Vayu Purana

महाभद्रस्य सरस उत्तरेणापि श्रीमतः। ये मया पूर्वतः प्रोक्तास्तान्वदिष्ये यथाक्रमम् ।। ३६.

North of the lake Mahābhadra, the splendid one, those which I have previously mentioned—I will declare them in order.

शङ्कुकूटो महाशैलो वृषभो हंसपर्वतः। नागश्च कपिलश्चैव इन्द्रशैलश्च सानुमान् ।। ३६.

Śaṅkukūṭa, the great mountain, Vṛṣabha, Haṃsaparvata; Nāga, Kapila, and Indraśaila, with Sānumān.

नीलः कनक श्रृङ्गश्च शतश्रृङ्गश्च पर्वतः। पुष्पको मेघशैलश्च विराजश्चाचलोत्तमः। जारुधिश्चैव शैलेन्द्र इत्येते उत्तराः स्मृताः ।। ३६.

Nīla, Kanakaśṛṅga, Śataśṛṅga mountain; Puṣpaka, Meghaśaila, Virāja, the excellent mountain; Jārudhi, the lord of mountains—these are remembered as northern.

एतेषां शैलमुख्यानामन्तरेषु यथाक्रमम्। स्थल्योऽह्यन्तरद्रोण्यश्च सरांसि च निबोधत ।। ३६.

Among these chief mountains, in their intervals, listen to the names of the plateaus, inner valleys, and lakes.

इति श्रीमहापुराणे वायुप्रोक्ते भुवनविन्यासो नाम षट्‌त्रिंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the thirty-sixth chapter named 'The Arrangement of the Worlds' in the glorious Mahāpurāṇa spoken by Vāyu.

शीतान्तस्याचलेन्द्रस्य कुमुञ्जस्यान्तरेण तु। द्रोण्यो विहङ्गसङ्घुष्टा नानासत्त्वनिषेविताः ।। ३७.

Between Śītānta, the lord of mountains, and Kumuñja, there are valleys resounding with flocks of birds, frequented by various creatures.

त्रियोजनशतायामा विस्तीर्णाः शतयोजनाः। सुरसामलपानीयरम्यं तत्र सरोवरम् ।। ३७.

Three hundred yojanas long and one hundred yojanas wide; there, the lake is delightful, with pure water and pleasing to the gods.

द्रोण्यायामप्रमाणैस्तु पुण्डरीकैः सुगन्धिभिः। सहस्रशतपत्रैर्हि महापद्मैरलंकृतम् ।। ३७.

Adorned with fragrant lotuses of countless petals, vast as a trough, and with great lotuses of a thousand hundred petals.

महोरगैरध्युषितं महाभोगैर्दुरासदैः। देवदानवगन्धर्वैरुपस्पृष्टं जलं शुभम् ।। ३७.

Inhabited by mighty serpents with immense coils, difficult to approach, the pure waters are touched by gods, asuras, and gandharvas.

पुण्यं तच्छ्रीसरो नाम प्रकाशं दिवि चेह च। प्रसन्नजलसम्पूर्णं शरण्यं सर्वदेहिनाम् ।। ३७.

That sacred lake is called Śrīsaras, renowned both in heaven and here; filled with clear water, it is a refuge for all beings.

तत्र त्वेकं महापद्मं मध्ये पद्मवनस्य ह। कोटिपत्रप्रचारं तत्तरुणादित्यवर्चसम् ।। ३७.

There, in the center of the lotus forest, is a single great lotus, spreading with millions of petals, radiant like the rising sun.

नित्यं व्याकोशमजरं चाञ्चल्याच्चातिमण्डलम्। चारुकेशरजालाढ्यं मत्तषट्‌पदनादितम् ।। ३७.

Ever in full bloom, unfading, surpassingly splendid in its restlessness, adorned with lovely filaments, and resounding with the humming of intoxicated bees.

तस्मिन् पद्मे भगवती साक्षाच्छ्रीर्नित्यमेव हि। लक्ष्म्याः पद्मं तदावासं मूर्त्तिमत्या न संशयः ।। ३७..

Upon that lotus, the Blessed Goddess Śrī herself always dwells; that lotus is truly the abode of Lakṣmī in embodied form, without doubt.

सरसस्तस्य पूर्वस्मिन् तीरे सिद्धनिषेवित। सदा पुष्पफलं रम्यं तत्र बिल्ववनं महत् ।। ३७.

On the eastern shore of that lake, frequented by siddhas, stands a great and delightful grove of bilva trees, ever bearing flowers and fruit.

शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं त्रियोजनशताय तम्। अर्धक्रोशोच्चशिखरैर्महावृक्षैः सहस्रशः ।। ३७.

Spreading a hundred yojanas wide and extending three hundred yojanas, with thousands of great trees whose peaks rise half a krośa high.

शाखासहस्रकलितैर्महास्कन्धैः समाकुलम्। फलैः सुवर्णसङ्काशैर्हरितैः पाण्डरैस्तथा ।। ३७.

Thick with thousands of branches and massive trunks, crowded with fruits shining like gold, green and pale in color.

अमृतस्वादुसदृशैर्भेरीमात्रैः सुगन्धिभिः। शीर्यमाणैः पतद्भिश्च कीर्णा भूमिर्निरन्तरा ।। ३७.

With fruits fragrant and sweet as nectar, the size of drums, falling and scattered, the ground is entirely covered.

नाम्ना तच्छ्रीवनं नाम सर्वलोकेषु विश्रुतम्। गन्धर्वैः किन्नरैर्यक्षैर्महानागैश्च सेवितम् ।। ३७.

That grove is called Śrīvana, famed in all worlds, attended by gandharvas, kinnaras, yakṣas, and great nāgas.

सिद्धैश्चैव समाकीर्णं नित्यं बिल्वफलाशिभिः। विविधैर्भूतसङ्घैश्च नित्यमेव निषेवितम् ।। ३७.

Ever filled with siddhas who subsist on bilva fruits, and constantly frequented by various hosts of beings.

तस्मिन् वने भगवती साक्षाच्छ्रीर्नित्यमेव हि। देवी सन्निहिता तत्र सिद्धसङ्घैर्नमस्कृता ।। ३७.

In that forest, the Blessed Goddess Śrī herself is always present, the goddess revered there by assemblies of siddhas.

विकङ्कस्याचलेन्द्रस्य मणिशैलस्य चान्तरे। शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं द्वियोजनशतायतम् ।। ३७.

Between the mountains Vikaṅka and Maṇiśaila lies a vast grove, a hundred yojanas wide and two hundred yojanas long.

विपुलञ्चम्पकवनं सिद्धचारणसेवितम्। पुष्पलक्ष्म्यावृतं भाति ज्वलन्तमिव नित्यदा ।। ३७.

A great campaka grove, attended by siddhas and cāraṇas, shines always, enveloped in the splendor of blossoms, as if blazing.

अर्द्धक्रोशोच्चशिखरैर्महास्कन्धैः पलाशिभिः । प्रफुल्लशाखाशिखरैः पिञ्जरं भाति तद्वनम् ।। ३७.

With palāśa trees whose peaks rise half a krośa, with great trunks and blooming branches, that forest glows golden.

द्विबाहुपरिणाहैस्तैस्त्रिहस्तायामविस्तरैः । मनः शिलाचूर्णनिभैः पाण्डुकेसरशालिभिः ।। ३७.

With trunks two arms in girth and three hands in height and breadth, with pale filaments resembling powdered stone.

पुष्पैर्मनोहरैर्व्याप्तं व्याकोशैर्गन्धशालिभिः। विराजते वनं सर्वं मत्तभ्रमरनादितम् ।। ३७.

Filled with enchanting flowers, with fragrant, fully opened blossoms, the entire forest shines, resounding with the hum of intoxicated bees.

तद्वनं दानवैर्देवगन्धर्वैर्यक्षराक्षसैः। किन्नरैरप्सरोभिश्च महानागैश्च सेवितम् ।। ३७.

That forest is frequented by Danavas, Devas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Kinnaras, Apsaras, and great Nagas.

तत्राश्रमं भगवतः कश्यपस्य प्रजापतेः। सिद्धसाध्यगणा कीर्णं नानाश्रुतिविभूषितम्। महानीलकुमुञ्जाभ्यामन्तरेप्यचलावथ ।। ३७.

There, between the great blue and Kumuñja grasses, stands the hermitage of the venerable Prajapati Kashyapa, filled with hosts of Siddhas and Sadhyas, adorned with various sacred chants, and immovable.

महानद्याः सुखायास्तु तीरे सिद्धनिषेविते। पञ्चाशद्योजनायामं त्रिंशद्योजनविस्तरम्। रम्यं तालवनं तद्धि अर्द्धक्रोशोच्चमस्तकम् ।। ३७.

On the pleasant bank of the great, gentle river, frequented by Siddhas, is a beautiful grove of palm trees, fifty yojanas long and thirty yojanas wide, with its tops rising half a krosha high.

महामूलैर्महासारैः स्थिरैरविरलैः शुभैः। कुमुदाञ्जनसंस्थानैः परिवृत्तैर्महा फलैः। मृष्टगन्धरसोपेतैरुपेतं सिद्धसेवितम् ।। ३७.

It is filled with splendid, massive roots and trunks, firm and dense, resembling white lotuses and collyrium, with rounded, great fruits, endowed with delightful fragrance and taste, and frequented by Siddhas.