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.
श्यामो यस्मात्प्रवृत्तो वै तस्मात्श्यामगिरिः स्मृतः । ततः परं मुनिश्रेष्ठा दुर्गशैलो महोदयः
Because darkness originated there, it is called Shyama Mountain; beyond that, O best of sages, is the great and formidable mountain Durga.
केशरी केशरयुतो यतो वातः प्रवर्त्तते । तेषां योजनविष्कंभो द्विगुणः प्रविभागशः
Keshari, accompanied by Keshara, from which the wind arises; their breadth, O twice-born, is twice as much, each distinctly measured.
वर्षाणि तेषु विप्रेंद्राः संप्रोक्तानि मनीषिभिः । महामेरुर्महाकाशो जलदः कुमुदोत्तरम्
O foremost of brahmins, the regions there are declared by the wise: Mahameru, Mahakasha, Jaladha, and Kumudottara.
जलधारो महाप्राज्ञः सुकुमार इति स्मृतः । रेवतस्य तु कौमारः श्यामश्च मणिकांचनः
Jaladhara is known as Sukumara, O greatly wise one; Revata's region is called Kaumara, and Shyama is adorned with jewels and gold.
केशरस्याथ मौदाकी परेण तु महान्पुमान् । परिवार्य्यं तु विप्रेंद्रा दैर्घ्यं ह्रस्वत्वमेव च
Next to Keshara is Maudaki, and beyond that is the great mountain Puman; O foremost of brahmins, they are surrounded, and their length and shortness are as described.
जंबूद्वीपेन संख्यातस्तस्य मध्ये महाद्रुमः । शाको नाम महाप्राज्ञाः प्रजास्तस्य सहानुगाः
It is counted with Jambudvipa, and in its midst is a great tree; O greatly wise ones, it is called Shaka, and its people dwell there with their followers.
तत्र पुण्या जनपदाः पूज्यते तत्र शंकरः । तत्र गच्छंति सिद्धाश्च चारणा दैवतानि च
There are holy regions and people; there, Shankara is worshipped; there, siddhas, charanas, and deities go.
धार्मिकाश्च प्रजाः सर्वाः चत्वारो गतमत्सराः । वर्णाः स्वकर्मनिरता न च स्तेनोऽत्र दृश्यते
All the people there are righteous, the four classes are free from envy; each is devoted to their own duty, and no thief is seen there.
दीर्घायुषो महाप्राज्ञा जरामृत्युविवर्जिताः । प्रजास्तत्र विवर्द्धंते वर्षास्विव समुद्रगाः
They are long-lived, greatly wise, free from old age and death; there, the people flourish like rivers in the rainy season flowing to the sea.
नद्यः पुण्यजलास्तत्र गंगा च बहुधा गता । सुकुमारी कुमारी च शीता शीतोदका तथा
There are rivers with holy waters, and the Ganga flows in many streams; also Sukumari, Kumari, Shita, and Shitodaka.