मदंशो द्वादशो यस्तु विष्णुनामा महीतले । अवतीर्णो भवन्तं तु आराधयति शंकर ।। ७३.
The twelfth portion of myself, named Viṣṇu, has descended to earth and worships you, O Śaṃkara.
एवमुक्त्वा स्वकादंशात् सृष्ट्वादित्यं घनं तथा । नारायणः शब्दवच्च न विद्मः क्व लयं गतः ।। ७३.
Having said this, Nārāyaṇa created the sun from his own portion, and, like a sound, we do not know where he disappeared.
रुद्र उवाच । एवमेष हरिर्देवः सर्वगः सर्वभावनः । वरदोऽभूत् पुरा मह्यं तेनाहं दैवतैर्वरः ।। ७३.
Rudra said: Thus, this god Hari, all-pervading and the creator of all, once granted me a boon; therefore, among the gods, I am the foremost.
नारायणात् परो देवो न भूतो न भविष्यति । एतद् रहस्यं वेदानां पुराणानां च सत्तम । मया वः कीर्तितं सर्वं यथा विष्णुरिहेज्यते ।। ७३.
There is no god superior to Nārāyaṇa, nor has there been, nor will there be. This is the secret of the Vedas and the Purāṇas, O best of sages, which I have declared to you, as Viṣṇu is worshipped here.
श्रीवराह उवाच । पुनस्ते ऋषयः सर्वे तं पप्रच्छुः सनातनम् । रुद्रं पुराणपुरुषं शाश्वतं ध्रुवमव्ययम् । विश्वरूपमजं शंभुं त्रिनेत्रं शूलपाणिनम् ।। ७४.
Śrī Varāha said: Once again, all the sages questioned that eternal one—Rudra, the ancient person, everlasting, unchanging, imperishable, of universal form, unborn, auspicious, three-eyed, and wielder of the trident.
ऋषय ऊचुः । त्वं परः सर्वदेवानामस्माकं च सुरेश्वर । पृच्छाम तेन त्वां प्रश्नमेकं तद् वक्तुमर्हसि ।। ७४.
The sages said: You are supreme among all the gods and for us, O Lord of the gods. Therefore, we ask you a single question; you are worthy to answer it.
भूमिप्रमाणसंस्थानं पर्वतानां च विस्तरम् । समुद्राणां नदीनां च ब्रह्माण्डस्य च विस्तरम् । अस्माकं ब्रूहि कृपया देवदेव उमापते ।। ७४.
Please tell us, out of compassion, O god of gods, O consort of Umā, the measure and extent of the earth, the breadth of the mountains, the expanse of the oceans and rivers, and the dimensions of the cosmic egg.
रुद्र उवाच । सर्वेष्वेव पुराणेषु भूर्लोकः परिकीर्त्यते । ब्रह्मविष्णुभवादीनां वायव्ये च सविस्तरम् ।। ७४.
Rudra said: In all the Purāṇas, the earth realm is described in detail, especially in the northwest, as the domain of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Bhava, and others.
इदानीं च प्रवक्ष्यामि समासाद् वः क्षमान्तरम् । तन्निबोधत धर्मज्ञा गदतो मम सत्तमाः ।। ७४.
Now I will briefly explain to you the extent of the earth; listen to this, O knowers of dharma, as I speak, O best of men.
तेषां वंशप्रसूत्या तु भुक्तेयं भारती प्रजा । कृतत्रेतादियुक्त्या तु युगाख्या ह्येकसप्ततिः ।। ७४.
Through the progeny of their lineage, this Bhārata land is enjoyed by its people; and according to the sequence of Kṛta, Tretā, and other yugas, there are seventy-one such yuga cycles.
भुवनस्य प्रसङ्गेन मन्वन्तरमिदं शुभम् । स्वायंभुवं च कथितं मनोर्द्वीपान्निबोधत ।। ७४.
In connection with the world, this auspicious Manvantara has been described, as well as the Svāyambhuva Manvantara; now hear of the continents of Manu.
रुद्र उवाच । अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि जम्बूद्वीपं यथातथम् । संख्यां चापि समुद्राणां द्वीपानां चैव विस्तरम् ।। ७५.
Rudra said: Next, I will describe Jambūdvīpa as it truly is, and also the number and extent of the oceans and continents.
यावन्ति चैव वर्षाणि तेषु नद्यश्च याः स्मृताः । महाभूतप्रमाणं च गतिं चन्द्रार्कयोः पृथक् ।। ७५.
And how many regions there are within it, and which rivers are remembered there; the measure of the great elements, and the separate courses of the moon and sun.
द्वीपभेदसहस्त्राणि सप्तस्वन्तर्गतानि च । न शक्यन्ते क्रमेणेह वक्तुं यैर्विततं जगत् ।। ७५.
The thousands of divisions within the seven continents, by which the world is spread, cannot be described here in order.
सप्तद्वीपान् प्रवक्ष्यामि चन्द्रादित्यग्रहैः सह । येषां मनुष्यास्तर्केण प्रमाणानि प्रचक्षते ।। ७५.
I will describe the seven continents, along with the moon, sun, and planets, whose measures are determined by people through reasoning.
अचिन्त्याः खलु ये भावा न तांस्तर्केण साधयेत् । प्रकृतिभ्यः परं यच्च तदचिन्त्यं विभाव्यते ।। ७५.
Indeed, those things which are inconceivable cannot be established by reasoning; that which is beyond nature is to be understood as inconceivable.
नव वर्षं प्रवक्ष्यामि जम्बूद्वीपं यथातथम् । विस्तरान्मण्डलाच्चैव योजनैस्तन्निबोधत ।। ७५.
I will describe the nine regions of Jambūdvīpa as they truly are, their extent and their circular form—listen to this in terms of yojanas.
शतमेकं सहस्त्राणां योजनानां समन्ततः । नानाजनपदाकीर्णं योजनैर्विविधैः शुभैः ।। ७५.
It measures one hundred thousand yojanas all around, filled with various peoples, and marked by yojanas of various auspicious kinds.
सिद्धचारणसंकीर्णं पर्वतैरुपशोभितम् । सर्वधातुविवृद्धैश्च शिलाजालसमुद्भवैः । पर्वतप्रभवाभिश्च नदीभिः सर्वतश्चितम् ।। ७५.
It is crowded with Siddhas and Cāraṇas, adorned with mountains, rich in all kinds of minerals, with rocks arising from them, and encircled on all sides by rivers originating from the mountains.
जम्बूद्वीपः पृथुः श्रीमान् सर्वतः परिमण्डलः । नवभिश्चावृतः श्रीमान् भुवनैर्भूतभावनः ।। ७५.
Jambūdvīpa is vast and splendid, perfectly circular on all sides, surrounded by nine regions, and the source of all beings.
लवणेन समुद्रेण सर्वतः परिवारितः । जम्बूद्वीपस्य विस्तारात् समेन तु समन्ततः ।। ७५.
It is encircled on all sides by the salt ocean, equal in extent to Jambūdvīpa itself.
तस्य प्रागायता दीर्घा षडेते वर्षपर्वताः । उभयत्रावगाढाश्च समुद्रौ पूर्वपश्चिमौ ।। ७५.
Six long mountain ranges extend eastward from it, called the Varsha mountains; on both sides, the eastern and western oceans penetrate deeply.
हिमप्रायश्च हिमवान् हेमकूटश्च हेमवान् । सर्वत्र सुसुखश्चापि निषधः पर्वतो महान् ।। ७५.
Himavat is mostly snowy, Hemakuta is golden, and everywhere the great mountain Nishadha is very pleasant.
चतुर्वर्णःस सौवर्णो मेरुश्चोल्बमयो गिरिः । वृत्ताकृतिप्रमाणश्च चतुरस्त्रः समुच्छितः ।। ७५.
Meru, the mountain of four colors, is golden and made of crystal; it is round in shape and size, and also square and elevated.
नानावर्णस्तु पार्श्वेषु प्रजापतिगुणान्वितः । नाभिमण्डलसंभूतो ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः ।। ७५.
Its sides are of various colors and endowed with the qualities of Prajapati; it arises from the navel circle of Brahma, the supreme lord.
पूर्वतः श्वेतवर्णस्तु ब्रह्मण्यं तेन तस्य तत् । पीतश्च दक्षिणेनासौ तेन वैश्यत्वमिष्यते ।। ७५.
On the eastern side, it is white in color, which is associated with Brahmanhood; on the southern side, it is yellow, which is considered to signify the Vaishya status.
भृङ्गपत्रनिभश्चासौ पश्चिमेन यतोऽथ सः । तेनास्य शूद्रता प्रोक्ता मेरोर्नामार्थकर्मणः ।। ७५.
On the western side, it resembles the color of a bee's wing, and thus is said to represent the Shudra status, according to the name and function of Meru.
पार्श्वमुत्तरतस्तस्य रक्तवर्णं विभाव्यते। तेनास्य क्षत्रभावः स्यादिति वर्णाः प्रकीर्तिताः ।। ७५.
On its northern side, a red color is perceived; this is said to signify the Kshatriya status, thus the colors are described.
वृत्तः स्वभावतः प्रोक्तो वर्णतः परिमाणतः । नीलश्च वैदूर्यमयः श्वेतशुक्लो हिरण्मयः । मयूरबर्हिवर्णस्तु शातकौम्भश्च श्रृङ्गवान् ।। ७५.
It is naturally round, as stated, both in color and size; it is blue, made of beryl, white and bright, golden, colored like a peacock's tail, and has golden peaks.
योऽसौ सकलविद्यावबोधितपरमात्मरूपी विगतकल्मषः परमाणुरचिन्त्त्यात्मा नारायणः सकललोकालोकव्यापी पीताम्बरोरुवक्षः क्षितिधरो गुणतोमुख्यतस्तु - अणुमहद्दीर्घह्रस्वमकृशमलोहितमित्येवमाद्योपलक्षित - विज्ञानमात्ररूपम् । स भगवांस्त्रिप्रकारः सत्त्व -{५} रजस्तमोद्रिक्तः सलिलं ससर्ज । तच्च सृष्ट्वा - नादिपुरुषः परमेश्वरो नारायणः सकलजगन्मयः सर्वमयो देवमयो यज्ञमय आपोमय आपोमूर्त्तिर्योगनिद्रया सुप्तस्य तस्य नाभौ सदब्जं निःससार । तस्मिन्सकल - वेदनिधिरचिन्त्यात्मा परमेश्वरो ब्रह्मा प्रजापतिर -{१०} भवत् स च सनकसनन्दनसनत्कुमारादीन् ज्ञानधर्मिणः पूर्वमुत्पाद्य पश्चान्मनुं स्वायंभुवं मरीच्यादीन् दक्षान्तान् ससर्ज । यः स्वयंभुवो मनुर्भगवता सृष्टस्तस्मादारभ्य भुवनस्यातिविस्तरो वर्ण्यते । तस्य च मनोर्द्वौ पुत्रौ बभूवतुः प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ । {१५} प्रियव्रतस्य दश पुत्रा बभूवुः । आग्नीघ्रोऽग्निबाहु - र्मेधो मेधातिथिर्ध्रुवो ज्योतिष्मान् द्युतिमान् हव्यवपुष्मत्सवनान्ताः । स च प्रियव्रतः सप्तद्वीपेषु सप्त पुत्रान् स्थापयामास । तत्र चाग्नीध्रं जम्बूद्वीपेश्वरं चक्रे। {२०} शाकद्वीपेश्वरं मेधातिथिं कुशे ज्योतिष्मन्तं क्रौञ्चे द्युतिमन्तं शाल्मले वपुष्मन्तं गोमेदस्येश्वरं हव्यं पुष्कराधिपतिं सवनमिति । पुष्करेशस्यापि सवनस्य द्वौ पुत्रौ महावीतधातकी भवेताम् ।। {२५} तयोर्देशौ गोमेदश्च नाम्ना व्यवस्थितौ । धातकेर्धातकीखण्डं कुमुदस्य च कौमुदम् । शाल्मलाधिपतेरपि वपुष्मन्तस्य त्रयः पुत्राः सकुशवैद्युतजीमूतनामानः । सकुशस्य सकुशनामा देशः वैद्युतस्य वैद्युतः {३०} जीमूतस्य जीमूत इति एते शाल्मलेर्देशा इति तथा च द्युतिमतः सप्त पुत्रकाः कुशलो मनुगोष्ठौष्णः पीवरोद्यान्धकारकमुनिदुन्दुभिश्चेति । तन्नाम्ना क्रौञ्चे सप्त महादेशनामानि । कुशद्वीपेश्वरस्यापि ज्योतिष्मतः सप्तैव पुत्रास्तद्यथा उद्भिदो वेणुमां - {३५} श्चैव रथोपलम्बनो धृतिः प्रभाकरः - कपिल इति। तन्नामान्येव वर्षाणि द्रष्टव्यानि शाकाधिपस्यापि सप्त पुत्रा मेधातिथेस्तद्यथा शान्तभयशिशिरसुखोदयंनन्दशिवक्षेमकध्रुवा इति एते सप्त पुत्राः एतन्नामान्येव वर्षाणि । {४०} अथ जम्बूद्वीपेश्वरस्यापि आग्नीध्रस्य नव पुत्रा बभूवुः । तद्यथा नाभिः किंपुरुषो हरिवर्ष इलावृतो रम्यको हिरण्मयः कुरुर्भद्राश्वः केतुमालश्चेति । एतन्नामान्येव वर्षाणि । नाभेर्हेमवन्तं हेमकूटं किंपुरुषं नैषधं हरिवर्षं मेरुमध्यमिलावृत्तं नीलं रम्यकं श्वेतं हिरण्मयं {४५} उत्तरं च श्रृङ्गवतः कुरवो माल्यवन्तं भद्राश्वं गन्धमादनं केतुमालमिति । एवं स्वायंभुवेऽन्तरे भुवन- प्रतिष्ठा । कल्पे कल्पे चैवमेव सप्त सप्त पार्थिवैः क्रियते भूमेः पालनं व्यवस्था च । एष स्वभावः कल्पस्य सदा भवतीति । {५०} अत्र नाभेः सर्गं कथयामि । नाभिर्मेरुदेव्यां पुत्रमजनयद् ऋषभनामानं तस्य भरतो जज्ञे पुत्रश्च तावदग्रजः । तस्य भरतस्य पिता ऋषभो हिमाद्रेर्दक्षिणं वर्षमदाद् भारतं नाम । भरतस्यापि पुत्रः सुमतिर्नामा । तस्य राज्यं दत्त्वा भरतोऽपि वनं ययौ । {५५} सुमतेस्तेजस्तत्पुत्रः सत्सुर्नामा । तस्यापीन्द्रद्युम्नो नाम । तस्यापि परमेष्ठी तस्यापि प्रतिहर्त्ता तस्य निखातः निखातस्य उन्नेता उन्नेतुरप्यभावस्तस्योद्गाता तस्य प्रस्तोता प्रस्तोतुश्च विभुः विभोः पृथुः पृथोरनन्तः अनन्तस्यापि गयः गयस्य नयस्तस्य विराटः {६०} तस्यापि महावीर्यस्ततः सुधीमान् धीमतो महान् महतो भौमनो भौमनस्य त्वष्टा त्वष्टुर्विरजाः तस्य राजो राजस्य शतजित् । {६३} तस्य पुत्रशतं जज्ञे तेनेमा वर्द्धिताः प्रजाः । तैरिदं भारतं वर्षं सप्तद्वीपं समाङ्कितम् ।। ७४.
That supreme self, who is realized through all knowledge, free from all impurity, subtle beyond thought, Nārāyaṇa, who pervades all worlds and their light, whose broad chest is adorned with yellow garments, who bears the earth, and who is characterized by qualities such as smallness, greatness, length, shortness, leanness, redness, and so on—he, whose form is pure consciousness, that blessed Lord, manifesting in three ways—sattva, rajas, and tamas—created the waters. Having created them, the primeval person, the supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa, who is the essence of all worlds, all gods, all sacrifice, and all water, whose form is water, while lying in yogic sleep, produced a lotus from his navel. In that lotus, the repository of all the Vedas, the inconceivable supreme Lord, Brahmā, the lord of creatures, appeared. He first created Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatkumāra, and others, who are devoted to knowledge, and then later created Manu Svāyambhuva, Marīci, and the rest, up to Dakṣa. Manu Svāyambhuva, created by the blessed Lord, from him the vast expanse of the world is described. That Manu had two sons, Priyavrata and Uttānapāda. Priyavrata had ten sons: Āgnīdhra, Agnibāhu, Medha, Medhātithi, Dhruva, Jyotiṣmān, Dyutimān, Havyavapu, Matsya, and Savanānta. Priyavrata established seven of his sons as rulers over the seven continents. Among them, he made Āgnīdhra the lord of Jambūdvīpa; Medhātithi, lord of Śākadvīpa; Jyotiṣmān, lord of Kuśadvīpa; Dyutimān, lord of Krauñcadvīpa; Vapuṣmān, lord of Śālmaladvīpa; Havya, lord of Gomeda; and Savanānta, lord of Puṣkara. Puṣkara's lord Savanānta had two sons, Mahāvīta and Dhātakī, whose regions are known as Gomeda and Dhātakī by name. Dhātakī's region is Dhātakīkhaṇḍa, and Kumuda's is Kaumuda. The lord of Śālmaladvīpa, Vapuṣmān, had three sons named Sakuśa, Vaidyuta, and Jīmūta. Sakuśa's region is Sakuśa, Vaidyuta's is Vaidyuta, and Jīmūta's is Jīmūta—these are the regions of Śālmaladvīpa. Similarly, Dyutimān had seven sons: Kuśala, Manugu, Goṣṭha, Uṣṇa, Pīvara, Udyānda, and Munidundubhi—these are the seven great regions of Krauñcadvīpa. The lord of Kuśadvīpa, Jyotiṣmān, also had seven sons: Udbhida, Veṇumāna, Rathopala, Ambana, Dhṛti, Prabhākara, and Kapila—these are to be known as the regions. The lord of Śākadvīpa, Medhātithi, also had seven sons: Śānta, Bhaya, Śiśira, Sukha, Udaya, Ānanda, and Śivakṣema—these are the regions. Now, the lord of Jambūdvīpa, Āgnīdhra, had nine sons: Nābhi, Kiṃpuruṣa, Harivarṣa, Ilāvṛta, Ramyaka, Hiraṇmaya, Kuru, Bhadrāśva, and Ketumāla—these are the regions. Nābhi's region is Hemavanta and Hemakūṭa; Kiṃpuruṣa's is Naiṣadha; Harivarṣa's is Merumadhya; Ilāvṛta's is Nīla; Ramyaka's is Śveta; Hiraṇmaya's is Uttara; Kuru's is Śṛṅgavata; Bhadrāśva's is Mālyavanta; Ketumāla's is Gandhamādana—thus, the establishment of the worlds in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara. In every cycle, the earth is governed and maintained by seven rulers. This is the constant nature of the kalpa. Now, I will tell the story of Nābhi's lineage. Nābhi, by Merudevī, begot a son named Ṛṣabha, whose son was Bharata, the eldest. Ṛṣabha gave the southern region of the Himālaya, called Bhārata, to his son Bharata. Bharata's son was Sumati. After giving the kingdom to his son, Bharata too went to the forest. Sumati's son was Tejasa, whose son was Satsura. His son was Indradyumna; his son was Parameṣṭhī; his son was Pratihartṛ; his son was Nikhāta; Nikhāta's son was Unneta; Unneta's son was Abhāva; Abhāva's son was Udgāta; Udgāta's son was Prastotṛ; Prastotṛ's son was Vibhu; Vibhu's son was Pṛthu; Pṛthu's son was Ananta; Ananta's son was Gaya; Gaya's son was Naya; Naya's son was Virāṭ; Virāṭ's son was Mahāvīrya; Mahāvīrya's son was Sudhīman; Sudhīman's son was Dhīmat; Dhīmat's son was Mahān; Mahān's son was Bhaumana; Bhaumana's son was Tvaṣṭṛ; Tvaṣṭṛ's son was Virajā; Virajā's son was Rāja; Rāja's son was Śatajit. Śatajit had a hundred sons, by whom the people increased. Through them, this Bhārata region, marked by seven continents, was established.