Vayu Purana

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.

पक्वैर्विद्रुमसङ्काशै र्मधुपूर्णैर्मनोरमैः। ज्वलितं तद्वनं भाति महाकुम्भोपमैः फलैः ।। ३८.

That grove shines, ablaze with fruits as red as coral, ripe and filled with honey, delightful and as large as great jars.

तत् सिद्धयक्षगन्धर्वाः किन्नरा उरगास्तथा। विद्याधराश्च मुदिता उपजीवन्ति नित्यशः ।। ३८.

There, Siddhas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Nagas, and Vidyadharas, all joyful, dwell continually.

प्रसन्नस्वादुसलिलास्तत्र नद्यो बहूदकाः। सुरसामलतोयास्ताः सरांसि च समन्ततः ।। ३८.

There are rivers with clear, sweet water, abundant in flow, their waters mingled with Surasa and Amala, and lakes all around.

तत्राश्रमं भगवतः कर्द्दमस्य प्रजापतेः। रम्यं सुरगणाकीर्णं सर्वतश्चित्रकाननम्। समन्ताद्योजनशतं तद्वनं परिमण्डलम् ।। ३८.

There is the hermitage of the venerable Prajapati Kardama, charming and filled with hosts of gods, surrounded on all sides by wondrous forests, and that grove is perfectly circular, a hundred yojanas in every direction.

ताम्रवर्णस्य शैलस्य पतङ्गस्यान्तरेण तु। शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं द्वियोजनशतायतम् ।। ३८.

Between the copper-colored mountain and Pataṅga lies a region one hundred yojanas wide and two hundred yojanas long.

तरुणादित्यसङ्काशैः पुण्डरीकैः समन्ततः। सहस्रपत्रैर्विकचैर्महापद्मैरलङ्कृतम् ।। ३८.

It is adorned on all sides with fully blossomed thousand-petaled lotuses, shining like the rising sun, and with great lotuses.

तथा भ्रमरसंलीनैः शतपत्रैः सुगन्धिभिः। प्रफुल्ल्लैः शोभितजलं रक्तनीलैर्महोत्पलैः ।। ३८.

The waters are beautiful, graced with fragrant, blooming red and blue lotuses, and with hundred-petaled lotuses clustered with bees.

सरोवरं महापुण्यं देवदानवसेवितम्। महोरगैरध्युषितं नीलजाल विभूषितम् ।। ३८.

There is a great and sacred lake, frequented by gods and demons, inhabited by mighty serpents, and adorned with blue waterlily clusters.

तस्य मध्ये जनपदो ह्यायतः शतयोजनः। त्रिंशद्योजनविस्तीर्णो रक्तधातुविभूषितः ।। ३८.

In its midst is a settlement, stretching a hundred yojanas in length and thirty yojanas in width, decorated with red minerals.

तस्योपरि महारम्या प्रांशु प्राकारतोरणा। नरनारीगणाकीर्णा स्फीता विभवविस्तरैः ।। ३८.

Above it rises a splendid city, with lofty ramparts and gateways, crowded with groups of men and women, flourishing with abundant wealth.