महोत्साहा महात्मानो धार्मिकाः सत्यवादिनः । प्रियदर्शा वपुष्मंतो महावीर्य्या धनुर्धराः
They are of great enthusiasm, noble-minded, righteous, speakers of truth; pleasant to look upon, possessing fine bodies, of great valor, and skilled with the bow.
वीरा हि युधि जायंते क्षत्रियाः शूरसंमताः । त्रेतायां क्षत्रियास्तावत्सर्वे वै चक्रवर्तिनः
Heroes are born in battle, Kshatriyas esteemed for their bravery; in Treta, all the Kshatriyas are universal rulers.
सर्ववर्णाश्च जायंते सदैव द्वापरे युगे । महोत्साहा वीर्यवंतः परस्परवधैषिणः
In Dvapara age, all castes are always born; they are of great enthusiasm, possess valor, and are intent on mutual killing.
तेजसांधेनसंयुक्ताः क्रोधनाः पुरुषाः किल । लुब्धाश्चानृतकाश्चैव तिष्ये जायंति भो द्विजाः
Men are endowed with brilliance and anger, indeed; they are greedy and deceitful, O twice-born, and are born in Tishya.
ईर्ष्या मानस्तथा क्रोधो मायासूया तथैव च । तिष्ये भवंति भूतानां रागो लोभश्च सत्तमाः
Envy, pride, anger, cunning, and jealousy likewise; in Tishya, these arise among beings, along with passion and greed, O best ones.
संक्षेपो वर्त्तते विप्रा द्वापरे युगमध्यगे । गुणोत्तरं हैमवतं हरिवर्षं ततः परम्
Restriction occurs, O Brahmins, in the middle of the Dvapara age; then comes the superior region of Himavat, and after that, Harivarsha.
ऋषय ऊचुः-। जंबूखंडस्त्वया प्रोक्तो यथावदिह सत्तमः । विष्कंभस्य च प्रब्रूहि परिमाणं हि तत्त्वतः
The sages said: You have properly described the Jambu region here, O noble one; now tell us the true measure of Vishkambha.
समुद्रस्य प्रमाणं च सम्यगच्छिद्र दर्शनः । शाकद्वीपं च नो ब्रूहि कुशद्वीपं च धार्मिकम्
Show us the proper extent of the ocean, O clear-sighted one; tell us also about Shakadvipa and the righteous Kushadvipa.
शाल्मलं चैव तत्त्वेन क्रौंचद्वीपं तथैव च । सूत उवाच-। विप्राः सुबहवो द्वीपाः यैरिदं संततं जगत् । सप्तद्वीपान्प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुध्वं द्विजपुंगवाः
And likewise about Shalmala and Kraunchadvipa in truth; Suta said: O Brahmins, there are many islands by which this world is encompassed; I will declare the seven islands, listen, O foremost of twice-born.
अष्टादशसहस्राणि योजनानि द्विजोत्तमाः । षट्शतानि च पूर्णानि विष्कंभो जंबुपर्वतः
Eighteen thousand yojanas, O excellent Brahmins, and six hundred complete, is the breadth of Jambu mountain.
लवणस्य समुद्रस्य विष्कंभो द्विगुणः स्मृतः । नानाजनपदाकीर्णो मणिविद्रुमचित्रितः
The breadth of the salt ocean is said to be twice that; it is filled with various peoples and adorned with gems and coral.
नैकधातुविचित्रैश्च पर्वतैरुपशोभितः । सिद्धचारणसंकीर्णैः सागरः परिमंडलः
It is beautified by mountains of diverse minerals; the ocean is circular and filled with Siddhas and Charanas.
शाकद्वीपं च वक्ष्यामि यथावदिह सत्तमाः । शृणुताद्य यथान्यायं ब्रुवतो मम धार्मिकाः
Now I shall describe the Śākadvīpa as it truly is, O most virtuous ones; listen today, O righteous ones, as I recount it properly.
जंबुद्वीपप्रमाणेन द्विगुणः स द्विजर्षभाः । विष्कंभेन महाभागाः सागरोऽपि विभागशः
O best of twice-born, it is twice the size of Jambūdvīpa, and its breadth is also great; the ocean divides it in the same way.
क्षीरोदो मुनिशार्दूला येन संपरिवारितः । तत्र पुण्याजनपदास्तत्र न म्रियते जनः
O tiger among sages, it is surrounded by the Kṣīroda ocean; there are holy lands there, and the people do not die.
कुत एव हि दुर्भिक्षं क्षमा तेजोयुता हि ते । शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावन्मुनिसत्तमाः । उक्त एष महाभागाः किमन्यत्कथयामि वः
How could there be famine there? For they are endowed with the qualities of earth and energy. O best of sages, this is the brief account of Śākadvīpa as it truly is; what else shall I tell you, O blessed ones?
ऋषय ऊचुः-। शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावदिह धार्मिक । उक्तस्त्वया महाप्राज्ञ विस्तरं ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः
The sages said: O righteous one, you have given a brief account of Śākadvīpa as it truly is; O most wise, tell us in detail and in truth.
सूत उवाच-। तथैव पर्वता विप्राः सप्तात्र मणिपर्वताः । रत्नाकरास्तथा नद्यस्तेषां नामानि वर्णये
Sūta said: In the same way, O brāhmaṇas, there are seven jewel mountains there; I shall also describe their names, the mines, and the rivers.
अतीवगुणवत्सर्वं तत्त्वं पृच्छथ धार्मिकाः । देवर्षिगंधर्वयुतः प्रथमो मेरुरुच्यते
O righteous ones, you ask about all this in great detail; the first is called Meru, accompanied by gods and gandharvas.
प्रागायतो महाभागा मलयोनाम पर्वतः । ततो मेघाः प्रवर्त्तंते प्रभवंति च सर्वशः
To the east, O blessed ones, is the mountain called Malaya; from there the clouds arise and all originate.
ततः परेण मुनयो जलधारो महागिरिः । ततो नित्यमुपादत्ते वासवः परमं जलम्
Beyond that, O sages, is the great mountain Jaladhāra; from there Indra always takes the supreme water.
ततो वर्षं प्रभवति वर्षाकाले द्विजोत्तमाः । उच्चैर्गिरी रैवतको यत्र नित्यं प्रतिष्ठितम्
From there, O best of twice-born, rain arises in the rainy season; the lofty mountain Raivataka stands there always.
रेवती दिवि नक्षत्रं पितामहकृतो विधिः । उत्तरेण तु विप्रेंद्राः श्यामो नाम महागिरिः
Revati, the constellation in the sky, is the ordinance made by the grandsire; to the north, O best of brāhmaṇas, is the great mountain called Śyāma.
नवमेघप्रभः प्रांशुः श्रीमानुज्ज्वलविग्रहः । यतः श्यामत्वमापन्नाः प्रजा मुदितमानसाः
It shines with the color of new clouds, tall, splendid, and radiant in form; from it, the people have attained a dark complexion and are joyful in heart.
ऋषय ऊचुः-। सुमहान्संशयोऽस्माकं प्राप्तोयं सूत यत्त्वया । प्रजाः कथं सूत सम्यक्संप्राप्ताः श्यामतामिह
The sages said: O Sūta, a great doubt has arisen for us by what you have said; how did the people here come to have a dark complexion?
सूत उवाच-। सर्वेष्वेव महाप्राज्ञा द्वीपेषु मुनिपुंगवाः । गौरः कृष्णश्च पतगस्तयोर्वर्णांतरे द्विजाः
Sūta said: O most wise sages, on all the islands, the birds are white and black, and among them, O twice-born, there are also those of other colors.
श्यामो यस्मात्प्रवृत्तो वै तस्मात्श्यामगिरिः स्मृतः । ततः परं मुनिश्रेष्ठा दुर्गशैलो महोदयः
Because the dark color originated there, it is called Śyāmagiri; beyond that, O best of sages, is the great mountain Durgaśaila.
केशरी केशरयुतो यतो वातः प्रवर्त्तते । तेषां योजनविष्कंभो द्विगुणः प्रविभागशः
It is called Keśarī, adorned with manes, from which the wind arises; their breadth in yojanas is twice as much, divided accordingly.
वर्षाणि तेषु विप्रेंद्राः संप्रोक्तानि मनीषिभिः । महामेरुर्महाकाशो जलदः कुमुदोत्तरम्
O best of brāhmaṇas, the regions among them are declared by the wise: Mahāmeru, Mahākāśa, Jaladha, and Kumudottara.
जलधारो महाप्राज्ञः सुकुमार इति स्मृतः । रेवतस्य तु कौमारः श्यामश्च मणिकांचनः
Jaladhāra is known as Mahāprājña and also as Sukumāra; Revata's are called Kaumāra, and Śyāma's are Maṇikāñcana.