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.
महानदी च भो विप्रास्तथा मणिजला नदी । इक्षुवर्द्धनिका चैव नदी मुनिवराः स्मृताः
O Brahmins, there is the great river, as well as the Maṇijalā river; the Ikṣuvardhanikā river is also remembered by the eminent sages.
ततः प्रवृत्ताः पुण्योदा नद्यः परमशोभनाः । सहस्राणां शतान्येव यतो वर्षति वासवः
From there flow forth holy rivers, exceedingly beautiful, in hundreds of thousands, wherever Indra causes rain to fall.
न तासां नामधेयानि परिस्मर्तुं तथैव च । शक्यंते परिसंख्यातुं पुण्यास्ता हि सरिद्वराः
Their names cannot be fully recalled, nor can their numbers be exactly counted; for those sacred rivers are truly countless.
ततः पुण्या जनपदाश्चत्वारो लोकविश्रुताः । मृगाश्च मशकाश्चैव मानसा मल्लकास्तथा
Then there are four blessed regions, renowned throughout the world, along with the peoples called Mṛgas, Maśakas, Mānasas, and Mallakas.
मृगाश्च ब्रह्मभूयिष्ठाः स्वकर्मनिरता द्विजाः । मशकेषु तु राजन्या धार्मिकाः सर्वकामदाः
Among the Mṛgas dwell Brahmins devoted to their own duties; among the Maśakas are righteous Kṣatriyas, fulfillers of every desire.
मानसाश्च महाभागा वैश्यधर्मोपजीविनः । सर्वकामसमायुक्ताः शूरा धर्मार्थनिश्चिताः
The Mānasas, greatly fortunate, live by the duties of Vaiśyas, endowed with every enjoyment, valiant and intent on righteousness and wealth.
शूद्रास्तु मल्लका नित्यं पुरुषा धर्मशीलिनः । न तत्र राजा विप्रेंद्रा न दंडो न च दंडिकाः
The Mallakas are always Śūdras, men of virtuous conduct; there, O best of Brahmins, there is neither king, nor punishment, nor enforcers of punishment.
स्वधर्मेणैव धर्मज्ञास्ते रक्षंति परस्परम् । एतावदेव शक्यं तु तत्र द्वीपे प्रभाषितुम्
They protect one another by their own righteous conduct, knowing dharma; only this much can be spoken about that island.
एतदेव च श्रोतव्यं शाकद्वीपे महौजसि
And this alone should be heard concerning the mighty Śākadvīpa.
सूत उवाच-। उत्तरेषु च भो विप्रा द्वीपेषु श्रूयते कथा । एवं तत्र महाभागा ब्रुवतस्तन्निबोधत
Sūta said: O Brahmins, in the northern islands, a tale is heard; thus, listen attentively as I recount it there, O greatly fortunate ones.