Varaha Purana

सा पुर्याममरावत्यां क्रममाणेन्दुरा प्रभौ । तया तिरस्कृता वाऽपि सूर्येन्दुज्योतिषां गणाः ।। ७५.

That river, passing through the city of Amaravati, shines like the moon; when it obscures, even the hosts of the sun, moon, and stars are hidden.

उदयास्तमिते सन्ध्ये ये सेवन्ते द्विजोत्तमाः । तान् तुष्यन्ते द्विजाः सर्वानष्टावप्यचलोत्तमान् ।। ७५.

Those best of twice-born who serve at sunrise and sunset, at the junctures of day and night, please all the twice-born and the eight supreme mountains.

परिभ्रमज्ज्योतिषां या सा रुद्रेन्द्रमता शुभा ।। ७५.

That radiant, revolving light is considered auspicious by Rudra and Indra.

रुद्र उवाच । तस्यैव मेरोः पूर्वे तु देशे परमवर्चसे । चक्रवाटपरिक्षिप्ते नानाधातुविराजिते ।। ७६.

Rudra said: In that very region to the east of Meru, of supreme splendor, encircled by a ring of mountains, shining with various minerals—

तत्र सर्वामरपुरं चक्रवाटसमुद्धतम् । दुर्धर्षं बलदृप्तानां देवदानवरक्षसाम् । तत्र जाम्बूनदमयः सुप्राकारः सुतोरणः ।। ७६.

There is the city of all the immortals, rising within the mountain ring, unassailable by the proud strength of gods, demons, and rākṣasas; there, the splendid walls and grand gateways are made of Jāmbūnada gold.

तस्याप्युत्तरपूर्वे तु देशे परमवर्चसे । अलोकजनसंपूर्णा विमानशतसंकुला ।। ७६.

In its northeastern region, also of supreme splendor, filled with radiant people and crowded with hundreds of aerial palaces—

महावापिसमायुक्ता नित्यं प्रमुदिता शुभा । शोभिता पुष्पशबलैः पताकाध्वजमालिनी ।। ७६.

Endowed with great reservoirs, ever joyful and auspicious, adorned with masses of flowers and garlanded with banners and flags—

देवैर्यक्षोप्सरोभिश्च ऋषिभिश्च सुशोभिता । पुरन्दरपुरी रम्या समृद्धा त्वमरावती ।। ७६.

Made beautiful by gods, yakṣas, apsarases, and sages, the delightful and prosperous city of Purandara is called Amarāvatī.

तस्या मध्येऽमरावत्या वज्रवैदूर्यवेदिका । त्रैलोक्यगुणविख्याता सुधर्मा नाम वै सभा ।। ७६.

At the center of Amarāvatī is a platform of diamond and beryl, renowned throughout the three worlds, called the assembly hall Sudharmā.

तत्रास्ते श्रीपतेः श्रीमान् सहस्त्राक्षः शचीपतिः । सिद्धादिभिः परिवृतः सर्वाभिर्देवयोनिभिः ।। ७६.

There dwells the glorious thousand-eyed lord, husband of Śacī, surrounded by siddhas and others, and by all divine races.

तत्र चैव सुवंशः स्याद् भास्करस्य महात्मनः । साक्षात् तत्र सुराध्यक्षः सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः ।। ७६.

There also is the noble lineage of Bhāskara, the great soul; there, the overseer of the gods himself is present, honored by all the deities.

तस्याश्च दिक्षु विस्तीर्णा तत्तद्गुणसमन्विता । तेजोवती नाम पुरी हुताशस्य महात्मनः ।। ७६.

In the directions of that city, vast and endowed with various qualities, lies the city named Tejovatī, belonging to the great soul Hutāśa (Agni).

तत्तद्गुणवती रम्या पुरी वैवस्वतस्य च । नाम्ना संयमनी नाम पुरी त्रैलोक्यविश्रुता ।। ७६.

Another charming city, endowed with its own qualities, is that of Vaivasvata, known by name as Saṃyamanī, famed throughout the three worlds.

तथा चतुर्थे दिग्भागे नैर्ऋताधिपतेः शुभा । नाम्ना कृष्णावती नाम विरूपाक्षस्य धीमतः ।। ७६.

Likewise, in the fourth direction lies the auspicious city of the lord of the southwest, called Kṛṣṇāvatī, belonging to the wise Virūpākṣa.

पञ्चमे ह्युत्तरपुटे नाम्ना शुद्धवती पुरी । उदकाधिपतेः ख्याता वरुणस्य महात्मनः ।। ७६.

In the fifth, northern sector, is the city named Śuddhavatī, renowned as the city of the great-souled Varuṇa, lord of the waters.

तथा पञ्चोत्तरे देवस्वस्योत्तरपुटे पुरी । वायोर्गन्धवती नाम ख्याता सर्वगुणोत्तरा ।। ७६.

Similarly, in the northernmost sector, is the city of the lord of the gods, Vāyu, called Gandhavatī, famed as surpassing all in qualities.

तस्योत्तरपुटे रम्या गुह्यकाधिपतेः पुरी । नाम्ना महोदया नाम शुभा वैदूर्यवेदिका ।। ७६.

In the northern sector beyond that lies the delightful city of the lord of the guhyakas, called Mahodayā, auspicious and with a beryl platform.

तथाष्टमेऽन्तरपुटे ईशानस्य महात्मनः । पुरी मनोहरा नाम भूतैर्नानाविधैर्युता । पुष्पैर्धन्यैश्च विविधैर्वनैराश्रमसंस्थितैः ।। ७६.

So too, in the eighth inner sector, is the city of the great-souled Īśāna, called Manoharā, filled with various beings, adorned with diverse flowers and grains, with forests and hermitages.

प्रार्थ्यते देवलोकोऽयं स स्वर्ग इति कीर्तितः ।। ७६.

This world of the gods is sought after and is renowned as 'heaven.'

रुद्र उवाच । यदेतत् कर्णिकामूलं मेरोर्मध्यं प्रकीर्तितम् । तद् योजनसहस्त्राणि संख्यया मानतः स्मृतम् ।। ७७.

Rudra said: That which is called the root of the pericarp, the center of Meru, is reckoned by measure to be thousands of yojanas in extent.

चत्वारिंशत् तथा चाष्टौ सहस्त्राणि तु मण्डलैः । शैलराजस्य तत्तत्र मेरुमूलमिति स्मृतम् ।। ७७.

There, forty-eight thousand yojanas in circumference is said to be the base of the king of mountains, Meru.

तेषां गिरिसहस्त्राणामनेकानां महोच्छ्रयः । दिगष्टौ च पुनस्तस्य मर्यादापर्वताः शुभाः ।। ७७.

Among those countless mountains, there are many of great height, and in each of the eight directions, there are again auspicious boundary mountains.

जठरो देवकूटश्च पूर्वस्यां दिशि पर्वतौ । पूर्वपश्चायतावेतावर्णवान्तर्व्यवस्थितौ । मर्यादापर्वतानेतानष्टानाहुर्मनीषिणः ।। ७७.

Jaṭhara and Devakūṭa are the mountains in the eastern direction; these two, extending from east to west, are situated within the region. The wise call these the boundary mountains of the eight directions.

योऽसौ मेरुर्द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्रोक्तः कनकपर्वतः । विष्कम्भांस्तस्य वक्ष्यामि श्रृणुध्वं गदतस्तु तान् ।। ७७.

That Meru, O best of twice-born, which is called the golden mountain—I shall now describe its supports; listen as I recount them.

महापादास्तु चत्वारो मेरोरथ चतुर्दिशम् । यैर्न चचाल विष्टब्धा सप्तद्वीपवती मही ।। ७७.

There are four great bases of Meru, set in the four directions, by which the earth, with its seven continents, stands firm and does not shake.

दशयोजनसाहस्त्रं व्यायामस्तेषु शङ्क्यते । तिर्यगूर्ध्वं च रचिता हरितालतटैर्वृताः ।। ७७.

Each of these is said to extend ten thousand yojanas in breadth, constructed both horizontally and vertically, and adorned with streaks of orpiment.

मनःशिलादरीभिश्च सुवर्णमणिचित्रिताः ।ऽ अनेकसिद्धभवनैः क्रीडास्थानैश्च सुप्रभाः ।। ७७.

They are decorated with stones of realgar and gold, inlaid with precious gems, and shine with many abodes of accomplished beings and delightful pleasure grounds.

पूर्वेण मन्दरस्तस्य दक्षिणे गन्धमादनः । विपुलः पश्चिमे पार्श्वे सुपार्श्वश्चोत्तरे स्थितः ।। ७७.

To the east of Meru is Mandara, to the south Gandhamādana, to the west Vipula, and to the north Supārśva stands.

तेषां श्रृङ्गेषु चत्वारो महावृक्षाः प्रतिष्ठिताः । देवदैत्याप्सरोभिश्च सेविता गुणसंचयैः ।। ७७.

On the peaks of these four mountains, four great trees are established, attended by gods, demons, and apsarases, and endowed with all virtues.