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.
केशरस्याथ मौदाकी परेण तु महान्पुमान् । परिवार्य्यं तु विप्रेंद्रा दैर्घ्यं ह्रस्वत्वमेव च
O best of Brahmins, the island of Kesarasya is followed by Maudaki, and then comes the great island of Puman, which is surrounded on all sides; its length and breadth are also described.
जंबूद्वीपेन संख्यातस्तस्य मध्ये महाद्रुमः । शाको नाम महाप्राज्ञाः प्रजास्तस्य सहानुगाः
It is counted as part of Jambudvipa, and in its midst stands a great tree named Shaka; O wise ones, its people dwell there along with their followers.
तत्र पुण्या जनपदाः पूज्यते तत्र शंकरः । तत्र गच्छंति सिद्धाश्च चारणा दैवतानि च
There, the blessed regions flourish, and Shankara is worshipped; there, Siddhas, Charanas, and deities go.
धार्मिकाश्च प्रजाः सर्वाः चत्वारो गतमत्सराः । वर्णाः स्वकर्मनिरता न च स्तेनोऽत्र दृश्यते
All the people there are righteous, the four castes are free from envy, devoted to their own duties, and no thief is seen there.
दीर्घायुषो महाप्राज्ञा जरामृत्युविवर्जिताः । प्रजास्तत्र विवर्द्धंते वर्षास्विव समुद्रगाः
The people there are long-lived, highly wise, free from old age and death, and they flourish like rivers during the rainy season flowing to the ocean.
नद्यः पुण्यजलास्तत्र गंगा च बहुधा गता । सुकुमारी कुमारी च शीता शीतोदका तथा
There are rivers with holy waters, and the Ganga flows in many forms; also Sukumari, Kumari, Shita, and Shitodaka are found there.
महानदी च भो विप्रास्तथा मणिजला नदी । इक्षुवर्द्धनिका चैव नदी मुनिवराः स्मृताः
O Brahmins, there is also the great river Mahanadi, and the river Manijala; the river Ikshuvardhanika is also remembered by the great sages.
ततः प्रवृत्ताः पुण्योदा नद्यः परमशोभनाः । सहस्राणां शतान्येव यतो वर्षति वासवः
From there flow holy rivers with pure waters, exceedingly beautiful, in hundreds of thousands, for Indra causes rain there.
न तासां नामधेयानि परिस्मर्तुं तथैव च । शक्यंते परिसंख्यातुं पुण्यास्ता हि सरिद्वराः
Their names cannot be fully remembered or counted; those sacred rivers are indeed countless.
ततः पुण्या जनपदाश्चत्वारो लोकविश्रुताः । मृगाश्च मशकाश्चैव मानसा मल्लकास्तथा
Then there are four blessed regions, renowned in the world: Mrigas, Mashakas, Manasas, and Mallakas.