Amidst the celestial realms, there exists a wondrous lake whose countless petals shine with the radiance of the rising sun. Ever sweetly blossoming, these petals gently move in a perfect circle, creating an eternal dance of light and beauty. Within this lake, clusters of stamens form elegant patterns, and the air is alive with the hum of intoxicated bees, drawn by the rich fragrance. At the very heart of this lake dwells the goddess herself—Śrī, the ever-present Lakṣmī—abiding there in her embodied form, without doubt or interruption. On the shore of this sacred lake stands a magnificent grove of bilva trees, always in bloom and heavy with fruit, attended by hosts of siddhas—those perfected beings. This grove, known as Śrīvana, stretches a hundred yojanas wide and two hundred yojanas long. Its towering peaks rise half a krośa high, and the land is crowded with great trees whose branches number in the thousands, their trunks massive and strong. The fruits are as plentiful as the stars, green and pale, fragrant and sweet as nectar, each the size of a drum. The ground and forest interior are strewn with fallen and falling fruits, filling the air with their scent and the earth with their bounty. Śrīvana is renowned throughout all the worlds. Gods and beings from all eight directions gather there, and munis—sages who subsist on bilva fruits—practice their austerities, earning merit. In this blessed place, Śrī herself is always present, attended by multitudes of siddhas. Between every pair of mountain lords and jeweled peaks, there is a space a hundred yojanas wide and two hundred yojanas long. Within these spaces, pure lotus groves flourish, frequented by siddhas and cāraṇas. In these groves, the lotus held by Lakṣmī shines as if ever ablaze, illuminating the forest with golden light. The forest is encircled by mighty trees with massive trunks and peaks half a krośa high, their summits crowned with blooming branches. Their trunks are as thick as two arms, their branches three hastas long and wide, and their pale stamens resemble powdered cinnabar. The entire forest glows with enchanting flowers and fragrant, beautiful blossoms, resounding with the ceaseless hum of intoxicated bees. This sacred forest is frequented by dānavas, daityas, gandharvas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, kinnaras, apsarases, and great serpents. There, too, is the hermitage of the blessed Kaśyapa, lord of creatures, crowded with hosts of siddhas and sages, and filled with various āśramas. In the midst of the great Nīla and Kumbha mountains flows the river Sukhā. On its bank lies a vast forest with a splendid palm grove, delightful and beautiful, measuring fifty yojanas in length and thirty in breadth, with trees rising half a krośa in height. These trees are mighty and unshakable, their thick trunks resembling large sticks of collyrium, curved and bearing enormous fruits. The grove is endowed with excellent fragrance and qualities, frequented by perfected beings, and it is said that the elephant Airāvata resides there. Between Airāvata, Rudra, and the divine mountain stretches a land a thousand yojanas in length and a hundred in breadth. The entire ground is a single slab of stone, devoid of trees and shrubs, covered everywhere by water to the depth of a foot. Thus are described the various inner valleys near Meru, in their proper order and detail. Rudra then spoke of the mountain valleys in the southern direction, inhabited by perfected beings. Between the mountains Śiśira and Pataṅga lies the white land, where the creepers have shed their leaves and trees are sparse. Upon the summit of Ikṣukṣepa, adorned with trees, is a delightful fig grove, alive with flocks of birds. This grove shines with fruits as large as great tortoises. Many rivers flow there, their waters clear and sweet. In this forest, which forms a perfect circle a hundred yojanas across, is the hermitage of the lord Kardama, the progenitor, crowded with various sages. Between the mountains Tāmrābha and Pataṅga lies a great lake, a hundred yojanas wide and twice as long, adorned with lotuses like young suns, their countless petals shining. Many perfected beings and gandharvas dwell there. In the middle of the lake rises a great peak, a hundred yojanas long and thirty wide, adorned with minerals and gems. Atop it stands a grand avenue with jeweled gateways and arches, leading to the great city of the vidyādharas, where King Puloma resides, surrounded by a hundred thousand followers. Likewise, between the mountains Vikhākhā and Śveta lies another lake. On its eastern shore grows a great mango grove, filled with golden-hued, highly fragrant fruits the size of large jars. Gods and gandharvas delight in this place. Between Sumula and Vasudhāra is a land thirty yojanas wide and fifty long, called Bilvasthalī. Here, the fruits resemble coral, and the falling fruits moisten the ground. Secretive beings, who subsist on bilva fruits, frequent this place. Between Vasudhāra and Ratnadhāra is a fragrant kimśuka grove, always in bloom, thirty yojanas wide and a hundred long, its scent spreading for a hundred yojanas. Perfected beings dwell there, and water is abundant. There is the great abode of the god Āditya. Each month, the lord Sūrya, the progenitor, descends there, worshipped by gods and others as the creator of time. Between Pañcakūṭa and Kailāsa stretches a land a thousand yojanas long and a hundred wide, white as a swan, inaccessible to lesser beings, appearing as a stairway to heaven. Turning to the western direction, Rudra described the valleys there. Between Supārśva and Śikhi lies a land a hundred yojanas all around, rocky, always hot and difficult to touch. In its center is a circular area, thirty yojanas wide, the abode of fire. There, the divine Samvartaka fire, which destroys the worlds, blazes eternally without fuel. Between Kumuda and Añjana is a land a hundred yojanas wide called Ātuluṅgasthalī, inaccessible to all beings, covered with yellow fruits. There is a sacred lake frequented by perfected beings, and the forest of Bṛhaspati. Between the yellow and white mountains is a great valley, many hundreds of yojanas long, adorned with lotuses and filled with the humming of bees. There is the supreme abode of Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord. Between the great white and pale mountains lies a rocky area, thirty yojanas wide and ninety long, devoid of trees. There is a clear pond, its shores adorned with trees and a land-lotus, and in its center stands a great banyan tree, five yojanas in size. There, the god Maheśvara, clad in blue garments, resides, worshipped by yakṣas and others. Between Sahasraśikhara and Kumuda is a peak fifty yojanas long and twenty wide, as high as Ikṣukṣepa, frequented by many birds and adorned with various fruits and sweet saps. There is the great hermitage of Indra, built by divine intention. Between Śaṅkhakūṭa and Ṛṣabha lies the delightful land of Puruṣasthalī, many yojanas long, endowed with fragrant kaṅkolaka fruits the size of bilva fruits. Intoxicated elephants and other beings dwell there. Between Kapiñjala and Nāga is a land two hundred yojanas long and wide, and a hundred yojanas in area, adorned with various forests, clusters of grapes and dates, many trees and creepers, and many lakes. Between Puṣkara and Mahāmegha lies a great land, sixty yojanas wide and a hundred long, flat as a palm, devoid of trees and shrubs, bordered by four great forests and lakes. Scattered throughout are lands and valleys of various sizes—some ten, five, seven, eight, thirty, or twenty yojanas—some of which are extremely terrifying due to the destruction of mountains. Rudra then described the abodes of the gods on the mountains. On Shanta mountain is the playground of Mahendra, and there is the grove of Parijata trees belonging to the king of the gods. On its eastern side is Kunjara mountain, upon which stand eight ancient cities of the Danavas. On Vajraka are the ancient cities of the shape-shifting Rakshasas called Nilakas. On Mahanila are the ancient cities of the Vidyadharas, and there are fifteen thousand renowned cities of the Kinnaras, ruled by kings such as Devadatta and Chandra. These cities are golden, with underground entrances. On Chandradaya mountain is the abode of the Nagas, their entrances hidden in caves, and the Danava lords dwell there, devoted to their own realms. On Venumati are three cities of the Vidyadharas, each a hundred yojanas in breadth and length, ruled by kings like Ulukaroma and Mahavetra. On each mountain king, Garuda himself is present. On Kunjara, Pashupati always resides. The great god Mahadeva, bearing the bull and known as Shankara, the best of yogis and the primeval person, is established there. On Vasudhara is the abode of the Vasus and the flower-bearing ones. On the peaks of Vasudhara and Ratnadhara are eight and seven ancient cities, belonging to the Vasus and the Saptarishis. On Ekashringa is the seat of Prajapati, Brahma with four faces. On Gajaparvata, the goddess herself, surrounded by the great elements, abides. On Vasudhara is the dwelling of sages, Siddhas, and Vidyadharas, and there are eighty-four other cities with great walls and gateways. On Anekaparvata reside the Gandharvas, skilled in battle, their lord being Rajarajaikapingala. The Suras, Rakshasas, and Danavas have cities on Panchakuta and Shatashringa, and the Yakshas have a hundred cities. On Tamrabha is the hundred-citied city of Takshaka. On Vishakhaparvata is the abode of Guha. On Shvetodaya is the great palace of the Gandharvas. On Harikuta is the god Hari. On Kumuda is the abode of the Kinnaras. On Anjana are the great serpents. On Sahasrashikhara is the abode of the Daityas, fierce in action, and there are a thousand ancient cities of the Hemamalins. On Mukuṭa, on the wing of the mountain, are four abodes. Thus, the mountains of Meru are adorned with the abodes of the gods. On the boundary mountain Devakuta, the layout of the cities is described: at a distance of a hundred yojanas is the birthplace of Garuda. Nearby are seven Gandharva cities, each thirty yojanas wide and forty long, inhabited by the powerful Agneyas. There is also a city of the Simhikeyas, and the city of the Kalakeyas. On the southern inner slope lies the city of Sunan, belonging to the proud shape-shifters. In the middle of Hemakuta stands the banyan tree of Mahadeva. The description of Kailasa follows. On its slope, stretching a hundred yojanas, is a region adorned with a garland of worlds, with a celestial assembly hall at its center. There stands the palace called Tatpushkara, abode of Dhanada. Here are the great treasures: Padma, Mahapadma, Makara, Kacchapa, Kumuda, Shankha, Nila, Nanda, and Mahānidhi. The guardians of the worlds, beginning with Chandra, reside here. The river Mandakini flows nearby, as do the rivers Kanakamanda and Manda, along with others. On the eastern side are ten Gandharva cities, each a hundred yojanas long and thirty wide, ruled by kings such as Sakubahuharikesha and Citrasena. On the western peak are forty Yaksha cities, each eighty yojanas long and forty wide, led by Mahamali, Sunetra, and Chakra. On the southern side, in the caves of Kunjadari, are a hundred cities of the Kinnaras, extending to the ocean and ruled by a hundred kings, including Druma and Sugriva. There, the marriage of Rudra and Uma took place. Gauri performed austerities, and Rudra, in the form of a hunter, remained there. Soma and Shankara once stood together, surveying Jambudvipa.