Between the mighty mountains of Kapiñjala and Nāga lies a vast and beautiful land, stretching two hundred yojanas in length and breadth, and covering an area of a hundred yojanas. This region is adorned with a wealth of forests, where clusters of grapes and dates flourish amidst countless trees and creepers, and many serene lakes glisten under the sun. Similarly, between the mountains of Puṣkara and Mahāmegha, there exists a great expanse of land, sixty yojanas wide and a hundred yojanas long, flat as the palm of one’s hand and devoid of trees and shrubs. On its borders stand four grand forests and lakes, each spanning many yojanas, and the landscape is marked by valleys and lands of various sizes—ten, five, seven, eight, thirty, and twenty yojanas—some of which are terrifying due to the destruction of mountains. Now, hear of the abodes of the gods upon these sacred mountains. On the mountain called Shanta is the splendid playground of Mahendra, the king of the gods. Here, the grove of Parijata trees belongs to Indra himself. To the east lies the mountain Kunjara, upon which stand eight ancient cities of the Danavas. On the renowned mountain Vajraka, the shape-shifting Rakshasas, known as Nilakas, dwell in many ancient cities. The great mountain Mahanila is home to the ancient cities of the Vidyadharas, and nearby, there are fifteen thousand celebrated cities of the Kinnaras, ruled with pride by kings such as Devadatta and Chandra. These cities are fashioned of gold, with entrances that lead deep underground. On the mountain Chandradaya, the Nagas have their abode, their secret entrances hidden in caves, while the Danava lords, devoted to their realms, are established there. On Venumati, three great cities of the Vidyadharas stretch a hundred yojanas in every direction, ruled by their kings Ulukaroma and Mahavetra. Upon each mountain king, Garuda himself is present. On Kunjara, Pashupati, the great Mahadeva, always resides—he who bears the bull, Shankara, the supreme yogi and lord of countless hosts, the primeval person. On Vasudhara is the dwelling of the Vasus and the flower-bearing ones. The peaks of Vasudhara and Ratnadhara are crowned with ancient cities—eight belonging to the Vasus, and seven to the Saptarishis. On the excellent mountain Ekashringa is the seat of Prajapati, Brahma with four faces. On Gajaparvata, the goddess herself dwells, surrounded by the great elements. Vasudhara also shelters sages, Siddhas, and Vidyadharas, and there are eighty-four other fortified cities. On the mountain called Anekaparvata live the Gandharvas, skilled in battle, ruled by the god Rajarajaikapingala. The Suras, Rakshasas, and Danavas have their cities on Panchakuta and Shatashringa, while the Yakshas possess a hundred cities. On Tamrabha is the hundred-citied city of Takshaka. Vishakhaparvata is the abode of Guha, and on Shvetodaya stands the grand palace of the Gandharvas. On Harikuta, the god Hari is present; Kumuda is the home of the Kinnaras; Anjana shelters the mighty serpents; and Sahasrashikhara is the abode of the fierce Daityas, with a thousand ancient cities of the Hemamalins. On the winged mountain Mukuṭa are four splendid abodes. Thus, the mountains of Meru are filled with the dwellings of gods. On the boundary mountain Devakuta, a hundred yojanas distant, is the birthplace of Garuda. Seven Gandharva cities, each thirty yojanas wide and forty long, are found there, inhabited by the powerful Agneyas. The Simhikeyas have a city thirty yojanas in circumference, and nearby is the city of the Kalakeyas. On the southern inner slope lies Sunan, a city of shape-shifters, thirty yojanas wide and sixty-two long. In the heart of Hemakuta stands the great banyan tree of Mahadeva. Now, let us turn to Kailasa. On its slope is a region a hundred yojanas long, adorned with a garland of worlds, and at its center is a celestial assembly hall—the palace called Tatpushkara, the abode of Dhanada. Here reside the great treasures: Padma, Mahapadma, Makara, Kacchapa, Kumuda, Shankha, Nila, Nanda, and Mahānidhi. The guardians of the worlds, beginning with Chandra, dwell here, and the sacred rivers Mandakini, Kanakamanda, and Manda flow nearby. On Kailasa’s 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, with Mahamali, Sunetra, and Chakra as their leaders. To the south, in the caves of Kunjadari, are a hundred cities of the Kinnaras, stretching to the ocean and ruled by a hundred kings, among them Druma and Sugriva. Here, the marriage of Rudra and Uma took place; Gauri performed austerities, and Rudra, in the form of a hunter, remained there. Soma and Shankara, standing together, surveyed the vastness of Jambudvipa. The grove of Uma, adorned with flowering creepers and praised by many Kinnaras and Gandharvas, is where the blessed Maheshvara attained the form of Ardhanarishvara. There is also the autumnal forest of Kartikeya, and between Pushpa and Citrakrauncha, Kartikeya was anointed. On its eastern slope is the abode of the Siddha sages, called Kalapagrama, with thousands of hermitages of great sages such as Markandeya, Vasishtha, Parashara, Nala, Vishvamitra, and Uddalaka. On the western mountain king, Nishadha, the central peak is the abode of Vishnu and Mahadeva. On its northern slope is the great city Lamba, thirty yojanas wide, belonging to the Rakshasas, and on the southern side is an underground city. To the west of Prabhedaka are ancient cities of the gods, Danavas, and Siddhas. At the summit is the great Soma rock, upon which, during the full moon, Soma himself descends. On the northern side is Trikuta, where Brahma sometimes abides, and the abode of Agni, worshipped by the gods in embodied form, is also found. Thus ends the eighty-first chapter in the divine Varaha Purana. Now, listen to the descent of the sacred rivers. The sky-ocean, renowned by that name, gives rise to a river that flows through the heavens, constantly agitated by Indra’s elephant. It soars to a height of eighty-four thousand units and creates a splendid vision of Mount Meru. From the edge of Meru’s peaks, it divides into four streams, falling unsupported for sixty thousand yojanas, circling Meru, and proceeding in four directions—named Sita, Alakananda, and Chakshubhadra. These rivers cleave through hundreds of thousands of mountains and reach the earth, and thus they are called Ganga. On the side of Gandhamadana mountain flows the Amaragandika, thirty-one thousand yojanas long and four hundred wide, where the Ketumala peoples reside. The men are dark-skinned and mighty, the women lotus-colored and beautiful, and great jackfruit trees abound. Their lord is a son of Brahma. By drinking from the wells there, people live for 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, where the Bhadrasva people and the Bhadrasala forest are found. The men are white, the women water-lily colored, and their lifespan is ten thousand years. There are five clan-mountains: Shailavarna, Malakhya, Koraja, Triparna, and Nila. The regions named after these mountains are inhabited by those who dwell in their waters, and they drink from the rivers Sita, Suvahini, Hamsavati, Kasa, Mahachakra, Chandravati, Kaveri, Surasa, Shakhavati, Indravati, Angaravahini, Haritoya, Somavarta, Shatahrada, Vanamala, Vasumati, Hamsa, Suparna, Panchaganga, Dhanushmati, Manivapra, Subrahmabhaga, Vilasini, Krishnatoya, Punyoda, Nagavati, Shiva, Shevalini, Manitata, Kshiroda, Varunavati, Vishnupadi, Mahanadi, Hiranyaskandhavaha, Suravati, Kamoda, and Pataka. These rivers are equal in sanctity to the Ganga, destroying sin from birth to death, and there are countless minor rivers as well. Those who drink from these rivers live for ten thousand years. Rudra then said: the nature of the Bhadrasva people and the Ketumala region has been described. Now, west of the Nishadha mountain, the rivers of the Kulachala region are mentioned. From the seven clan-mountains—Vishakha, Kambala, Jayanta, Krishna, Harita, Ashoka, and Vardhamana—countless rivers arise, and the inhabitants of these regions are named accordingly. Among them are the peoples of Sauragrama, Tasamtapa, Krtasurashravana, Kambalamaha, Heyachalakuta, Vasamula, Tapakrauncha, Krishna, Angamani, Pankajachuda, Malasomiya, Samudrantaka, Kurakunca, Suvarna, Tatakakuha, Shvetanga, Krishnapata, Vidaka, Pilakarni, Kamahisha, Kubja, Karanata, Mahotkata, Shukanasa, Gajabhuma, Kakuranjana, Manaha, Kinkisa, Parna, Bhaumaka, Coraka, Dhumajanma, Anga, Rajat, Ivana, Jivalau, Kilavacha, Sahanga, Madhureya, Shukeca, Keyashravana, Matta, Kasi, Godava, Amakulapanja, Varjja, Hamoda, and Saalaka. These peoples drink from the rivers arising from their mountains. The principal rivers include Plaksha, Mahakadamba, Manasi, Shyama, Sumedha, Bahula, Vivarna, Punkha, Mala, Darbhavati, Bhadranadi, Shukanadi, Pallava, Bhima, Prabhanjana, Kamba, Kushavati, Daksha, Kasavati, Tunga, Punyoda, Chandravati, Sumulavati, Kakudmini, Vishala, Karantaka, Pivari, Mahamaya, Mahishi, Manushi, and Chanda, with thousands of minor rivers as well. Rudra continued: Of all the northern and southern regions, and those who dwell in the mountains, I will describe them according to tradition. Listen, O sages, with concentration. To the south of Shveta and north of Nila, in the northwest, is the region called Ramyaka, where wise and pure humans are born, free from old age and foulness. There is a great red Nyagrodha tree, whose fruit and sap grant all people a lifespan of ten thousand years and an appearance like the gods. North of Shveta and south of Trishringa is the region called Hiranyamaya, through which flows the river Hairanvati. Here, powerful Yakshas reside, able to assume any form, and eleven thousand people live together, while other regions have populations of ten or five hundred each. In that land, Lakucha and small trees grow, and humans live by eating their fruit. In Trishringa, with peaks of gems, gold, and jewels, from its northern peak to the southern ocean, dwell the Uttarakurus. Here, clothes and ornaments grow on trees, and there are milk-trees and milk-liquors. The ground is covered with jewels and golden sand. People descended from heaven live here, enjoying a lifespan of thirteen thousand years. To the west of this island, four thousand yojanas beyond, is Chandradvipa, a circular land a thousand yojanas across, belonging to the gods. In its center are two great mountains, Chandrakanta and Suryakanta, between which flows the river Chandravati, surrounded by fruit trees and rivers. This is the Kuruvasha region.