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.
एकमेवानुरूपं च चक्रवाकसमं द्विजाः । निरामयाश्च ते लोका नित्यं मुदितमानसाः
There is only one suitable companion, like the chakravaka bird, O twice-born; their worlds are free from disease, and their minds are always joyful.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि दशवर्षशतानि च । जीवंति ते महाभागा न चान्योन्यं जहत्युत
These blessed ones live for ten thousand years and also for a thousand centuries, and they never abandon each other.
भारुंडा नाम शकुनास्तीक्ष्णतुंडा महाबलाः । तान्निर्हरंतीहमृतान्दरीषु प्रक्षिपंति च
There are birds called bhāruṇḍas, with sharp beaks and great strength; they carry away the nectar and deposit it in the caves.
उत्तराःकुरवो विप्रा व्याख्यातास्ते समासतः । मेरुपार्श्वमहं पूर्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथातथम्
O sages, the Uttarakurus have thus been described in brief; now I shall properly explain the region beside Meru.
तस्य मूर्द्धाभिषेकस्तु भद्राश्वस्य तपोधनाः । भद्रशालवनं यत्र कालाम्राश्च महाद्रुमाः
The coronation place of Bhadrāśva is there, O ascetics, where there is the forest of Bhadraśāla and great trees of black mango.
कालाम्रास्तु महाभागा नित्यंपुष्पफलाः शुभाः । द्रुमाश्च योजनोत्सेधाः सिद्धचारणसेविताः
The black mango trees are most blessed, always bearing flowers and fruits, auspicious; and the trees are a yojana in height, frequented by siddhas and cāraṇas.
तत्र ते पुरुषाः श्वेतास्तेजोयुक्तमहाबलाः । स्त्रियः कुमुदवर्णाश्च सुंदर्यः प्रियदर्शनाः
There, the men are white, endowed with great energy and strength; the women are lotus-colored, beautiful, and pleasing to see.
चंद्रवर्णाश्चतुर्वर्णाः पूर्णचंद्रनिभाननाः । चंद्रशीतलगात्राश्च नृत्यगीतविशारदाः
They are moon-colored, of four complexions, with faces like the full moon; their bodies are cool as the moon, and they are skilled in dance and song.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि तत्रायुर्द्विजसत्तमाः । कालाम्ररसपीतास्ते नित्यं संस्थितयौवनाः
There, O best of twice-born, the lifespan is ten thousand years; having drunk the juice of the black mango, they remain ever youthful.
दक्षिणेन तु नीलस्य निषधस्योत्तरेण तु । सुदर्शनो नाम महान्जंबूवृक्षः सनातनः
To the south of Nīla and north of Niṣadha is the great and eternal Jambū tree called Sudarśana.