadvīpa and Kāśyapadvīpa.
कर्णद्वीपशिलो विप्राः श्रीमान्मलयपर्वतः । एतद्द्वितीयं द्वीपस्य दृश्यते शशिसंस्थितम्
O Brāhmaṇas, the ear-region is the illustrious Malayaparvata; this is seen as the second part of the region shaped like a hare.
ऋषय ऊचुः-। मेरोरथोत्तरं पश्चात्पूर्वमाचक्ष्व सूततः । निखिलेन महाबुद्ध माल्यवंतं च पर्वतम्
The sages said: O Sūta, tell us in detail about the regions north, west, and east of Meru, and also about the Mālyavat mountain.
सूत उवाच-। दक्षिणेन तु नीलस्य मेरोः पार्श्वे तथोत्तरे । उत्तराः कुरवो विप्राः पुण्याः सिद्धनिषेविताः
Sūta said: To the south of Nīla, and at the northern side of Meru, are the blessed northern Kurus, attended by perfected beings, O Brāhmaṇas.
तत्र वृक्षा मधुफला नित्यपुष्पफलोपगाः । पुष्पाणि च सुगंधीनि रसवंति फलानि च
There, the trees bear honeyed fruit, always adorned with flowers and fruit; the flowers are fragrant, and the fruits are full of juice.
सर्वकामफलास्तत्र केचिद्वृत्या द्विजोत्तमाः । अपरे क्षीरिणो नाम वृक्षास्तत्र द्विजोत्तमाः
There are trees yielding all desired fruits, O best of twice-born; and others, called milk-trees, are also found there, O best of Brāhmaṇas.
प्रक्षरंति सदा क्षीरं तत्र सर्वेऽमृतोपमम् । वस्त्राणि च प्रसूयंते फलेष्वाभरणानि च
From them, milk always flows, like nectar; garments are produced on the fruits, and also ornaments.
सर्वा मणिमयी भूमिः सूक्ष्मकांचनवालुका । सर्वर्तुसुखसंस्पर्शा निष्फलाश्च तपोधनाः
The entire land is made of jewels, with fine golden sand; it is pleasant in all seasons, and ascetics there have no need for austerities.
देवलोकच्युताः सर्वे जायंते तत्र मानवाः । शुक्लाभिजनसंपन्नाः सर्वसुप्रियदर्शनाः
All the people born there are those who have fallen from the world of the gods; they possess pure lineage and wealth, and all are exceedingly pleasing to behold.
मिथुनानि च जायंते स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसोपमाः । तेषां ते क्षीरिणां क्षीरं पिबंत्यमृतसंनिभम्
Couples are born there, and the women are like apsarases; they drink the milk of cows, which resembles nectar.
मिथुनं जायते काले समंताच्च प्रवर्द्धते । तुल्यरूपगुणोपेतं समवेशं तथैव च
A pair is born at the proper time and grows together, endowed with equal beauty and qualities, and they are united in harmony.