Vayu Purana

तथा चतुर्थदिग्देशे नैर्ऋत्याधिपतेः सभा। नाम्ना कृष्णाङ्गना नाम विरूपाक्षस्य धीमतः ।। ३४.

Similarly, in the fourth direction, is the assembly hall of the lord of the southwest, called Kṛṣṇāṅganā, belonging to the wise Virūpākṣa.

पञ्चमेऽप्यन्तरतटे एवमेव महासभा। वैवस्वतस्य विज्ञेया नाम्ना शुभवती सती। उदकाधिपतेः ख्याता वरुणस्य महात्मनः ।। ३४.

In the fifth inner region too, likewise, is a great assembly hall, known as Śubhavatī, belonging to Vaivasvata, and famed as that of the great-souled Varuṇa, lord of the waters.

परोत्तरे तथा देशे षष्ठेऽन्तरतटे शिवे। वायोर्गन्धवती नाम सभा सर्वगुणोत्तरा ।। ३४.

In the far northern region, in the sixth inner area, is the assembly hall of Vāyu called Gandhavatī, surpassing all in virtues.

सप्त मेऽप्यन्तरतटे नक्षत्राधिपतेः सभा। नाम्ना महोदया नाम शुद्धवैढूर्य्यवेदिका ।। ३४.

In the seventh inner region as well, is the assembly hall of the lord of the stars, called Mahodayā, with a platform of pure beryl.

यत्तद्वै कर्णिकामूलमिति वै सम्प्रकीर्तितम्। तद्योजनसहस्राणां सप्ततीनामधः स्मृतम् ।। ३५.

That which is called the root of the pericarp is said to be seventy thousand yojanas below.

चत्वरिंशत्तथाष्टौ च सहस्राण्यत्र मण्डलम्। शैलराजावृतं रम्यं मेरुमूलमिति श्रुतिः ।। ३५.

And there, forty-eight thousand yojanas is the circle, delightful and encircled by the king of mountains, known as the root of Meru, according to tradition.

तेषां गिरिसहस्राणामनेकेषु महोच्छ्रिताः। दिक्षु सर्वासु पर्य्यन्तैर्मर्य्यादाः पर्वताः स्मृताः ।। ३५.

Among those thousands of mountains, many are very lofty; on all sides, at the boundaries, mountains are regarded as the limits.

निकुञ्जकन्दरनदीगुहानिर्झरशोभिताः। बहुप्रासादकटकै स्तटैश्च कुसुमोज्ज्वलैः ।। ३५.

Adorned with groves, caves, rivers, mountain streams, and waterfalls, with many palatial fortresses and slopes bright with flowers.

नितम्बपुष्पमालौघैः सानुभिर्धातुमण्डितैः । शिखरैर्हेमकपिलैर्नैकप्रस्रवणावृतैः। शोभिता गिरयः सर्व्वे पुष्टै रत्न समर्पितैः ।। ३५.

The mountains are all splendid, adorned with garlands of flowers on their slopes, decorated with ores, with golden and tawny peaks, covered with many springs, and enriched with precious gems.

विहङ्गशतसंजुष्टैः कुञ्जैरनुपमैरपि। सिहशार्दूलशरभैर्नैकैश्चामरवारणैः। नानावर्णाकृतिधरैः सेविता विविधैर्नगैः ।। ३५.

Filled with hundreds of birds, with incomparable groves, frequented by lions, tigers, sharabhas, and many noble elephants, attended by various trees of diverse colors and forms.

सप्ताश्च हरिकृष्णाङ्गमेकैकं दशपर्वतम्। बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरा ये तु त्रिवाहास्तु समाः स्मृताः ।। ३५.

There are seven, each with golden and dark limbs, each with ten outer and inner mountains; the three intermediate ones are considered equal.

जठरो देवकूटश्च पूर्वस्यां दिशि पर्वतौ। तौ दक्षिणोत्तरायामावानीलनिषधायतौ ।। ३५.

Jaṭhara and Devakūṭa are the mountains in the eastern direction; to the south and north are Niṣadha and Nīla.

कैलासो हिमवांश्चैव दक्षिणोत्तरपर्वतौ। पूर्वपश्चायतावेतावर्णवान्तव्यवस्थितौ ।। ३५.

Kailāsa and Himavat are the southern and northern mountains; these are situated stretching east and west, possessing various colors.

योऽसौ मेरुर्द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्रांशुः कनकपर्वतः। विष्कम्भं तस्य वक्ष्यामि तन्मे निगदतः श्रृणु ।। ३५.

That Meru, O best of twice-born, is the lofty golden mountain; I will describe its breadth—listen as I recount it.

महापादास्तु चत्वारो मेरोरथ चतुर्द्दिशम्। यैर्धृतत्वान्न चलति सप्तद्वीपवती मही ।। ३५.

There are four great bases of Meru, one in each direction; because they support it, the earth with its seven continents does not move.

दशयोजनसाहस्र आयामस्तेषु पठ्यते। देवगन्धर्वयक्षाणां नानारत्नोपशोभिताः। नैकनिर्झरवप्राढ्या रम्यकन्दरनिर्मिताः ।। ३५.

A length of ten thousand yojanas is described for them; adorned with various jewels for gods, gandharvas, and yakshas; rich with many waterfalls and slopes, and fashioned with delightful caves.

नितम्बपुष्पकादम्बैः शोभिताश्चित्रसानवः। मनःशिलादरीभिश्च हरितालतलैस्तथा ।। ३५.

Their colorful peaks are beautified by clusters of kadamba and blossoming flowers, as well as by stones of mica and green emerald bases.

सुवर्णमणिचित्राभिर्गुहाभिश्च समन्ततः। शुद्धहिङ्गुलकप्रख्यैः काञ्चनैर्धातुमण्डितैः ।। ३५.

All around, the caves are decorated with gold and gems, and with ores resembling pure cinnabar, embellished with golden minerals.

वरकाञ्चनचित्रैश्च प्रवालैः समलंकृताः। रुचिराः शतपर्वाणः सिद्धावासा मुदान्विताः। महाविमानैः श्रीमद्भिः समन्तात्परिदीपिताः ।। ३५.

They are adorned with splendid gold and coral, beautiful and multi-ridged, joyful abodes of siddhas, illuminated everywhere by magnificent, resplendent palaces.

पूर्वेण मन्दरो नाम दक्षिणे गन्धमादनः। विपुलः पश्चिमे पार्श्वे सुपार्श्वश्चोत्तरे स्मृतः ।। ३५.

To the east is the mountain called Mandara, to the south Gandhamadana, to the west Vipula, and to the north Supārśva is remembered.

तेषां सहस्रश्रृङ्गेषु वज्रवैढूर्यवेदिकाः। शाखासहस्रकलिताः सुमूलाः सुप्रतिष्ठिताः ।। ३५.

On their thousand peaks are platforms of diamond and beryl, with thousands of branches, well-rooted and firmly established.

स्रिग्धैर्नीलैर्घनैः पर्णैः सञ्झन्नविविधाश्रयाः । अनेकप्रजनोत्सेधा महापुष्पफलोपगाः ।। ३५.

With glossy, dark leaves, they provide shelter for many creatures; they rise with abundant offspring and are endowed with great flowers and fruits.

यक्षगन्धर्वसेव्याश्च सेविताः सिद्धचारणैः। महावृक्षाः समुत्पन्नाश्चत्वारो द्वीपकेतवः ।। ३५.

These great trees, served by yakshas and gandharvas and attended by siddhas and charanas, have arisen as the four banners of the continent.

मन्दरस्य गिरेःश्रृङ्गे महावृक्षः स केतुराट्। आलम्बशाखाशिखरः कन्दरश्चैव पादपः ।। ३५.

On the peak of Mandara mountain stands the great tree, the chief banner; its branches reach the summit, and its trunk forms the base.

महाकुम्भप्रमाणैस्तु पुष्पैर्विकचकेसरैः। महागन्धैर्मनोज्ञैश्च शोभितः सर्वकालजैः ।। ३५.

It is adorned with flowers the size of large pots, with fully opened stamens, and with delightful fragrances, blooming in every season.

सहस्रमधिकं सोऽथ गन्धेनापूरयद्दिशः। योजनानां समन्ताद्वै मन्दमारुतवीजितः ।। ३५.

Then, its fragrance fills the directions for more than a thousand, carried gently by the wind across yojanas all around.

वरकेतुरेव प्रथितो भद्राश्वो नाम यो द्विजाः। यत्र साक्षात् हृषीकेशः सिद्धसङ्घैर्महीयते ।। ३५.

That chief banner is renowned as Bhadrāśva, O twice-born; where Hṛṣīkeśa is honored in person by assemblies of siddhas.

तस्य रुद्रकदम्बस्य तदा श्वेतहरो हरिः । प्राप्तवानपरश्रेष्ठः स तत्र सहितः पुरा ।। ३५.

There, at the rudrakadamba tree, the white-necked Hari once arrived, the foremost among others, together with them in ancient times.

तेन चालोकितं सर्वं द्वीपं द्विपदनायकाः। यस्य नाम्ना समाख्यातो भद्राश्वो नाम नामतः ।। ३५.

By him, all the continent was observed, O leaders of men, and by his name it is called Bhadrāśva.