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,
उत्तराश्चैव कुरुवः कृतपुण्य प्रतिश्रयाः । विहंगसुमुखो यस्तु सुपार्श्वस्यात्मजः किल
and also the northern Kurus, a refuge for those who have performed good deeds; Vihaṃgasumukha, who is said to be the son of Supārśva,
स वै विचिंतयामास सौवर्णान्प्रेक्ष्य वायसान् । मेरुरुत्तममध्यानामधमानां च पक्षिणाम्
he indeed reflected, seeing the golden crows; Meru is the highest, the middle, and the lowest among birds.
अविशेषकरो यस्मात्तस्मादेनं त्यजाम्यहम् । तमादित्योनुपर्येति सततं ज्योतिषां वरः
Because he makes no distinction, therefore I abandon him; the best of lights, the Sun, always follows after him.
चंद्रमाश्च सनक्षत्रो वायुश्चैव प्रदक्षिणः । स पर्वतो महाप्राज्ञा दिव्यपुष्पसमन्वितः
The Moon with its constellations, and the Wind, too, circle around that great mountain, adorned with divine flowers, O wise one.
भवनैरावृतैः सर्वैः र्जांबूनदमयैः शुभैः । तत्र देवगणा विप्रा गंधर्वासुरराक्षसाः
All its splendid palaces are encircled with pure Jambū gold; there, O brāhmaṇas, are hosts of gods, gandharvas, asuras, and rākṣasas.
अप्सरोगणसंयुक्ताः शैले क्रीडंति सर्वदा । तत्र ब्रह्मा च रुद्रश्च शक्रश्चापि सुरेश्वरः
There, always joined by groups of apsarases, they sport upon the mountain; and there, too, are Brahmā, Rudra, and Śakra, lord of the gods.
समेत्य विविधैर्यज्ञैर्यजंतेऽनेक दक्षिणैः । तुंबुरुर्नारदश्चैव विश्वावसुर्हाहा हूहूः
Gathering together, they perform various sacrifices with many gifts; Tumburu, Nārada, Viśvāvasu, Hāhā, and Hūhū are there.
अभिगम्यामरश्रेष्ठं स्तुवंति विविधैः स्तवैः । सप्तर्षयो महात्मानः कश्यपश्च प्रजापतिः
Approaching the best of immortals, they praise him with various hymns; the great-souled Seven Sages and Kaśyapa, the lord of creatures, are there.
तत्र गच्छंति भद्रं वः सदा पर्वणि पर्वणि । तस्यैव मूर्द्धन्युशना काव्यो दैत्यैर्महीयते
They go there, blessings upon you, always at every festival; on its very summit, Uśanas Kāvya is honored by the Daityas.
तस्य हैमानि रत्नानि तस्यैते रत्नपर्वताः । तस्मात्कुबेरो भगवांश्चतुर्थं भागमश्नुते
Its jewels are golden, and those are the jewel-mountains; from there, the blessed Kubera enjoys a fourth share.
ततः कलांशं वित्तस्य मनुष्येभ्यः प्रयच्छति । पर्वतस्यांतरे दिव्यं सर्वर्तुकुसुमैश्चितम्
From there, he gives a portion of wealth to humans; within the mountain is a divine grove adorned with flowers of all seasons.
कर्णिकारवनं रम्यं शिलाजालसमुच्छ्रितम् । तत्र साक्षात्पशुपतिर्दिव्यभूतैः समावृतः
There is a delightful grove of karṇikāra trees, rising with rocky crags; there, Lord Paśupati himself delights, surrounded by divine beings.
उमासहायोभगवान्रमते भूतभावनः । कर्णिकारमयीं मालां बिभ्रदापादलंबिनीम्
The blessed Lord, creator of beings, enjoys there with Umā as his companion, wearing a garland of karṇikāra flowers that hangs down to his feet.
त्रिभिर्नेत्रैः कृतोद्द्योतस्त्रिभिः सूर्यैरिवोदितैः । तमुग्रतपसः सिद्धाः सुव्रताः सत्यवादिनः
With three eyes shining like three rising suns, those of fierce austerity, of good vows, and truth-speaking, behold him.
पश्यंति नहि दुर्वृत्तैः शक्यो द्रष्टुं महेश्वरः । तस्य शैलस्य शिखरात्क्षीरधारा द्विजोत्तमाः
But the great Lord cannot be seen by the wicked; from the summit of that mountain, O best of brāhmaṇas, streams of milk flow.
विश्वरूपात्परमिता भीमनिर्घातनिस्वना । पुण्यापुण्यतमैर्जुष्टा गंगा भागीरथी शुभा
Of immeasurable form, with a terrifying thunderous roar, the auspicious Gaṅgā, Bhāgīrathī, filled with the most sacred merits, is there.
प्लवंती च प्रवेगेन ह्रदे चंद्रमसः शुभे । तया ह्युत्पादितः पुण्यः स ह्रदः सागरोपमः
She rushes swiftly, flowing into the beautiful lake of the Moon; by her, that holy lake, vast as the ocean, was produced.
तां धारयामास तदा दुर्द्धरां पर्वतैरपि । शतं वर्षसहस्राणि शिरसैव पिनाकधृक्
Then, even the mountains could hardly bear her, but Pinākadhṛk bore her on his head for a hundred thousand years.
मेरोस्तु पश्चिमे पार्श्वे केतुमालो द्विजोत्तमाः । जंबूखंडे तु तत्रैव महाजनपदो द्विजाः
On the western side of Meru, O best of brāhmaṇas, is Ketumāla; there, in the Jambū region, is a great country, O twice-born.
आयुर्दशसहस्राणि वर्षाणां तत्र सत्तमाः । सुवर्णवर्णाश्च नरा स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसां समाः
There, O excellent ones, the lifespan is ten thousand years; the men are golden-hued, and the women are like apsarases.