Vayu Purana

यक्षाणां किन्नराणाञ्च गन्धर्वाणां सहस्रशः। नागानां राक्षसानाञ्च दैत्यानाञ्च महाबले ।। ४१.

Thousands of yakshas, kinnaras, gandharvas, nagas, rakshasas, and powerful daityas dwell there.

कूटे तु मध्यमे तस्य सिद्धसङ्घ निषेविते। रम्ये देवर्षिचरिते रत्नधातुविभूषिते ।। ४१.

On its central peak, frequented by groups of siddhas, in the delightful region visited by divine sages, adorned with gems and minerals.

पझोत्पलवनैः फुल्लैः सौगन्धिकवनैस्तथा। तथा कुमुदखण्डैश्च विकचैरुपशोभिते ।। ४१.

It is beautified by blooming lotus ponds, fragrant groves, and clusters of kumuda flowers in full blossom.

विहङ्गसङ्घसंघुष्टं नानासत्वनिषेवितम्। हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णं मत्तषट्‌पदसेवितम् ।। ४१.

Filled with the sounds of flocks of birds, inhabited by various creatures, crowded with swans and waterfowl, and frequented by intoxicated bees.

नानासत्वगणाकीर्णं विहङ्गैरुपशोभितम्। चारुतीर्थसुसम्बाधं त्रिंशद्योजनमण्डलम् ।। ४१.

Adorned with groups of various creatures, beautified by birds, densely packed with charming sacred places, it covers a circle of thirty yojanas.

सिद्धैरुपस्पृष्टजलं जलदोषविवर्जितम्। तत्रानन्दजलन्नाम महापुण्यजलं सरः ।। ४१.

Its waters are touched by siddhas, free from any impurity; there is the lake called Anandajala, a lake of great merit.

तत्र नागपति श्चण्ड श्चण्डो नाम दुरासदः। शतशीर्षा महाभागो विष्णुचक्राङ्कचिह्नितः। इत्येवमष्टौ विज्ञेया विचित्रा देवपर्वताः ।। ४१.

There is the lord of the nagas, named Chanda, fierce and hard to approach, with a hundred heads, greatly fortunate, marked with the sign of Vishnu's discus; thus, eight wondrous divine mountains are to be known.

पुरैरायतनैः पुण्यैः पुण्योदैश्च सरोवरैः। सुवर्णपर्वतैर्नैकैस्तथा रजतपर्वतैः ।। ४१.

With cities, sacred shrines, holy rivers, and lakes of merit, with many golden mountains and likewise mountains of silver—

नानारत्नप्रभासैश्च नैकैश्च मणिपर्वतैः। हरितालपर्वतैर्नैकैस्तथा हिङ्गुलकाञ्चनैः ।। ४१.

With mountains shining with the radiance of various gems, with many jewel-studded peaks, with numerous mountains of green stone and also of cinnabar and gold—

शुद्धैर्मनः शिलाजालैर्भास्वरैररुणप्रभैः । नानाधातुविचित्रैश्च नैकैश्च मणिपर्वतैः ।। ४१.

With pure and splendid ranges of crystal, gleaming with a reddish glow, adorned with various metals and many mountains of jewels—

पूर्णा वसुमती सर्वा गिरिभिर्नैकविस्तरैः। नदीकन्दरशैलाद्यैरनेकैश्चित्रसानुभिः ।। ४१.

The entire earth is filled with mountains of countless breadths, with rivers, valleys, and peaks, and with many slopes of wondrous form—

इत्येवमचलैर्युक्तैर्दैत्यराक्षससाधुभिः। किन्नरोरगगन्धर्वैर्विचित्रैः सिद्धचारणैः ।। ४१.

Thus, with such mountains inhabited by Daityas, Rākṣasas, and sages, by Kinnaras, serpents, Gandharvas, and by wondrous Siddhas and Cāraṇas—

गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च सेविता नैक विस्तराः। पुण्यकृद्भिः समाकीर्णा केसराकृतयो नगाः ।। ४१.

Attended by Gandharvas and Apsarases, vast in extent, crowded with the virtuous, the mountains take the form of lion's manes—

गिरिजालन्तु तन्मेरोः सिद्धलोकमिति स्मृतम्। चित्रं नानाश्रयोपेतं प्रचारं सुकृतात्मनाम् ।। ४१.

This network of mountains of Meru is known as the world of the Siddhas, wondrous, adorned with many abodes, a realm traversed by those of virtuous soul—

नात्युग्रकर्मसिद्धानां प्रतिमा मध्यमाः स्मृताः। स हि स्वर्ग इति ख्यातः क्रमस्त्वेष प्रकीर्तितः ।। ४१.

For those not accomplished in exceedingly severe deeds, the forms are considered middling; this is renowned as heaven, and this order is declared—

चतुर्महाद्वीपवती सेयमुर्वी प्रकीर्तिता ४१.

This earth is described as possessing four great continents—

नानाभक्ष्यान्नपानैश्च नानाच्छादनभूषणैः। प्रजाविकारैर्विविधैश्चित्रैरध्युषितैः सह।। ४१.

With various foods and drinks, with diverse garments and ornaments, inhabited by beings of many forms and wondrous transformations—

चत्वारो नैकवर्णाद्या महाद्वीपाः परिश्रुताः। भद्राश्च भरताश्चैव केतुमालाश्च पश्चिमाः। उत्तराः कुरवश्चैव कृतपुण्यप्रतिश्रयाः ।। ४१.

The four great continents, of many colors and kinds, are well-known: Bhadrā, Bharata, Ketumāla in the west, and Uttara Kuru, abodes of those who have performed merit—

सैषा चतुर्महाद्वीपा नानाद्वीपसमाकुला। पृथिवी कीर्तिता कृत्स्ना पद्माकारा मया द्विजाः ।। ४१.

This earth, with its four great continents and many islands, is described by me, O twice-born, as entirely shaped like a lotus—

तदेषा सान्तरद्वीपा सशैलवनकानना। पद्मेत्यभिहिता कृत्स्ना पृथिवी बहुविस्तरा ।। ४१.

Thus, with its inner islands, mountains, forests, and groves, this vast earth is called the Lotus—

सब्रह्मसदनं लोकं सदेवासुरमानुषम्। त्रिलोकमिति विख्यातं यत्सत्त्वैर्व्यवहार्यते ।। ४१.

The world with the abode of Brahmā, with gods, asuras, and humans, is known as the three worlds, which are engaged with by living beings—

चन्द्रादित्यावतप्तं यत्तज्जगत् परिगीयते। गन्धवर्णरसोपेतं शब्दस्पर्शगुणान्वितम् ।। ४१.

That world, heated by the moon and sun, is celebrated as the universe, endowed with fragrance, color, and taste, and possessing the qualities of sound and touch—

तं लोकपद्मं श्रुतिभिः पद्ममित्यभिधीयते। एष सर्वपुराणेषु क्रमः सुपरिनिश्चितः ।। ४१.

That world-lotus is called 'lotus' in the Vedas; this order is firmly established in all the Purāṇas—

सरोवरेभ्यः पुण्योदा देव नद्यो विनिर्गताः। महौघतोया नद्यश्च ताः श्रृणुध्वं यथाक्रमम् ।। ४२.

From the sacred lakes, holy rivers arise, and from the divine rivers, great streams flow forth; listen as I recount them in order—

आकाशाम्भोनिधेर्योऽसौ सोम इत्यभिधीयते। आधारः सर्वभूतानां देवानाममृताकरः ।। ४२.

That which is called Soma, arising from the ocean of the sky, is the support of all beings, the source of nectar for the gods—

तस्मात् प्रवृत्ता पुण्योदा नदी ह्याकाशगामिनी। सप्तमेनानिलपथा प्रयाता विमलोदका ।। ४२.

Therefore, that meritorious river, flowing through the sky, set forth on the seventh path of the wind, with pure waters.

सा ज्योतिषि निवर्तन्ती ज्योतिर्गणनिषेविता। ताराकोजिसहस्राणां नभसश्च समायता ।। ४२.

Attended by hosts of luminaries, she returns among the stars, mingling with thousands of shining stars in the sky.

माहेन्द्रेण गजेन्द्रेण आकाशपथयायिना। क्रीडिता ह्यन्तरतले या सा विक्षोभितोदका ।। ४२.

Played with by Airāvata, the lord of elephants, who travels the path of the sky, her waters are agitated in the inner region.

नैकैर्विमानसङ्घातैः प्रक्रामद्भिर्नभस्तलम्। सिद्धैरुपस्पृष्टजला महापुण्यजला शिवा ।। ४२.

Touched by the Siddhas, as they proceed in groups of aerial chariots through the sky, her waters are supremely meritorious and auspicious.