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.
अवगाढा ह्युभयतः समुद्रौ पूर्वपश्चिमौ । हिमवान्हिमकूटश्च निषधश्च नगोत्तमः
Immersed on both sides by the eastern and western oceans are Himavān, Himakūṭa, and Niṣadha, the best of mountains.
नीलश्च वैडूर्यमयः श्वेतश्च शशिसन्निभः । सर्वधातुपिनद्धश्च शृंगवान्नामपर्वतः
Nīla, made of beryl, and Śveta, resembling the moon, and Śṛṅgavān, the mountain bound with all minerals, are their names.
एते वै पर्वता विप्राः सिद्धचारणसेविताः । तेषामंतरविष्कुंभौ योजनानि सहस्रशः
These, O Brāhmaṇas, are the mountains frequented by perfected beings and celestial wanderers; between them are valleys measuring thousands of yojanas.
तत्र पुण्या जनपदास्तानि वर्षाणि सत्तमाः । वसंति तेषां सत्त्वानि नानाजातीनि सर्वशः
There are holy regions and those excellent lands; in them dwell beings of all kinds, living everywhere.
इदं तु भारतं वर्षं ततो हैमवतं परम् । हेमकूटात्परं चैव हरिवर्षं प्रचक्षते
This land is called Bhārata; beyond that is the Himālayan region, and beyond Hemakūṭa, they say, is the land called Harivarṣa.
दक्षिणेन तु नीलस्य निषधस्योत्तरेण च । प्रागायतो महाभागा माल्यवान्नाम पर्वतः
To the south of Nīla and north of Niṣadha, extending eastward, is the great mountain called Mālyavān.
ततः परं माल्यवतः पर्वतो गंधमादनः । परिमंडलस्तयोर्मध्ये मेरुः कनकपर्वतः
Beyond Mālyavān is the mountain Gandhamādana, perfectly round; between the two stands Meru, the golden mountain.
आदित्यतरुणाभासो विधूम इव पावकः । योजनानां सहस्राणि चतुरशीतिरुच्छ्रितः
Shining like the morning sun, like a smokeless fire, it rises to eighty-four thousand yojanas.
अधस्ताच्चतुरशीतिर्योजनानां द्विजोत्तमाः । ऊर्ध्वमधश्च तिर्यक्च लोकानावृत्य तिष्ठति
And below as well, O best of Brāhmaṇas, it extends eighty-four thousand yojanas; above, below, and across, it stands enveloping the worlds.
तस्य पार्श्वेष्वमी द्वीपाश्चत्वारः संस्थिता द्विजाः । भद्राश्वः केतुमालश्च जंबूद्वीपश्च सत्तमाः
At its sides, O Brāhmaṇas, are situated four continents: Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, and the excellent Jambūdvīpa,