Vayu Purana

अव्यक्तात् पृथिवी पद्मं मेरुपर्वतकर्णिकम्। चतुष्पथं समुत्पन्नं व्यक्तं पञ्चगुणं महत् ।। ३४.

From the unmanifest arose the earth, like a lotus, with Meru as its pericarp; from it emerged the fourfold path, manifest, great, and endowed with five qualities.

ततः सर्व्वाः समुत्पन्ना वृत्तयो द्विजसत्तमाः। नैककल्पार्जितैः पुण्यौर्वे विधैः प्रागुपार्जितैः ।। ३४.

From that, O best of twice-born, all the cycles of creation arose, through various acts of merit accumulated in countless ages past.

कृतात्मभिर्विनीतात्मा महात्मा पुरुषोत्तमः। महादेवो महायोगी जगज्ज्येष्ठो महेश्वरः । सर्वलोकगतोऽनन्तो ह्यमूर्तित्वादजायत ।। ३४.

By those whose selves were perfected and disciplined, the great soul, the supreme person, the great god, the supreme yogi, the eldest of the world, the great lord, the all-pervading, the infinite, was born, formless.

न तस्य प्राकृती मूर्त्तिर्मांसमेदोऽस्थिसम्भवा । योगाच्चैवेश्वरत्वाच्च सर्व्वात्मागत एव सः ।। ३४.

He does not have a material form made of flesh, fat, or bone; by yoga and lordship, he is present in all beings.

तन्निमित्तं समुत्पन्नं लोकपद्मं सनातनम्। कल्पशेषस्य तस्यादौ कालस्य गतिरीदृशी ।। ३४.

For his purpose, the eternal world-lotus arose; at the beginning of the remainder of the kalpa, such is the course of time.

तस्मिन् पद्मे समुत्पन्नो देवदेवश्चतुर्मुखः। प्रजापतिपतिर्ब्रह्मा ईशानो जगतः प्रभुः ।। ३४.

On that lotus was born the god of gods, four-faced, Brahmā, lord of progenitors, ruler, and master of the world.

तस्य बीजानि सर्गो हि पुष्करस्य यथार्थवत्। कृत्स्नः प्रजानिसर्गेण विस्तरेणेह कथ्यते ।। ३४.

His seeds are the creation, just as the lotus's are; the entire creation of beings is described here in detail.

यदब्जं वैष्णवं कार्य्यं ततस्तन्नाभितोऽभवत्। पद्माकारा समुत्पन्ना पृथिवी सवनद्रुमा ।। ३४.

That lotus, the work of Viṣṇu, arose from his navel; from it, the earth appeared in the form of a lotus, with forests and trees.

तदस्य लोकपद्मस्य विस्तरेण प्रकाशितम्। वर्णमानं विभागेन क्रमशः श्रृणुत द्विजाः ।। ३४.

Thus the extent of this world-lotus has been described; now, O twice-born, listen in order to its divisions and measures.

महाद्वीपास्तु विख्याताश्चत्वारः पत्रसंस्थिताः। ततः कर्णिकसंस्थानो मेरुर्नाम महाबलः ।। ३४.

There are four great continents, famed as situated like petals; at their center stands Meru, the mighty, like the pericarp.

नानावर्णेषु पार्श्वेषु पूर्वतः श्वेत उच्यते। पीतन्तु दक्षिणं तस्य शृङ्गं कृष्णं तथापरम् ।। ३४.

On its various sides, of different colors, to the east is Śveta; to the south is the yellow peak, and another, black, lies elsewhere.

उत्तरं तस्य रक्तं वै शोभिवर्णसमन्वितम्। मेरुस्तु शोभते शुभ्रो राजवत्स तु धिष्ठितः ।। ३४.

To its north lies a red region, endowed with a splendid hue; Meru shines brilliantly, white and established like a royal calf.

तरुणादित्यवर्णाभो विधूम इव पावकः। चतुरशीतिसाहस्र उत्सेधेन प्रकीर्त्तितः ।। ३४.

Its appearance resembles the color of the rising sun, like fire without smoke; its height is described as eighty-four thousand.

प्रविष्टः षोडशाधस्ताद्विस्तृतस्तावदेव तु । स शरावस्थितः पूर्वं द्वात्रिंशन्मूर्ध्नि विस्तृतः ।। ३४.

It extends sixteen units below and equally above; formerly, it was situated like a dish, and its breadth at the summit is thirty-two.

विस्तारात् त्रिगुणश्चास्य परिणाहः समन्ततः। मण्डलेन प्रमाणेन त्र्यस्रेऽर्द्धन्तु तदिष्यते ।। ३४.

Its circumference is three times its breadth on all sides; by the measure of a circle, half of the triangular form is considered.

चत्वारिंशत्सहस्राणि योजनानां समन्ततः। अष्टाभिरधिकानि स्युस्त्र्यस्रे माने प्रकीर्त्तितम् ।। ३४.

Forty thousand yojanas is its extent all around; eight more are added, according to the measure of the triangle.

चतुरस्रेण मानेन परिणाहः समन्ततः। चतुःषष्टिसहस्राणि योजनानां विधीयते ।। ३४.

By the measure of a quadrangle, its circumference on all sides is prescribed as sixty-four thousand yojanas.

स पर्वतो महादिव्यो दिव्यौषधिसमन्वितः। भुवनैरावृतः सर्वो जातरूपमयैः शुभैः ।। ३४.

That mountain is supremely divine, endowed with celestial herbs; it is entirely surrounded by worlds, adorned with pure gold.

तत्र देवगणाः सर्वे गन्धर्वोरगराक्षसाः । शैलराजैः प्रदृश्यन्ते शुभाश्चाप्सरसाङ्गणाः ।। ३४.

There, all the hosts of gods, Gandharvas, Nagas, and Rakshasas are seen with the kings of mountains, and the beautiful groups of Apsaras.

स तुमेरुः परिवृतो भुवनैर्भूतभावनः। चत्वारो यस्य देशा वै नानापार्श्वेष्वधिष्ठिताः ।। ३४.

That Meru is encircled by worlds, the origin of beings; four regions are established on its various sides.

भद्राश्वो भरतश्चैव केतुमालश्च पश्चिमः। उत्तराः कुरवश्चैव कृतपुण्यप्रतिश्रयाः ।। ३४.

Bhadrāśva, Bharata, Ketumāla in the west, and the northern Kurus, all are refuges for those who have performed virtuous deeds.

कर्णिका तस्य पद्मस्य समन्तात्परिमण्डला। योजनानां सहस्राणि नवतिः षट् प्रकीर्त्तिताः। चत्वारश्चाप्यशीतिश्च अन्तरान्तर धिष्ठिताः ।। ३४.

The pericarp of that lotus is circular all around; ninety-six thousand yojanas are described, and four plus eighty are established in each interval.

त्रिशतञ्च सहस्राणि योजनानां प्रमाणतः। तस्य केशरजालानि विस्तीर्णानि समन्ततः ।। ३४.

Three hundred thousand yojanas is the measure; its filaments are spread out on all sides.

शतसाहस्रिकायामा साशीतिपृथुलायता। चत्वारि तस्य पत्राणि योजनानां चतुर्द्दिशम् ।। ३४.

Its petals are a hundred thousand yojanas long, eighty in breadth; four petals extend in the four directions.

तत्र यासौ मया पूर्वं कर्णिकेत्यभिशब्दिता। तां वर्ण्यमानामेकाग्राः समासेन निबोधत ।। ३४.

There, what I previously called the pericarp, listen briefly to its description, focused and concise.

शताश्रिमेनं मेनेऽत्रिः सहस्राश्रिमृषिर्भृगुः। अष्टाश्रिमेनं सावर्णिश्चतुरस्रन्तु भागुरिः ।। ३४.

Atri considered it as having a hundred rays, Bhrigu as a thousand; Sāvarṇi as eight rays, and Bhāguri as four.

वार्षायणिस्तु सामुद्रं शरावञ्चैव गालवः। ऊर्द्ध्ववेणीकृतं गार्ग्यः क्रोष्टकिः परिमण्डलम् ।। ३४.

Vārṣāyaṇa regarded it as oceanic, Gālava as dish-shaped; Gārgya as vertically braided, Kroṣṭaki as circular.

यद्यद्यस्य हि यत्पार्श्च पर्वताधिपतेर्ऋषिः। तत्तदेवास्य वेदासौ ब्रह्मैनं वेद कृत्स्नशः ।। ३४.

Whatever aspect belongs to whichever side, the sage of that mountain lord knows; thus, he knows the Vedas and Brahman in their entirety.

मणिरत्नमयं चित्रं नानावर्णप्रभायुतम्। अनेकवर्णनिचयं सौवर्णमरुणप्रभम् ।। ३४.

It is adorned with gems and jewels, radiant with various colors; it possesses a multitude of hues, golden and with a reddish glow.