एकसंघास्सलक्ष्याश्च संप्राप्यैक्यमशेषतः । पुरुषाधिष्ठितत्वाच्च प्रधानानुग्रहेण च
Having attained complete unity as a single aggregate, and because of the supervision of the Purusha and the favor of Pradhana—
महदादयो विशेषांता अंडमुत्पादयंति ते । तत्क्रमेण विवृद्धं तु जलबुद्बुदवत्सदा
From Mahat down to the particular elements, they produce the cosmic egg; that, in due order, always grows like a bubble in water.
भूतेभ्योंडं महाप्राज्ञा वृद्धं तदुदकेशयम् । प्राकृतं ब्रह्मरूपस्य विष्णोः स्थानमनुत्तमम्
From the elements, O greatly wise one, the egg grew, resting in water; it is the primal seat of Vishnu in the form of Brahma, unsurpassed.
तत्राव्यक्तस्वरूपोसौ विष्णुर्विश्वेश्वरः प्रभुः । ब्रह्मरूपं समास्थाय स्वयमेव व्यवस्थितः
There, in his unmanifest form, Vishnu, the Lord of the universe, the mighty one, having assumed the form of Brahma, abides by his own will.
स्वेदजांडमभूत्तस्य जरायुश्च महीधराः । गर्भोदकं समुद्राश्च तस्याभून्महदात्मनः
From him arose the sweat-born, the egg-born, and the womb-born, O mountain; the waters of the womb and the oceans came from that great soul.
साद्रिद्वीपसमुद्राश्च सज्योतिर्लोकसंग्रहः । तस्मिन्नंडेभवत्सर्वं सदेवासुरमानुषम्
With mountains, islands, oceans, and the collection of luminous worlds; in that egg existed everything—gods, asuras, and humans.
अनादिनिधनस्यैव विष्णोर्नाभेः समुत्थितम् । यत्पद्मं तद्धैममंडमभूच्छ्रीकेशवेच्छया
From the navel of Viṣṇu, who is without beginning or end, arose a lotus; that golden sphere came into being by the will of Śrīkeśa.
रजोगुणधरो देवः स्वयमेव हरिः परः । ब्रह्मरूपंसमास्थाय जगत्स्रष्टुं प्रवर्तते
The supreme Hari himself, endowed with the quality of passion, assuming the form of Brahmā, proceeds to create the universe.
सृष्टं च पात्यनुयुगं यावत्कल्पविकल्पना । नारसिंहादिरूपेण रुद्ररुपेण संहरेत्
He preserves what is created, throughout each age, until the end of the kalpa; then, taking forms such as Narasiṃha or Rudra, he brings about dissolution.
सब्रह्मरूपं विसृजन्महात्मा जगत्समस्तं परिपातुमिच्छन् । रामादिरूपं स तु गृह्य याति बभूव रुद्रो जगदेतदत्तुम्
Desiring to protect the entire world, the great soul, assuming the form of Brahmā, creates; then, taking forms such as Rāma, he becomes Rudra to consume this world.
ऋषय ऊचुः-। नदीनां पर्वतानां च नामधेयानि सर्वशः । तथा जनपदानां च ये चान्ये भूमिमाश्रिताः
The sages said: Tell us all the names of the rivers and mountains, as well as those of the regions and all others who dwell upon the earth.
प्रमाणं च प्रमाणज्ञ पृथिव्याः किल सर्वतः । निखिलेन समाचक्ष्व काननानि च सत्तम
And, O knower of measures, declare in full the extent of the earth everywhere, and also the forests, O best of men.
सूत उवाच-। पंचेमानि महाप्राज्ञ महाभूतानि संग्रहात् । जगतीस्थानि सर्वाणि समान्याहुर्मनीषिणः
Sūta said: O greatly wise ones, the sages say that all things existing in the world are comprised of these five great elements.
भूमिरापस्तथा वायुरग्निराकाशमेव च । गुणोत्तराणि सर्वाणि तेषां भूमिः प्रधानतः
Earth, water, air, fire, and also space—these are all superior in their qualities, with earth being the foremost among them.
शब्दस्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गंधश्च पंचमः । भूमेरेतेगुणाः प्रोक्ता ऋषिभिस्तत्त्ववेदिभिः
Sound, touch, form, taste, and the fifth, smell—these are said by the seers who know reality to be the qualities of earth.
चत्वारोप्सुगुणा विप्रा गंधस्तत्र न विद्यते । शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च तेजसोथ गुणास्त्रयः
O brāhmaṇas, water has four qualities, but not smell; sound, touch, and form are the three qualities of fire.
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च वायोस्तु आकाशे शब्द एव च । एते पंच गुणा विप्रा महाभूतेषु पंचसु
Sound and touch are of air; in space, there is only sound. These, O brāhmaṇas, are the five qualities in the five great elements.
वर्तंते सर्वलोकेषु येषु भूताः प्रतिष्ठिताः । अन्योन्यं नातिवर्तंते साम्यं भवति वै तदा
In all the worlds, these prevail, and in them beings are established; they do not surpass one another, and thus there is balance.
यदा तु विषमीभावमाविशंति परस्परम् । तदा देहैर्देहवंतो व्यतिरोहंति नान्यथा
But when they enter into mutual discord, then embodied beings undergo transformation from one body to another, and not otherwise.
आनुपूर्व्या विनश्यंति जायंते चानुपूर्वशः । सर्वाण्यपरिमेयाणि तदेषां रूपमैश्वरम्
They perish in sequence and are born again in order; all these countless forms are the manifestation of their divine nature.
यत्रयत्र हि दृश्यंते धावंति पांचभौतिकाः । तेषां मनुष्यास्तर्केण प्रमाणानि प्रचक्षते
Wherever the five-elemental beings are seen moving, humans determine their measures by reasoning.
अचिंत्याः खलु ये भावास्तान्न तर्केण साधयेत् । सुदर्शनं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्वीपं तु मुनिपुंगवाः
But those entities that are truly inconceivable cannot be established by reasoning; I shall now describe to you the Sudarśana continent, O foremost sages.
परिमंडलो महाभागा द्वीपोऽसौ चक्रसंस्थितः । नदीजलपरिच्छिन्नः पर्वतैश्चाब्धिसन्निभैः
That continent is perfectly round, O illustrious ones, shaped like a wheel, surrounded by river waters and mountains resembling oceans.
पुरैश्च विविधाकारै रम्यैर्जनपदैस्तथा । वृक्षैः पुष्पफलोपेतैः संपन्नो धनधान्यवान्
It is adorned with delightful cities of various forms, with regions, trees bearing flowers and fruits, and is abundant in wealth and grain.
लवणेन समुद्रेण समंतात्परिवारितः । यथा हि पुरुषः पश्येदादर्शे मुखमात्मनः
Surrounded on all sides by the salty ocean, just as a man might see his own face in a mirror,
एवं सुदर्शनो द्वीपो दृश्यते चक्रमंडलः । द्विरंशे पिप्पलस्तस्य द्विरंशे च शशो महान्
so is the Sudarshana continent seen, like a circle; in one half is the pippala tree, and in the other half is the great hare.
सर्वौषधिं समादाय सर्वतः परिवारितः । आपस्ततोन्या विज्ञेयाः शेषः संक्षेप उच्यते
Having gathered all medicinal herbs, it is encircled on every side; other waters are to be understood there—the rest is told in brief.
ऋषय ऊचुः-। उक्तो यस्य च संक्षेपो बुद्धिमन्विधिवत्त्वया । तत्त्वज्ञश्चासि सर्वस्य विस्तरं सूत नो वद
The sages said: You have concisely described it with understanding and in proper order; you know the truth of all—now tell us the details, Sūta.
यावान्भूम्यवकाशोयं दृश्यते शशलक्षणे । तस्य प्रमाणं प्रब्रूहि ततो वक्ष्यसि पिप्पलम्
As much as the expanse of earth is seen in the region marked by the hare, tell us its measurement; after that, you will speak of the pippala.
एवं तैः किल पृष्टः स सूतो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् । सूत उवाच-। प्रागायता महाप्राज्ञाः षडेते रत्नपर्वताः
Thus, when questioned by them, the Sūta spoke these words: O wise ones, these six are the jewel mountains extending eastward.