तथा त्रीणि सहस्राणि त्रेतायामायुषो विदुः । द्वे सहस्रे द्वापरे तु भुवि तिष्ठंति सांप्रतम्
In the Treta age, the lifespan was known to be three thousand years; in Dvapara, it was two thousand years, and so it remains now on earth.
तत्प्रमाणस्थितिर्ह्यस्ति तिष्ये तु मुनिपुंगवाः । गर्भस्थाश्च म्रियंतेऽत्र तथा जाता म्रियंति च
Such is the measure and duration in the Tishya age, O best of sages; here, some die in the womb, and likewise, those born also die.
महाबला महासत्त्वाः प्रज्ञागुणसमन्विताः । प्रजायंते च जाताश्च शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Greatly strong, highly endowed with energy and wisdom, people are born and arise by the hundreds and thousands.
द्विजाः कृतयुगे विप्रा बलिनः प्रियदर्शनाः । प्रजायंते च जाताश्च मुनयो वै तपोधनाः
O twice-born, in the Krita age, powerful and pleasing Brahmins are born, and so too are sages rich in austerity.
महोत्साहा महात्मानो धार्मिकाः सत्यवादिनः । प्रियदर्शा वपुष्मंतो महावीर्य्या धनुर्धराः
They are possessed of great enthusiasm, noble-minded, righteous, speakers of truth, pleasant in appearance, handsome, endowed with great strength, and skilled in archery.
वीरा हि युधि जायंते क्षत्रियाः शूरसंमताः । त्रेतायां क्षत्रियास्तावत्सर्वे वै चक्रवर्तिनः
Indeed, in battle, heroic Kshatriyas are born, esteemed for their valor; in the Treta age, all Kshatriyas are universal sovereigns.
सर्ववर्णाश्च जायंते सदैव द्वापरे युगे । महोत्साहा वीर्यवंतः परस्परवधैषिणः
In the Dvapara age, people of all castes are always born, full of great enthusiasm and strength, desiring to kill one another.
तेजसांधेनसंयुक्ताः क्रोधनाः पुरुषाः किल । लुब्धाश्चानृतकाश्चैव तिष्ये जायंति भो द्विजाः
Men are said to be endowed with energy and pride, prone to anger, greedy, and untruthful; O twice-born, such are born in the Tiṣya period.
ईर्ष्या मानस्तथा क्रोधो मायासूया तथैव च । तिष्ये भवंति भूतानां रागो लोभश्च सत्तमाः
Envy, arrogance, anger, deceit, and malice, as well as passion and greed, arise among beings in the Tiṣya period, O best of men.
संक्षेपो वर्त्तते विप्रा द्वापरे युगमध्यगे । गुणोत्तरं हैमवतं हरिवर्षं ततः परम्
A contraction occurs, O Brahmins, in the middle of the Dvapara age; then the land of Haimavata and Harivarsha are superior in qualities.
ऋषय ऊचुः-। जंबूखंडस्त्वया प्रोक्तो यथावदिह सत्तमः । विष्कंभस्य च प्रब्रूहि परिमाणं हि तत्त्वतः
The sages said: You have properly described Jambūkhanda here, O noble one; now tell us the true measure of its diameter.
समुद्रस्य प्रमाणं च सम्यगच्छिद्र दर्शनः । शाकद्वीपं च नो ब्रूहि कुशद्वीपं च धार्मिकम्
And also the measure of the ocean, O clear-sighted one; tell us about Śākadvīpa and the righteous Kuśadvīpa.
शाल्मलं चैव तत्त्वेन क्रौंचद्वीपं तथैव च । सूत उवाच-। विप्राः सुबहवो द्वीपाः यैरिदं संततं जगत् । सप्तद्वीपान्प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुध्वं द्विजपुंगवाः
And likewise, truthfully, about Śālmala and Krauñcadvīpa; Sūta said: O Brahmins, there are many islands by which this world is encompassed; I shall describe the seven islands—listen, O best of twice-born.
अष्टादशसहस्राणि योजनानि द्विजोत्तमाः । षट्शतानि च पूर्णानि विष्कंभो जंबुपर्वतः
Eighteen thousand yojanas, O best of Brahmins, and six hundred complete, is the diameter of Jambu mountain.
लवणस्य समुद्रस्य विष्कंभो द्विगुणः स्मृतः । नानाजनपदाकीर्णो मणिविद्रुमचित्रितः
The diameter 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, and the ocean is encircled by Siddhas and Charanas, forming a perfect circle.
शाकद्वीपं च वक्ष्यामि यथावदिह सत्तमाः । शृणुताद्य यथान्यायं ब्रुवतो मम धार्मिकाः
Now I shall describe Śākadvīpa here, O noble ones, as is proper; listen today, O righteous ones, as I speak according to order.
जंबुद्वीपप्रमाणेन द्विगुणः स द्विजर्षभाः । विष्कंभेन महाभागाः सागरोऽपि विभागशः
Śākadvīpa, O foremost of twice-born, is twice the diameter of Jambudvīpa, O greatly fortunate ones, and so is the ocean, each in its own division.
क्षीरोदो मुनिशार्दूला येन संपरिवारितः । तत्र पुण्याजनपदास्तत्र न म्रियते जनः
It is surrounded by the Milk Ocean, O tiger among sages; there are holy lands there, and people do not die there.
कुत एव हि दुर्भिक्षं क्षमा तेजोयुता हि ते । शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावन्मुनिसत्तमाः । उक्त एष महाभागाः किमन्यत्कथयामि वः
How then could there be famine? For they are endowed with earth and energy. The summary of Śākadvīpa has thus been given, O most noble sages; what else shall I tell you?
ऋषय ऊचुः-। शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावदिह धार्मिक । उक्तस्त्वया महाप्राज्ञ विस्तरं ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः
The sages said: The summary of Śākadvīpa has been given by you here, O righteous one; now, O greatly wise, tell us the details in truth.
सूत उवाच-। तथैव पर्वता विप्राः सप्तात्र मणिपर्वताः । रत्नाकरास्तथा नद्यस्तेषां नामानि वर्णये
Sūta said: In the same way, O Brahmins, there are seven jeweled mountains here; I shall describe their names and the rivers that are sources of gems.
अतीवगुणवत्सर्वं तत्त्वं पृच्छथ धार्मिकाः । देवर्षिगंधर्वयुतः प्रथमो मेरुरुच्यते
O righteous ones, you inquire with great virtue about all these truths; the foremost is Mount Meru, renowned and surrounded by gods, sages, and gandharvas.
प्रागायतो महाभागा मलयोनाम पर्वतः । ततो मेघाः प्रवर्त्तंते प्रभवंति च सर्वशः
To the east of it, O greatly fortunate ones, lies the mountain named Malaya; from there, clouds arise and spread everywhere.
ततः परेण मुनयो जलधारो महागिरिः । ततो नित्यमुपादत्ते वासवः परमं जलम्
Beyond that, O sages, is the great mountain Jaladhara; from there, Indra always draws 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; there stands the lofty mountain Raivataka, ever established.
रेवती दिवि नक्षत्रं पितामहकृतो विधिः । उत्तरेण तु विप्रेंद्राः श्यामो नाम महागिरिः
Revati, the constellation in the sky, is an ordinance made by the Grandsire; to the north, O foremost of brahmins, is the great mountain called Shyama.
नवमेघप्रभः प्रांशुः श्रीमानुज्ज्वलविग्रहः । यतः श्यामत्वमापन्नाः प्रजा मुदितमानसाः
It shines with the radiance of new clouds, tall, splendid, and with a brilliant form; from it, the people, their hearts filled with joy, have attained a dark complexion.
ऋषय ऊचुः-। सुमहान्संशयोऽस्माकं प्राप्तोयं सूत यत्त्वया । प्रजाः कथं सूत सम्यक्संप्राप्ताः श्यामतामिह
The sages said: A great doubt has arisen for us, O Suta, from what you have said; how indeed did the people here come to possess a dark complexion?
सूत उवाच-। सर्वेष्वेव महाप्राज्ञा द्वीपेषु मुनिपुंगवाः । गौरः कृष्णश्च पतगस्तयोर्वर्णांतरे द्विजाः
Suta said: On all the islands, O most wise sages, there are birds, some white and some black; among them, O twice-born, there is also a different color.