Vayu Purana

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.

माहेन्द्रस्य द्विपेन्द्रस्य तत्र वास उदाहृतः। ऐरावतस्य भद्रस्य सर्वलोकेषु विश्रुतः ।। ३७.

There is said to be the dwelling of Mahendra's chief elephant, Airavata, the illustrious and auspicious one, renowned in all the worlds.

वेणुमन्तस्य शैलस्य सुमेधस्योत्तरेण च। सहस्रयोजनायामं विस्तीर्णं शतयोजनम् ।। ३७.

To the north of the mountain Venumanta and the excellent Sumedha lies a region a thousand yojanas long and a hundred yojanas wide.

वृक्षगुल्मलतागुच्छैः सर्ववीरुद्भिरीरितम्। दूर्वाप्रस्तारमेवाथ सर्वसत्वविवर्जितम् ।। ३७.

It is covered with tall trees, bushes, creepers, and all kinds of plants, but is a stretch of sacred grass, devoid of all living creatures.

तथा निषधशैलस्य देवशैलस्य चोत्तरे। सहस्रयोजनायामा शतयोजनविस्तृता ।। ३७.

Likewise, to the north of the mountains Nishadha and Deva, there is a region a thousand yojanas long and a hundred yojanas wide.

सवांह्येकशिला भूमिर्वृक्षवीरुद्विवर्जिता। आप्लुता पादमात्रेण ह्युदकेन समन्ततः ।। ३७.

The land there is a single rock, devoid of trees and plants, and is covered all around by water to the depth of a foot.

इत्येता ह्यन्तरद्रोण्यो नानाकाराः प्रकीर्त्तिताः। मेरोः पूर्वेण विप्रेन्द्रा यथावदनुपूर्वशः ।। ३७.

Thus, O best of Brahmins, the various inner valleys to the east of Meru have been described in their proper order.

इति श्रीमहापुराणे वायुप्रोक्ते भुवनविन्यासो नाम सप्तत्रिंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the thirty-seventh chapter, named 'The Arrangement of the Worlds,' spoken by Vayu in the glorious Mahapurana.

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि दक्षिणान्दिशमाश्रिताः। या द्रोण्यः सिद्धचरिताः शृणु ता ह्यनुपूर्वशः ।। ३८.

Now I shall describe, in order, the southern valleys inhabited by Siddhas; listen to them as I recount.

शिशिरस्याचलेन्द्रस्य पतङ्गस्यान्तरेण च। श्लक्ष्णभूमिश्रिया युक्तं लतालिङ्गितपादपम् ।। ३८.

Between the mountains Shishira and Patanga, there is land of smooth beauty, with trees embraced by creepers.

पृथुक्षेपोच्चशिखरैः पादपैरुपशोभितम्। उदुम्बरवनं रम्यं पक्षिसङ्घनिषेवितम् ।। ३८.

It is adorned with trees whose broad, lofty peaks enhance its charm—a delightful grove of Udumbara trees, frequented by flocks of birds.