Varaha Purana

महावर्षाणि ख्यातानि चत्वार्यत्र च संस्थिताः । तत्र पर्वतसंस्थानो मेरुर्नाम महाबलः ।। ७५.

There are four great regions established there, and in their midst stands the mighty mountain called Meru.

नानावर्णः स पार्श्वेषु पूर्वतः श्वेत उच्यते । पीतं च दक्षिणं तस्य भृङ्गवर्णं तु पश्चिमम् ।। ७५.

It is of various colors on its sides: to the east it is called white, to the south yellow, and to the west the color of a bee.

उत्तरं रक्तवर्णं तु तस्य पार्श्वं महात्मनः । मेरुस्तु शोभते शुक्लो राजवंशे तु धिष्ठितः ।। ७५.

Its northern side is red in color; Meru, radiant and white, is established among royal lineages.

तरुणादित्यसंकाशो विधूम इव पावकः । योजनानां सहस्त्राणि चतुराशीतिरुच्छ्रितः ।। ७५.

It shines like the rising sun, like a smokeless fire, and rises to a height of eighty-four thousand yojanas.

प्रविष्टः षोडशाधस्ताद्विस्तृतः षोडशैव तु । शरावसंस्थितत्वाच्च द्वात्रिंशन्मूर्ध्नि विस्तृतः ।। ७५.

It extends sixteen yojanas below the surface and is also sixteen yojanas wide; at the summit, shaped like a dish, it spreads to thirty-two yojanas.

विस्तारस्त्रिगुणश्चास्य परिणाहः समन्ततः । मण्डलेन प्रमाणेन व्यस्यमानं तदिष्यते ।। ७५.

Its breadth is three times its circumference on all sides; this is considered its measurement by the circle.

नवतिश्च सहस्त्राणि योजनानां समन्ततः । ततः षट्काधिकानां च व्यस्यमानं प्रकीर्त्तितम् । चतुरस्त्रेण मानेन परिणाहः समन्ततः ।। ७५.

Its total circumference is said to be ninety thousand yojanas, and, measured in a square, it is described as ninety-six thousand yojanas all around.

स पर्वतो महादिव्यो दिव्यौषधिसमन्वितः । सवनैरावृतः सर्वो जातरूपमयैः शुभैः ।। ७५.

That great and divine mountain is endowed with celestial herbs and is entirely surrounded by beautiful golden plateaus.

तत्र देवगणाः सर्वे गन्धर्वोरगराक्षसाः । शैलराजे प्रमोदन्ते तथैवाप्सरसां गणाः ।। ७५.

There, all the hosts of gods, Gandharvas, Nāgas, and Rākṣasas, as well as the groups of Apsarases, delight on the king of mountains.

स तु मेरुः परिवृतो भवनैर्भूतभावनैः । चत्वारो यस्य देशास्तु नानापार्श्वेषु धिष्ठिताः ।। ७५.

That Meru is surrounded by abodes that nurture beings, and four regions are established on its various sides.

भद्राश्वो भारतश्चैव केतुमालश्च पश्चिमे । उत्तरे कुरवश्चैव कृतपुण्यप्रतिश्रयाः ।। ७५.

Bhadrāśva and Bhārata are to the east, Ketumāla to the west, and to the north are the Kurus, sanctuaries for those who have performed meritorious deeds.

कर्णिका तस्य पद्मस्य समन्तात् परिमण्डला । योजनानां सहस्त्राणि योजनानां प्रमाणतः ।। ७५.

The pericarp of that lotus is perfectly circular all around, measuring thousands of yojanas in extent.

तस्य केसरजालानि नवषट् च प्रकीर्त्तिताः । चतुरशीतिरुत्सेधो विवरान्तरगोचराः ।। ७५.

It is said to have nine and six filaments, with a height of eighty-four yojanas, and they are visible in the spaces between.

त्रिंशच्चापि सहस्त्राणि योजनानां प्रमाणतः । तस्य केसरजालानि विकीर्णानि समन्ततः ।। ७५.

There are also thirty thousand yojanas in extent, and its filaments are scattered all around.

शतसाहस्त्रमायाममशीतिः पृथुलानि च । चत्वारि तत्र पर्णानि योजनानां चतुर्दश ।। ७५.

Its length is one hundred thousand yojanas, and its breadth is eighty; there are four petals there, each fourteen yojanas in size.

तत्र या सा मया तुभ्यं कर्णिकेत्यभिविश्रुता । तां वर्ण्यमानामेकाग्र्यात् समासेन निबोधत । मणिपर्णशतैश्चित्रां नानावर्णप्रभासिताम् ।। ७५.

There, that which I have described to you as the 'Karnika,' now listen as I briefly recount it with focused attention: it is adorned with hundreds of jeweled petals, resplendent with various colors and radiant lights.

अनेकपर्णनिचयं सौवर्णमरुणप्रभम् । कान्तं सहस्त्रपर्वाणं सहस्त्रोदरकन्दरम् । सहस्त्रशतपत्रं च वृत्तमेकं नगोत्तमम् ।। ७५.

It possesses countless clusters of petals, golden and reddish in hue, beautiful, with a thousand segments, a thousand inner hollows, and a thousand hundred petals—one supreme, rounded mountain.

मणिरत्नार्पितश्वभ्रैर्मणिभिश्चित्रवेदिकम् । सुवर्णमणिचित्राङ्गैर्मणिचर्चिततोरणैः ।। ७५.

Its ravines are set with precious gems, its platforms are decorated with jewels, its features are adorned with gold and gems, and its gateways are embellished with jeweled arches.

तत्र ब्रह्मसभा रम्या ब्रह्मर्षिजनसंकुला । नाम्ना मनोव्रती नाम सर्वलोकेषु विश्रुता ।। ७५.

There is the delightful assembly hall of Brahma, crowded with Brahmarshis and sages, known by the name 'Manovrati,' renowned throughout all the worlds.

तत्रेशानस्य देवस्य सहस्त्रादित्यवर्चसः । महाविमानसंस्थस्य महिमा वर्त्तते सदा ।। ७५.

There, the glory of Lord Ishana, who shines with the radiance of a thousand suns and resides in a great celestial palace, is ever manifest.

तत्र सर्वे देवगणाश्चतुर्वक्त्रं स्वयं प्रभुम् । इष्ट्वा पूज्यनमस्कारैरर्चनीयमुपस्थिताः ।। ७५.

There, all the hosts of gods approach the four-faced Lord himself, worshipping him with offerings, reverence, and salutations, as is fitting.

यैस्तदा दिहसंकल्पैर्ब्रह्मचर्यं महात्मभिः । चीर्णं चारुमनोभिश्च सदाचारपथि स्थितैः ।। ७५.

By whom, in those days measured by divine reckoning, celibacy was practiced by the great-souled, whose minds were pure and who walked the path of righteous conduct.

सम्यगिष्ट्वा च भुक्त्वा च पितृदेवार्चने रताः । गृहाश्रमपरास्तत्र विनीता अतिथिप्रियाः ।। ७५.

Having performed proper worship and enjoyed the offerings, devoted to honoring ancestors and gods, they are householders intent on their duties, humble, and fond of guests.

गृहिणः शुक्लकर्मस्था विरक्ताः कारणात्मकाः । यमैर्नियमदानैश्च दृढनिर्दग्धकिल्बिषाः ।। ७५.

These householders, engaged in pure deeds, detached, of purposeful nature, with their sins thoroughly burned away by self-control, discipline, and charity.

तेषां निवसनं शुक्लब्रह्मलोकमनिन्दितम् । उपर्युपरि सर्वासां गतीनां परमा गतिः । चतुर्दशसहस्त्राणि योजनानां तु कीर्त्तितम् ।। ७५.

Their abode is the pure, faultless world of Brahma, the highest destination above all other realms, said to be fourteen thousand yojanas in extent.

ततोर्द्धरुचिरे कृष्णे तरुणादित्यवर्चसि । महागिरौ ततो रम्ये रत्नधातुविचित्रिते ।। ७५.

Above that, on the beautiful, dark, and radiant mountain shining like the young sun, there is another splendid mountain adorned with veins of precious gems.

नैकरत्नसमावासे मणितोरणमन्दिरे । मेरोः सर्वेषु पार्श्वेषु समन्तात् परिमण्डले ।। ७५.

In dwellings filled with many kinds of jewels, with jeweled gateways, on all sides of Meru, encircling it completely.

त्रिंशद्योजनसाहस्त्रं चक्रपाटो नगोत्तमः । जारुधिश्चैव शैलेन्द्र इत्येते उत्तराः स्मृताः ।। ७५.

There is the supreme mountain called Chakrapata, thirty thousand yojanas in circumference, and also Jarudhi, the lord of mountains—these are known as the northern ones.

एतेषां शैलमुख्यानामुत्तरेषु यथाक्रमः । स्थलीरन्तरद्रोण्यश्च सरांसि च निबोधत ।। ७५.

Now, in due order, listen to the plateaus, inner valleys, and lakes among these chief northern mountains.