Having described in detail the many inner valleys near the magnificent Mount Meru, Rudra turned to the southern slopes, where the mountain valleys are home to perfected beings. Between the peaks of Śiśira and Pataṅga lies a white land, where the creepers have shed their leaves and trees grow sparse. Yet, atop the summit of Ikṣukṣepa, there flourishes a delightful fig grove, alive with flocks of birds. The fruits in this grove are remarkable, shining and large, resembling great tortoises. Rivers of clear, sweet water flow through this land, nourishing the renowned hermitage of the progenitor Kardama, which is always crowded with sages. This forest forms a perfect circle, measuring a hundred yojanas across. Elsewhere, between Tāmrābha and Pataṅga, there stretches a vast and beautiful lake, a hundred yojanas wide and twice as long, its shores adorned with lotuses that shine like young suns, each with countless petals. Perfected beings and gandharvas dwell here. In the lake’s center rises a great peak, a hundred yojanas long and thirty wide, glittering with minerals and gems. Atop this peak stands a grand avenue with gateways and arches of jewels, and here is the splendid city of the vidyādharas, ruled by King Puloma and surrounded by a hundred thousand followers. Moving on, between Vikhākhā and Śveta mountains, another lake rests, and on its eastern shore is a grand mango grove filled with golden, fragrant fruits as large as great jars. Gods and gandharvas make their home here. Between Sumula and Vasudhāra lies a land thirty yojanas wide and fifty long, known as Bilvasthalī, where coral-red fruits moisten the ground as they fall, and secretive beings feast on bilva fruits. Between Vasudhāra and Ratnadhāra, a fragrant kimśuka grove always blooms, spreading its scent for a hundred yojanas. Here, perfected beings dwell, and water is abundant. It is also the great abode of Āditya, and each month, Lord Sūrya, the progenitor, descends to this place, worshipped by gods and others as the creator of time. Between Pañcakūṭa and Kailāsa, there stretches a land a thousand yojanas long and a hundred wide, white as a swan and inaccessible to lesser beings, appearing as a stairway to heaven. Turning westward, Rudra described the valleys there. Between Supārśva and Śikhi is a rocky land, a hundred yojanas all around, always hot and difficult to touch. At its center is a circular area, thirty yojanas wide, the abode of fire, where the divine Samvartaka fire, destined to destroy the worlds, blazes eternally without fuel. Between Kumuda and Añjana lies Ātuluṅgasthalī, a land a hundred yojanas wide, covered in yellow fruits and inaccessible to ordinary beings. Here is a sacred lake frequented by perfected beings and the forest of Bṛhaspati. Between the yellow and white mountains, a great valley extends for many hundreds of yojanas, adorned with lotuses and filled with the humming of bees. Here stands the supreme abode of Lord Viṣṇu. Between the great white and pale mountains is a rocky area, thirty yojanas wide and ninety long, devoid of trees but with a clear pond surrounded by trees and a lotus land. At its center stands a great banyan tree, five yojanas in size, where Maheśvara, clad in blue garments, resides, worshipped by yakṣas and others. Between Sahasraśikhara and Kumuda, a peak rises fifty yojanas long and twenty wide, as high as Ikṣukṣepa, frequented by many birds and adorned with fruits and sweet saps. Here is the great hermitage of Indra, built by divine intention. Between Śaṅkhakūṭa and Ṛṣabha lies the delightful land of Puruṣasthalī, filled with fragrant kaṅkolaka fruits the size of bilva fruits, and inhabited by intoxicated elephants and others. Between Kapiñjala and Nāga, a land two hundred yojanas long and wide, and a hundred in area, is adorned with forests, grape and date clusters, many trees and creepers, and numerous lakes. Between Puṣkara and Mahāmegha lies a great, flat land sixty yojanas wide and a hundred long, devoid of trees and shrubs, bordered by four great forests and lakes. There are lands and valleys of various sizes, some terrifying due to the destruction of mountains. Rudra then described the abodes of the gods on the mountains. On Shanta mountain is Mahendra’s playground and the grove of Parijata trees belonging to the king of the gods. On the eastern side stands Kunjara mountain, upon which are eight ancient cities of the Danavas. On Vajraka mountain are many ancient cities of the Rakshasas, called Nilakas, who are shape-shifters. On Mahanila mountain are the ancient cities of the Vidyadharas, and there are fifteen thousand golden cities of the Kinnaras, with kings such as Devadatta and Chandra ruling over them. These cities have entrances leading underground. On Chandradaya mountain is the abode of the Nagas, with their underground cities in caves, and the Danava lords established there. On Venumati are three vast cities of the Vidyadharas, ruled by kings like Ulukaroma and Mahavetra. On every mountain king, Garuda himself is present. On Kunjara mountain, Pashupati always resides. The great god Mahadeva, bearing the bull and the best of yogis, is established there. On Vasudhara is the abode of the Vasus and the flower-bearing ones. The peaks of Vasudhara and Ratnadhāra hold eight and seven ancient cities, belonging to the Vasus and the Saptarishis. On Ekashringa mountain is the seat of Prajapati, Brahma with four faces. On Gajaparvata, the goddess herself abides, surrounded by the great elements. On Vasudhara’s excellent mountain dwell sages, Siddhas, and Vidyadharas, and there are eighty-four other cities with grand walls and gateways. On Anekaparvata live the Gandharvas, skilled in battle, led by the god Rajarajaikapingala. The Suras, Rakshasas, and Danavas have cities on Pañcakūṭa 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 mountain 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 deed, with a thousand ancient cities of the Hemamalins. On Mukuṭa, on the mountain’s wing, are four abodes. Thus, the mountains of Meru are filled with the abodes of gods. On the boundary mountain Devakuta, the cities are laid out. At a distance of a hundred yojanas is the birthplace of Garuda, and on its side are seven Gandharva cities, each thirty yojanas wide and forty long. The Gandharvas here are called Agneyas, powerful by nature. There is also a city of the Simhikeyas and the city of the Kalakeyas. On the southern inner slope is Sunan, the city of proud shape-shifters. In the middle of Hemakuta stands the banyan tree of Mahadeva. Now, Kailasa is described. On its slope is a region a hundred yojanas long, adorned with a garland of worlds, and in its center stands the celestial palace Tatpushkara, the abode of Dhanada. Here reside the great treasures—Padma, Mahapadma, Makara, Kacchapa, Kumuda, Shankha, Nila, Nanda, and Mahānidhi—and the guardians of the worlds, beginning with Chandra. The rivers Mandakini, Kanakamanda, and Manda flow here, among others. On the eastern side are ten Gandharva cities, each a hundred yojanas long and thirty wide, ruled by kings like Sakubahuharikesha and Citrasena. On the western peak are forty Yaksha cities, each eighty yojanas long and forty wide, with leaders such as Mahamali, Sunetra, and Chakra. On the southern side, in the caves of Kunjadari, are a hundred cities of the Kinnaras, extending to the ocean, ruled by a hundred kings headed by Druma and Sugriva. Here, the marriage of Rudra and Uma took place, and Gauri performed her austerities, while Rudra, in the form of a hunter, remained nearby. There, Soma and Shankara together surveyed Jambudvipa. The grove of Uma, sung by Kinnaras and Gandharvas and adorned with flowering creepers, is where Maheshvara attained the form of Ardhanarishvara. The autumnal forest of Kartikeya is also here. Between Pushpa and Citrakrauncha, Kartikeya was anointed, and on the eastern slope is Kalapagrama, the abode of the Siddha sages. Thousands of hermitages of great sages—Markandeya, Vasishtha, Parashara, Nala, Vishvamitra, and Uddalaka—are found here. On the western mountain king, Nishadha, the central peak is the abode of Vishnu and Mahadeva. On the northern slope is Lamba, a great city of the Rakshasas, and on the southern side is an underground city. To the west of Prabhedaka are the ancient cities of gods, Danavas, and Siddhas. On the summit is the great Soma rock, where Soma himself descends during the full moon. On the northern side is Trikuta, where Brahma sometimes abides, and there is the abode of Agni, worshipped by the gods in embodied form. Thus ends the description of the eighty-first chapter in the divine Varaha Purana. Rudra continued, describing the descent of the sacred rivers. From the sky-ocean, the celestial river arises, constantly stirred by Indra’s elephant, and soars to a height of eighty-four thousand units, creating a splendid view of Mount Meru. From Meru’s peaks, it splits into four mighty streams, falling for sixty thousand yojanas before circling the mountain and flowing in four directions. These rivers—Sita, Alakananda, Chakshubhadra—break through countless mountains and reach the earth, and are known as Ganga. On the side of Gandhamadana mountain lies Amaragandika, stretching thirty-one thousand yojanas in length and four hundred in breadth, inhabited by the Ketumala peoples: mighty, dark-skinned men and lotus-colored, beautiful women. Great jackfruit trees grow here, and the lord is a son of Brahma. By drinking from the wells, people here live ten thousand years, free from old age and disease. On the eastern side of Malyavat mountain is Purvagandika, a thousand yojanas from a single peak, home to the Bhadrasva people and the Bhadrasala forest. The men are white, the women water-lily colored, and their lifespan is ten thousand years. Five clan-mountains—Shailavarna, Malakhya, Koraja, Triparna, and Nila—give their names to the regions, whose people drink from rivers such as Sita, Suvahini, Hamsavati, and many others as sacred as the Ganga, said to destroy all sin. Those who drink from these rivers live for ten thousand years. Rudra then spoke of the rivers of the Kulachala region, west of Nishadha mountain. From seven clan-mountains—Vishakha, Kambala, Jayanta, Krishna, Harita, Ashoka, Vardhamana—countless rivers arise, and the inhabitants take their names from them. The principal rivers are Plaksha, Mahakadamba, Manasi, Shyama, Sumedha, and many more, with thousands of minor rivers flowing throughout the land. Rudra now described the northern and southern regions and the mountain dwellers. To the south of Shveta and north of Nila, in the northwest, lies Ramyaka, where humans are wise, pure, and free from old age and impurity. Here grows the great red Nyagrodha tree; by eating its fruit and drinking its sap, the people live for ten thousand years, appearing like gods. North of Shveta and south of Trishringa is Hiranyamaya, through which flows the river Hairanvati. Powerful yakshas, able to assume any form, dwell here, and communities of eleven thousand people live together, while other regions have smaller populations.