Vayu Purana

सुवर्णचित्रपार्श्वे तु सुपार्श्वेऽप्युत्तरे गिरौ । मेरोश्चित्रमहापादे महासत्त्वनिषेविते ।। ४२.

On the northern mountain, near the golden and variegated side, at the wondrous great foot of Meru, frequented by great beings—

मेरुकूटतटाद्भ्रष्टा पवनेनेरितोदका। अनेकाभोगवक्राङ्गी क्षिप्यमाणा नभस्तले ।। ४२.

Falling from the summit slopes of Meru, her waters driven by the wind, with many bends and turns, she was hurled across the sky.

षष्टियोजनसाहस्रे निरालम्बेऽम्बरे शुभे। विकीर्यमाणा मालेव निपपात महानदी ।। ४२.

After sixty thousand yojanas, unsupported in the pure sky, scattering like a garland, the great river descended.

एवं कूटतटैर्भ्रष्टा नैकैर्देवर्षिसेवितैः। विकीर्यमाणसलिला नैकपुष्पोडुपोत्कचा ।। ४२.

Thus, falling from various summit slopes, attended by gods and sages, her waters scattered, adorned with many flowers and clusters of stars.

नानारत्नवनोद्देशमरण्यं सवितुर्व्वनम्। महावनं महाभागा प्लावयन्ती प्रदक्षिणम् ।। ४२.

Flooding forests of various jewels, regions, and wilderness, the forest of the Sun, and the great forest, the most glorious river circled to the right.

सरोवरं महापुण्यं महाभागनिषेवितम्। तत्राविवेश कल्याणी महाभद्रं सितोदका ।। ४२.

There, the auspicious, most fortunate, pure-watered river entered a lake, most holy and frequented by the blessed.

भद्रसोमेति नाम्ना हि महापारा महाजवा। महानदी महापुण्या महाभद्रा विनिर्गता ।। ४२.

Named Bhadrasoma, vast and swift, the great, holy, and most auspicious river emerged.

नैकनिर्झरवप्राढ्या शंखकूटतटे तु सा। तत्र कूटे गिरितटे निपपाताशुगामिनी ।। ४२.

Abundant with many waterfalls and ravines, at the summit of Shankha mountain, there, on the mountain slope, the swift-flowing river descended.

शंखकूटतटाद्भ्रष्टा पपात वृषपर्व्वतम्। वृषपर्व्वताद्वत्सगिरिं नागशैलं ततो गता ।। ४२.

Falling from the slope of Shankha mountain, she descended to Vrishaparvata; from Vrishaparvata she went to Vatsagiri, and then to Nagashaila.

तस्मान्नीलं नगश्रेष्ठं संप्राप्ता वर्षपर्व्वतम्। नीलात् कपिञ्जलञ्चैव इन्द्रनीलं च निम्नगा ।। ४२.

From there, she reached the best of mountains, Nila, and then Varshaparvata; from Nila, the river went to Kapinjala and then to Indranila.

ततः परं महानीलं हेमश्रृङ्गञ्च सा ययौ । हेमश्रृङ्गाद्गता श्वेतं श्वेताच्च सुनगं ययौ ।। ४२.

Then she went to the great Nila and Hemashringa; from Hemashringa she went to Shveta, and from Shveta to Sunaga.

सुनगात् शतश्रृङ्गञ्च संप्राप्ता सा महानदी। शतश्रृङ्गान्महाशैलं पुष्करं पुष्पमण्डितम् ।। ४२.

From Sunaga, the great river reached Shatashringa; from Shatashringa, the great mountain, to Pushkara, adorned with flowers.

पुष्कराच्च महाशैलं द्विराजं सुमहाबलम् । वराहपर्व्वतं तस्मान्मयूरञ्च शिलोच्चयम् ।। ४२.

From Pushkara, she went to the great mountain Dviraja, of immense strength; from there to Varaha mountain, and then to Mayura, the rocky peak.

मयूराच्चैकशिखरं कन्दरोदरमण्डितम् । जारुधिं शैल शिखरं निपपाताशुगामिनी ।। ४२.

From Mayura, to the single-peaked mountain adorned with caves and hollows; the swift-flowing river descended to the summit of Jarudhi mountain.

एवं गिरिसहस्राणि दारयन्ती महानदी। त्रिश्रृङ्गं श्रृङ्गकलिलं मर्यादापर्वतं गता ।। ४२.

Thus, splitting thousands of mountains, the great river reached Trishringa, the mountain with three peaks, crowded with summits, the boundary mountain.

त्रिश्रृङ्गतटविभ्रष्टा महाभागनिषेविता। मेरुकूटतटाद्भ्रष्टा पवनेनेरितोदका ।। ४२.

Falling from the slope of Trishringa, frequented by the blessed, from the summit of Meru, her waters driven by the wind—

विरुद्धं पर्वतवरं पपात विमलोदका। प्लावयन्ती महाभागा प्रयाता पश्चिमार्णवम् ।। ४२.

She fell upon the excellent, opposing mountain, her waters pure; flooding the most glorious lands, she proceeded to the western ocean.

सुवर्णभुवि पार्श्वे तु सुपार्श्वेप्युत्तरे गिरौ ४२.

On the golden land, beside it, and also on the excellent northern mountain.

कन्दरोदरविभ्रष्टा तस्मादपि तरङ्गिणी। नैकभोगा पपातोर्वीं चित्रपुष्पोढुपोत्कचा ।। ४२.

From there, a river, fallen from the mountain caves, with many pleasures, adorned with varied flowers, descended to the earth.

प्लावयन्ती प्रमुदिता उत्तरान् सा कुरून् शिवा। महाद्वीपस्य मध्येन प्रयाता सोत्तरार्णवम् ।। ४२.

Joyfully flooding the northern Kurus, that auspicious river proceeded through the center of the great continent, reaching the northern ocean.

एवं तास्तु महानद्यश्चतस्रो विमलोदकाः। महागिरितटभ्रष्टाः संप्रयाताश्चतुर्दिशम् ।। ४२.

Thus, those four great rivers, with pure waters, fallen from the slopes of great mountains, flowed in the four directions.

तत्सेयं कथितप्राया पृथिवी बहुविस्तरा। मेरुशैलमहाकीर्णाऽविशच्च सर्वतोदिशम् ।। ४२.

Thus, this earth, mostly described, is vast, filled with the great Meru mountain, and extends in all directions.

चतुर्महाद्वीपवती चतुराक्रीडकानना। चतुष्केतुमहावृक्षा चतुर्वरसरस्वती ।। ४२.

It possesses four great continents, four delightful forests, four prominent trees, and four Sarasvati rivers.

चतुर्महाशैलवती चतुर्भुजगसंश्रया। अष्टोत्तरमहाशैला तथाष्टवरपर्वता ।। ४२.

It has four great mountains, four abodes of serpents, one hundred and eight great mountains, and eight excellent ranges.

गन्धमादनपार्श्वे तु स्फीता चोपरि गण्डिका। द्वात्रिंशतं सहस्राणि योजनैः पूर्वपश्चिमा ।। ४३.

Beside Gandhamadana, above, lies Gaṇḍikā, flourishing, stretching thirty-two thousand yojanas east to west.

अस्यायामशचवतुस्त्रिंशत्सहस्राणि प्रमाणतः। तत्र ते शुभकर्माणः केतुमालाः परिश्रुताः ।। ४३.

Its length is also thirty-two thousand yojanas; there, the Ketumālās, renowned for their virtuous deeds, reside.

तत्र काला नराः सर्वे महासत्त्वा महाबलाः। स्त्रियश्चोत्पलपत्राभाः सर्वास्ताः प्रिय दर्शनाः ।। ४३.

There, all the people are mighty and powerful; the women resemble lotus petals, all are pleasant to behold.

तत्र दिव्यो महावृक्षः पनसः षड्रसाश्रयः। ईश्वरो ब्रह्मणः पुत्रः कामचारी मनोजवः। तस्य पीत्वा फलरसं जीवन्ति हि समायुतम् ।। ४३.

There stands a divine, great tree, the jackfruit, bearing six tastes; its lord is the son of Brahma, moving at will, swift as thought; by drinking its fruit juice, they live for a full age.

पार्श्वे माल्यवतश्चापि पूर्वे पुर्वा तु गण्डिका। आयामतोऽथ विस्ताराद्यथैवापरगण्डिका ।। ४३.

Beside Mālyavat, in the east, lies the eastern Gaṇḍikā, with the same length and breadth as the western Gaṇḍikā.