अवशिष्टेषु सर्वेषु वक्ष्यामि द्विजपुंगवाः । यथा श्रुतं महाप्राज्ञा वर्ण्यते शृणुत द्विजाः
In all the remaining regions, O foremost of Brahmins, I will speak as it has been heard, O wise ones; listen, O twice-born.
क्रौंचद्वीपे महाभागाः क्रौंचो नाम महागिरिः । क्रौंचात्परो वामनको वामनादंधकारकः
In the Krauñca island, O greatly fortunate ones, Krauñca is the great mountain; beyond Krauñca is Vāmanaka, which causes darkness.
अंधकारात्परो विप्रा मैनाकः पर्वतोत्तमः । मैनाकात्परतो विप्रा गोविंदो गिरिरुत्तमः
Beyond the darkness, O Brahmins, is Maināka, the foremost mountain; beyond Maināka, O Brahmins, is Govinda, the excellent mountain.
गोविंदात्परतश्चैव पुंडरीको महागिरिः । पुंडरीकात्परश्चापि प्रोच्यते दुंदुभिस्वनः
Beyond Govinda is Puṇḍarīka, the great mountain; beyond Puṇḍarīka is the mountain called Dundubhisvana.
पुरस्ताद्द्विगुणस्तेषां विष्कंभो मुनिपुंगवाः । देशांस्तत्र प्रवक्ष्यामि तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
In front of them, O foremost sages, the space between is twice as wide; I will describe those regions there, listen as I speak.
क्रौंचस्य कुशलो देशो वामनस्य मनोनुगः । मनोनुगात्परो देश उष्णो नाम तपोधनाः
Krauñca's region is Kuśala; Vāmana's is Manonuga; beyond Manonuga is the region called Uṣṇa, O ascetics.
उष्णात्परः प्रावरकः प्रावरादंधकारकः । अंधकारकदेशात्तु मुनिदेशः परः स्मृतः
Beyond the hot region is the Pravaraka land, and beyond Pravaraka is the region of darkness; beyond the region of darkness is said to be the land of sages.
मुनिदेशात्परश्चैव प्रोच्यते दुंदुभिस्वनः । सिद्धचारणसंकीर्णो गौरः प्रायोजनः स्मृतः
Beyond the land of sages, the sound of the Dundubhi drum is spoken of; it is filled with Siddhas and Caranas, and is known as the bright Prayojana.
एते देशाः समाख्याता देवगंधर्वसेविताः । पुष्करे पुष्करो नाम पर्वतो मणिरत्नवान्
These lands, served by gods and Gandharvas, have been described; in Pushkara there is a mountain named Pushkara, adorned with jewels and gems.
तत्र नित्यं प्रसरति स्वयं देवः प्रजापतिः । पर्युपासंति तं नित्यं देवाः सर्वे महर्षयः
There, the god Prajapati himself continually manifests; all the gods and great sages constantly attend upon him.
वाग्भिर्मनोनुकूलाभिः पूजयंति द्विजोत्तमाः । जंबूद्वीपात्प्रवर्त्तन्ते रत्नानि विविधानि च
The best of twice-born worship him with words pleasing to the mind; from Jambudvipa arise various kinds of jewels.
द्वीपेषु तेषु सर्वेषु प्रजानां मुनिसत्तमाः । विप्राणां ब्रह्मचर्येण सत्येन च दमेन च
In all those islands, O best of sages, the people—especially the Brahmins—by celibacy, truth, and self-restraint,
आरोग्यायुष्प्रमाणाभ्यां द्विगुणं द्विगुणं ततः । एते जनपदा विप्रा द्वीपेषु तेषु सत्तमाः
With health and lifespan doubled and redoubled, these are the noble peoples, O Brahmins, in those islands.
उक्ता जनपदा येषु धर्मश्चैकः प्रवर्त्तते । ईश्वरो दंडमुद्यम्य स्वयमेव प्रजापतिः
These are the lands where a single Dharma prevails; the Lord himself, Prajapati, wields the rod of discipline.
द्वीपानेतान्मुनिवरा रक्षंस्तिष्ठति सर्वदा । स राजा स शिवो विप्राः स पिता स पितामहः
The best of sages always protect these islands; he is the king, he is Shiva, O Brahmins, he is the father and the grandfather.
गोपायति द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्रजाः स द्विजपंडिताः । भोजनं चात्र विप्रेंद्राः प्रजाः स्वयमुपस्थितम्
He protects the people, O best of twice-born, along with learned Brahmins; and, O foremost of Brahmins, food appears for the people by itself.
सिद्धमेव महाभागा भुंजते तद्धि नित्यदा । ततः परं महाशैलो दृश्यते लोकसंस्थितिः
The blessed ones always partake of it, for it is ever ready; beyond that, a great mountain is seen, the foundation of the worlds.
चतुरस्रो महाप्राज्ञः सर्वतः परिमंडलः । तत्र तिष्ठंति विप्रेंद्राश्चत्वारो लोकसंमताः
It is square, O wise one, perfectly round on all sides; there, four eminent Brahmins, esteemed by the world, reside.
दिग्गजा हि मुनिश्रेष्ठा वामनैरावतां जनाः । सुप्रतीकस्तथा विप्राः प्रभिन्नकरटामुखाः
O best of sages, the people there are like the directional elephants, resembling Airavata; likewise, O Brahmins, they are splendid, with broken tusks and faces.
तस्याहं परिमाणं न संख्यातुमिहमुत्सहे । असंख्यातः सुनित्यं हि तिर्यगूर्द्ध्वमधस्तथा
I am unable to measure its extent here; it is truly immeasurable, ever stretching sideways, upwards, and below.
तत्र वै वायवो वांति दिग्भ्यः सर्वाभ्य एव च । असंबंधा मुनिश्रेष्ठास्तान्निगृह्णंति ते द्विजाः
There, indeed, winds blow from all directions, O best of sages; those Brahmins restrain them, though they are unconnected.
पुष्करैः पद्मसंकाशैर्विकर्षंति महाप्रभैः । शतधा पुनरेवाशु ते तान्मुंचंति नित्यशः
With lotuses resembling lotuses, of great brilliance, they draw them in; yet, again and again, they swiftly release them a hundredfold, constantly.
श्वसद्भिर्मुखनासाभ्यां दिग्गजैरिव मारुताः । आगच्छंति द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तत्र तिष्ठंति वै प्रजाः
Like the winds from the mouths and noses of the directional elephants, O best of Brahmins, they come; there, indeed, the people remain.
यथोद्दिष्टं मया प्रोक्तं सनिर्माणमिदं जगत् । श्रुत्वेदं पृथिवीमानं पुण्यदं च मनोनुगम्
Thus, as described by me, this world with its forms has been spoken; having heard this, the earth and its measure, which brings merit and pleases the mind.
श्रीमांस्तरति विप्रेंद्राः सिद्धार्थः साधुसंमतः । आयुर्बलं च कीर्त्तिश्च तस्य तेजश्च वर्द्धते
O illustrious ones, the blessed person prospers, esteemed by the virtuous; his lifespan, strength, fame, and brilliance all increase.
यः शृणोति समाख्यातुं पर्वणीदं धृतव्रतः । प्रीयंते पितरस्तस्य तथैव च पितामहाः
He who listens to this account with steadfast vows on the festival day, his ancestors and forefathers are pleased with him.
ऋषय ऊचुः-। पृथिव्या हि परीमाणं संस्थानं सरितस्तथा । त्वत्तः श्रुत्वा महाभाग अमृतं पीतमेव च
The sages said: O most fortunate one, from you we have heard about the extent and form of the earth, the rivers, and also the drinking of the nectar.
तत्र भूमौ च तीर्थानि पावनानीति नः श्रुतम् । आचक्ष्व तानि सर्वाणि यथाफलकराणि च । सविशेषं महाप्राज्ञ श्रोतुमिच्छामहे तव
We have heard that there are holy places on the earth that purify; please describe them all to us, along with their specific fruits. O wise one, we wish to hear from you in detail.
सूत उवाच-। धन्यं पुण्यं महाख्यानं पृष्टमेव तपोधनाः । यथामति प्रवक्ष्यामि यथायोगं यथाश्रुतम्
Sūta said: You ascetics have asked about a blessed and virtuous great narrative; I will speak according to my understanding, as appropriate and as I have heard.
पुरातनं प्रवक्ष्यामि देवर्षेर्नारदस्य हि । युधिष्ठिरेण संवादं शृणु तद्द्विजसत्तमाः
I will recount the ancient dialogue between the divine sage Nārada and Yudhiṣṭhira; listen to it, O best of twice-born.