Vayu Purana

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.

वायुना प्रेर्यमाणा च अनेकाभोगगामिनी। परिवर्त्तत्यहरहर्यथा सूर्यस्तथैव सा ।। ४२.

Driven by the wind, she moves along many courses, revolving day after day just as the sun does.

चत्वार्यशीतिः प्रतता योजनानां समन्ततः। वेगेन कुर्वती मेरुं सा प्रयाता प्रदक्षिणम् ।। ४२.

Extending eighty-four yojanas on all sides, she swiftly circles Mount Meru to the right.

विभिद्यमाना सलिलैस्तैजसेनानिलेन च। मेरोरुत्तरकूटेषु पतिताथ चतुर्ष्वपि ।। ४२.

Split by the waters and by the fiery wind, she fell upon the four northern peaks of Meru.

मेरुकूटतटान्तेभ्य उत्कृष्टेभ्यो निवर्तिता। विकीर्यमाण सलिला चतुर्द्धासंसृतोदका ।। ४२.

From the lofty edges of Meru's peaks, she turned back, her waters scattered and divided into four streams.

षष्टियोजनसाहस्रं निरालम्बनमम्बरम्। निपपात महाभाग मेरोस्तस्य चतुर्द्दिशम् ।। ४२.

Falling through the unsupported sky for sixty thousand yojanas, she descended to the four directions of mighty Meru.

सा चतुर्ष्वभितश्चैव महापादेषु शोभना। पुण्या मन्दरपूर्वेण पतिता हि महानदी ।। ४२.

That splendid and meritorious great river fell to the four beautiful bases, east of Mandara.

पूर्वेणांशेन देवानां सर्वसिद्धगणालयम्। सुवर्णचित्रकटकं नैकनिर्झरकन्दरम् ।। ४२.

To the east, she reached the abode of all the gods and hosts of Siddhas, adorned with golden peaks and many cascading caves.

प्लावयन्ती सशैलेन्द्रं मन्दरञ्चारुकन्दरम्। वप्रप्रतापशमनैरनेकैः स्फाटिकोदकैः ।। ४२.

Flooding Mandara with its lovely caves and the lord of mountains, she soothes the slopes with her many crystal-clear waters.

तथा चैत्ररथं रम्यं प्लावयन्ती प्रदक्षिणम्। प्रविष्टा ह्यम्बरनदी ह्यरुणोदसरोवरम् ।। ४२.

Thus, encircling the delightful Caitraratha, the river of the sky entered the beautiful lake Aruṇoda.

अरुणोदान्निवृत्ताऽथ शीतान्ते रम्यनिर्झरे। शैले सिद्धगणावासे निपपात सुगामिनी ।। ४२.

Departing from Aruṇoda, at the end of the cool region, in a lovely waterfall, she descended on the mountain, the abode of Siddhas, flowing smoothly.

सीता नाम महा पुण्या नदीनां प्रवरा नदी। सा निकुञ्जनिरुद्धा तु अनेकाभोगगामिनी ।। ४२.

Named Sītā, the most meritorious and foremost among rivers, she is obstructed by groves and flows along many courses.

शीतान्ताशिखराद्भ्रष्टा सुकुञ्जे वरपर्वते। निपपात महाभागा तस्मादपि सुमञ्जसम् ।। ४२.

Falling from the peak of Śītānta, in a beautiful grove on the excellent mountain, the blessed river descended, and from there to Sumañjasa.

तस्मान्माल्यवतं शैलं भावयन्ती वरापगा। वैकङ्कं समनुप्राप्ता वैकङ्कान्मणिपर्वतम्। मणिपर्वतान्महाशैलं ऋषभं नैककन्दरम् ।। ४२.

From there, the excellent river, nourishing the Mālyavat mountain, reached Vaikaṅka, then Maṇiparvata, and from Maṇiparvata to the great mountain Ṛṣabha, with its many caves.

एवं शैलसहस्राणि दारयन्ती महानदी। पतिताऽथ महाशैले जठरे सिद्धसेविते ।। ४२.

Thus, splitting thousands of mountains, the great river fell into the great mountain's hollow, frequented by Siddhas.

तस्मादपि महाशैलं देवकूटं तरङ्गिणी। तस्य कुक्षिसमुद्रान्ता क्रमेण पृथिवीं गता ।। ४२.

Therefore, from that great mountain, Devakūṭa, the river flowed; its waters gradually reached the earth from the depths of its belly.

सैवं स्थलीसहस्राणि शैलराजशतानि च। वनानि च विचित्राणि सरांसि विविधानि च ।। ४२.

Thus, thousands of plains, hundreds of kingly mountains, wondrous forests, and various lakes were traversed.

स्रावयन्ती महाभागा विस्फारेष्ववलीकदा। नदी सहस्रानुगता प्रवृत्ता च महानदी ।। ४२.

The blessed river, accompanied by thousands of streams, poured forth, swelling in its course, and became the great river.

भद्राश्वं सुमहाद्वीपं प्लावयन्ती वरापगा। प्रविष्टा ह्यर्णवं पूर्वं पूर्वे द्वीपे महानदी ।। ४२.

Flooding the vast Bhadrāśva island, the excellent river entered the eastern ocean, having first flowed through the eastern continent.

दक्षिणेऽपि प्रपन्ना या शैलेन्द्रे गन्धमादने। चित्रैः प्रपातैर्विधैर्नैकविस्फालितोदका ।। ४२.

She also reached the southern side, to the lordly mountain Gandhamādana, with many wondrous and diverse waterfalls, her waters bursting forth in many places.

तद्घन्धमादनवनं नन्दनं देवनन्दनम्। प्लावयन्ती महाभागा प्रयाता सा प्रदक्षिणम् ।। ४२.

That Gandhamādana forest, Nandana, the delight of the gods, was flooded by the blessed river, which then proceeded in a clockwise direction.