Vayu Purana

द्वादशाङ्गुलपर्व्वाणि वितस्तिस्थानमुच्यते। रत्निश्चाङ्गुलपर्वाणि विज्ञेयो ह्येकविंशतिः ।। ३९.

Twelve finger-joints are called the span; and the ratni is known to be twenty-one finger-joints.

चत्वारि विंशतिश्चैव हस्तः स्यादङ्गुलानि तु। किष्कुर्द्विरत्निर्विज्ञेयो द्विचत्वारिंशदङ्गुलः ।। ३९.

A hand is said to measure twenty-four fingers; the forearm is to be understood as two cubits, measuring forty-two fingers.

षण्णवत्यङ्गुलञ्चैव धनुराहुर्मनीषिणः। एतद्गव्यूतिसंख्यायां पादानां धनुषः स्मृतः ।। ३९.

The wise declare that a bow measures ninety-six fingers; this is remembered as the measure of a gavyūti in terms of feet and bows.

धनुर्दण्डो युगं नाली तुल्यान्येतान्यथाङ्गुलैः। धनुषस्त्रिशतं नल्वमाहुः संख्याविदो जनाः ।। ३९.

A bow, a staff, a yoke, and a tube are all equal in these finger measurements; those who know the reckoning say that three hundred bows make one nalva.

धनुःसहस्रे द्वे चापि गव्यूतिरुपदिश्यते। अष्टौ धनुःसहस्राणि योजनन्तु विधीयते ।। ३९.

Two thousand bows are prescribed as a gavyūti; eight thousand bows are established as a yojana.

एतेन धनुषा चैव योजनं तु समाप्यते। एतत्सहस्रं विज्ञेयं शक्रक्रोशान्तरन्तथा ।। ३९.

By this reckoning of bows, a yojana is completed; a thousand of these is to be known as the distance between two cries of Indra.

योजनानान्तु संख्यातं संख्याज्ञानविशारदैः। एतेन योजनाग्रेण श्रृणुध्वं ब्रह्मणोऽन्तरम् ।। ३९.

The number of yojanas has been calculated by those skilled in reckoning; now, by this measure of yojana, listen to the distance to Brahman.

महीतलात्सहस्राणां शतादूर्द्ध्वं दिवाकरः। दिवाकरात्सहस्रेण तावदूर्द्ध्वं निशाकरः ।। ३९.

From the surface of the earth, the sun is a hundred thousand yojanas above; from the sun, the moon is just as far above by a thousand.

पूर्णं शतसहस्रन्तु योजनानां निशाकरात्। नक्षत्रमण्डलं कृत्स्नमुपरिष्टात्प्रकाशते ।। ३९.

From the moon, a full hundred thousand yojanas above, the entire circle of the stars shines forth.

शतं सहस्रं संख्यातो मेरुर्द्विगुणितं पुनः। ग्रहान्तरमथैकैकमूर्द्ध्वं नक्षत्रमण्डलात् ।। ३९.

Mount Meru is said to be a hundred thousand yojanas, and again twice that; then, each planet is successively above the circle of stars.

ताराग्रहाणां सर्व्वेषामधस्ताच्चरते बुधः। तस्योर्द्ध्वञ्चरते शुक्रस्तस्मादूर्द्ध्वं च लोहितः ।। ३९.

Among all the stars and planets, Mercury moves below; above him moves Venus, and above him is Mars.

ततो बृहस्पतिश्चोर्द्ध्वं तस्मादूर्द्ध्वं शनैश्चरः। ऊर्द्ध्वं शतसहस्रन्तु योजनानां शनैश्चरात् ।। ३९.

Then above is Jupiter, and above him is Saturn; from Saturn, a hundred thousand yojanas above, is said to be the region of the Seven Sages.

सप्तर्षिमण्डलं कृत्स्नमुपरिष्टात्प्रकाशते। ऋषिभिस्तु सहस्राणां शतादूर्द्ध्वं विभाव्यते ।। ३९.

The complete circle of the Seven Sages shines forth above; by the sages, it is perceived as a hundred thousand yojanas higher.

योऽसौ तारामये दिव्ये विमाने ह्रस्वरूपके। उत्तानपादपुत्रोऽसौ मेढिभूतो ध्रुवो दिवि ।। ३९.

He who is in that celestial, shining, starry chariot of small form, the son of Uttānapāda, is Dhruva, the fixed one in the sky.

त्रैलोक्यस्यैष उत्सेधो व्याख्यातो योजनैर्मया। मन्वन्तरेषु देवानामिज्या यत्रैव लौकिकी ।। ३९.

Thus have I described the height of the three worlds in yojanas; in each Manvantara, the worship of the gods takes place there in the worldly manner.

वर्णाश्रमेभ्य इज्या तु लोकेऽस्मिन्या प्रवर्त्तते। सर्वेषां देवयोनीनां स्थितिहेतुः सवै स्मृतः ।। ३९.

In this world, worship is performed according to the classes and stages of life; he is remembered as the cause of the existence of all divine beings.

त्रैलोक्यमेतद्वयाख्यातमत ऊर्द्ध्वं निबोधत। ध्रुवा दूर्द्ध्वं महर्लोको यस्मिस्ते कल्पवासिनः। एकयोजनकोटी सा इत्येवं निश्चयं गतम् ।। ३९.

Thus the three worlds have been explained; now listen further: above Dhruva is Maharloka, where the dwellers of the aeon reside, at a distance of ten million yojanas.

द्वे कोट्यौ तु महर्लोकाद्यस्मिंस्ते कल्पवासिनः। यत्र ते ब्रह्मणः पुत्रा दक्षाद्याः साधकाः स्मृताः ।। ३९.

From Maharloka, two crores further, is the world where the dwellers of the aeon reside; there are remembered the sons of Brahmā, such as Dakṣa, who are accomplished.

चतुर्गुणोत्तरादूर्द्ध्वं जनलोकात्तपः स्मृतम्। वैराजा यत्र ते देवा भूतदाहविवर्जिताः ।। ३९.

Four times higher than that is Tapoloka, above Janaloka; there dwell the Virājas, those gods free from the burning of rebirth.

षड्गुणन्तु तपोलोकात्सत्यलोकान्तरं स्मृतम्। अपुनर्मारकामानां ब्रह्मलोकः स उच्यते ।। ३९.

It is remembered that the distance from Tapoloka to Satyaloka is six times as great; that is called Brahmaloka, the world from which those who have transcended desire do not return.

यस्मान्न च्यवते भूयो ब्रह्माणं स उपासते । एककोटिर्योजनानां पञ्चाशन्नियुतानि तु ।। ३९.

Because one does not fall again from there, those who worship Brahma attain it; its extent is fifty million yojanas, multiplied by ten million.

ऊर्द्ध्वं भागस्ततोऽण्डस्य ब्रह्मलोकात्परः स्मृतः। चतुरश्चैव कोट्यस्तु नियुताः पञ्चषष्टि च ।। ३९.

Above that, the upper part of the cosmic egg is said to be beyond Brahmaloka; its extent is four hundred million and sixty-five million yojanas.

एषोऽर्द्धंशप्रचारोऽस्य गत्यन्तश्चापरः स्मृतः। ध्रवाग्रमेतद्वयाख्यातं योजनाग्राद्यथाश्रुतम् ।। ३९.

This is described as the region of the half-portion, and the other is considered the limit of movement; the two ends, Dhruva and Agra, are thus explained, with the measure of yojanas as heard.

अधोगतीनां वक्ष्यामि भूतानां स्थानकल्पनाम्। गच्छन्ति घोरकर्म्माणः प्राणिनो यत्र कर्म्मभिः ।। ३९.

Now I will describe the arrangement of the abodes for beings who go downward, where those with terrible actions proceed according to their deeds.

नरको रौरवो रोधः सूकरस्ताल एव च। तप्तकुम्भो महाज्वालः शबलोऽथ विमोचनः ।। ३९.

The hells are Raurava, Rodha, Sūkara, Tāla, Taptakumbha, Mahājvāla, Śabala, and Vimocana.

कृमी च कृमिभक्षश्च लालाभक्षो विशंसनः । अधःशिराः पूयवहो रुधिरान्धस्तथैव च ।। ३९.

Also Kṛmi, Kṛmibhakṣa, Lālābhakṣa, Viśaṃsana, Adhaḥśirā, Pūyavaha, and Rudhirāndha.

तथा वैतरणं कृष्णमसिपत्रवनं तथा। अग्निज्वालो महाघोरः संदंशोऽथ श्वभोजनः ।।३९.

Likewise, Vaitaraṇī, Kṛṣṇa, Asipatravana, Agnijvāla, Mahāghora, Saṃdaṃśa, and Śvabhojana.

तमश्च कृष्णसूत्रश्च लोहश्चाप्यसिजस्तथा। अप्रतिष्ठोऽथ वीच्यश्वनरका ह्येवमादयः ।। ३९.

Also Tama, Kṛṣṇasūtra, Loha, Asija, Apratiṣṭha, Vīcya, and other such hells.

तामसा नरकाः सर्वे यमस्य विषये स्थिताः। येषु दुष्कृतकर्माणः पतन्तीह पृथक्पृथक् ।। ३९.१५० भूमेरधस्तात्ते सर्वे रौरवाद्याः प्रकीर्त्तिताः। रौरवे कूटसाक्षी तु मिथ्या यश्चाभिशंसति। क्रूरग्रहे पक्षवादी ह्यसत्यः पतते नरः ।। ३९.

All these hells, pervaded by darkness, are situated in the domain of Yama, where those who perform evil deeds fall, each to a separate place.