Vayu Purana

शतयोजनविस्तीर्णा त्रिंशदायामयोजना। नित्यप्रमुदिता स्फीता लङ्का नाम महापुरी ।। ४८.

Spanning a hundred yojanas in breadth and thirty yojanas in length, ever prosperous and joyful, is the great city called Lanka.

सा कामरूपिणां स्थानं राक्षसानां महात्मनाम् । आवासो बलदृप्तानां तद्विद्याद्देवविद्विषाम्। मानुषाणामसम्बाधा ह्यगम्या सा महापुरी ।। ४८.

It is the dwelling place of the wish-formed Rakshasas of great might, the abode of the arrogant and those hostile to the gods; that great city is inaccessible and unapproachable for humans.

तस्य द्वीपस्य वै पूर्वे तीरे नदनदीपतेः। गोकर्णनामधेयस्य शङ्करस्यालयं महत् ।। ४८.

On the eastern shore of that island, at the lord of rivers, is the great abode of Shankara, known as Gokarna.

तथैकराज्यं विज्ञेयं शङ्खद्वीपसमास्थितम्। शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं नानाम्लेच्छगणालयम् ।। ४८.

Likewise, one kingdom is to be known, situated on Shankhadwipa, a hundred yojanas wide, inhabited by many groups of foreigners.

तत्र शङ्खगिरिर्नाम धौतशङ्खदलप्रभः। नानारत्नाकरः पुण्यः पुण्यकृद्भिर्निषेवितः ।। ४८.

There is the mountain called Shankha, shining like washed conch-shells, a treasury of various jewels, sacred and frequented by the virtuous.

शङ्ख नागा महापुण्या यस्मात् प्रभवते नदी। यत्र शङ्खमुखो नाम नागराजः कृतालयः ।। ४८.

From there arises the river Shankha, most holy, where the serpent king named Shankhamukha has his abode.

तथैव कुमुदद्वीपं नानापुण्योपशोभितम्। नानाग्रामसमा कीर्णं नानारत्नाकरं शिवम् ।। ४८.

Likewise, the Kumuda island is adorned with many sacred places, filled with various villages, and is a treasury of many jewels, auspicious and good.

कुमुदाख्या महाभागा दुष्टचित्तनिबर्हणी। महादेवस्य भगिनी प्रभाभिस्ताभिरिज्यते ।। ४८.

The illustrious Kumudā, remover of evil minds, sister of Mahādeva, is worshipped with those radiant ones.

तथा वराहद्वीपे च नानाम्लेच्छगणाकुले। नानाजालिसमाकीर्णे नानाधिष्ठानपत्तने ।। ४८.

Likewise, on the Varāha continent, teeming with various groups of mlecchas, filled with diverse communities and many settlements of different rulers,

धनधान्ययुते स्फीते धर्म्मिष्ठजनसङ्कुले। नदीशैलवनैश्चित्रैर्बहुपुष्पफलोपगैः ।। ४८.

Abundant in wealth and grain, prosperous, crowded with righteous people, adorned with rivers, mountains, forests, and many flowers and fruit-bearing trees,

वराहपर्व्वतो नाम तत्र रम्यः शिलोच्चयः। अनेककन्दरदरीगुहानिर्झरशोभितः ।। ४८.

There is the delightful Varāha mountain, famed for its peaks, beautified by many caves, valleys, grottoes, and waterfalls.

तस्मात्सुरसपानीया पुण्यतीर्थतरङ्गिणी। वाराही नाम वरदा प्रवृत्तास्य महानदी ।। ४८.

From there flows the sacred river Varāhī, giver of boons, holy with waves, whose waters are like nectar.

वाराहरूपिणे तत्र विष्णवे प्रभविष्णवे। अनन्यदेवतास्तस्मै नमस्कुर्वन्ति विप्रजाः ।। ४८.

There, to Viṣṇu in the form of Varāha, the mighty lord, the twice-born offer salutations to him alone, acknowledging no other deity.

एवं षडेते कथिता अनुद्वीपाः समन्ततः। भारतद्वीपदेशो वै दक्षिणे बहुविस्तरः ।।४८.

Thus, these six subsidiary continents have been described all around; the region of Bhārata is indeed vast in the south.

एवमेकमिदं वर्षं बहुद्वीपमिहोच्यते। समुद्रजलसम्बिन्नं खण्डं खण्डीकृतं स्मृतम् ।। ४८.

In this way, this one land is said to be composed of many continents, divided and separated by ocean waters.

एवञ्चतुर्महाद्वीपः सान्तरद्वीपमण्डितः। सानुद्वीपः समाख्यातो जम्बूद्वीपस्य विस्तरः ।। ४८.

Thus, the four great continents, adorned with the subsidiary islands, together with the subcontinents, are described as the expanse of Jambūdvīpa.

इति महापुराणे वायुप्रोक्ते भुवनविन्यासो नामाष्टचत्वारिंशो ध्यायः

Thus ends the forty-eighth chapter, named 'The Arrangement of the Worlds,' spoken by Vāyu in the great Purāṇa.

प्लक्षद्वीपं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथावदिव सङ्ग्रहात्। श्रृणुतेमं यतातत्त्वं ब्रुवतो मे द्विजोत्तमाः ।। ४९.

I will now properly describe Plakṣadvīpa in summary; listen, O best of twice-born, as I speak the truth about it.

जम्बूद्वीपस्य विस्ताराद्द्विगुणस्तस्य विस्तरः। विस्तारात्र्रिगुणश्चास्य परिणाहः समन्ततः। तेनावृतः समुद्रोऽयं द्वीपेन लवणोदकः।। ४९.

The extent of Plakṣadvīpa is twice that of Jambūdvīpa; its circumference is three times as much in all directions. This continent is surrounded by a salt-water ocean.

तत्र पुण्या जनपदाश्चिराच्च म्रियते प्रजा। कुत एव हि दुर्भिक्षं जराव्याधिभयं कुतः ।। ४९.

There, the people are virtuous, and they live long; how could there be famine, old age, or fear of disease there?

तत्रापि पर्वताः शुभ्राः सप्तैव मणिभूषणाः। रत्नाकरास्तथा नद्यस्तासान्नामानि वच्मि भोः ।। ४९.

There also are seven shining mountains adorned with jewels, and mines of gems, as well as rivers; I will tell you their names, O listeners.

प्लक्षद्वीपादिषु तेषु सप्त सप्तसु सप्तसु। ऋज्वायताः प्रतिदिशं निविष्टाः पर्वताः सदा ।। ४९.

On Plakṣadvīpa and the other six, in each of the seven continents, the mountains are always straight and stretch in every direction.

प्लक्षद्वीपे तु वक्ष्यामि सप्त द्वीपान्महाचलान्। गोमेद कोऽत्र प्रथमः पर्वतो मेघसन्निभः। ख्यायते तस्य नाम्ना वै वर्षं गोमेदकन्तु तत् ।। ४९.

On Plakṣadvīpa I will describe the seven great mountains; Gomeda is the first mountain, resembling a cloud, and the region is known by its name as Gomedaka.

द्वितीयः पर्वतश्चन्द्रः सर्वौषधिसमन्वितः। अश्विभ्याममृतस्यार्थे ओषध्यस्तत्र संस्थिताः ।। ४९.

The second mountain is called Candra, filled with all medicinal herbs; there the Aśvins placed the herbs for the sake of ambrosia.

तृतीयो नारदो नाम दुर्गशैलो महोच्छ्रयः। तत्राचले समुत्पन्नौ पूर्वं नारदपर्वतौ ।। ४९.

The third is named Nārada, a difficult and lofty mountain; on that mountain, the Nārada peaks arose in ancient times.

चतुर्थस्तत्र वै शैलो दुन्दुभिर्नाम नामतः। शब्दमृत्युः पुरा तस्मिन् दुन्दुभिस्ताडितः सुरैः । रज्जुदारो रज्जुमयः शाल्मलस्वासुरान्तकृत् ।। ४९.

The fourth mountain there is called Dundubhi by name; in ancient times, the gods struck Dundubhi there, the death of sound. Rajjudāra, made of cords, and Śālmalasvā, the destroyer of asuras, are also found there.

पञ्चमः सोमको नाम देवै र्यत्रामृतं पुरा। सम्भृतञ्च हृतं चैव मातुरर्थे गरुत्मता ।। ४९.

The fifth is named Somaka, where, in ancient times, the gods gathered and took the nectar, which Garuḍa carried away for his mother's sake.

षष्ठस्तु सुमना नाम स एवर्षभ उच्यते। हिरण्याक्षो वराहेण तस्मिन् शैले निषूदितः ।। ४९.

The sixth is called Sumanā, also known as Ṛṣabha; on that mountain, Hiraṇyākṣa was slain by the Boar (Varāha).

वैभ्राजः सप्तमस्तत्र भ्राजिष्णुः स्फाटिको महान्। यस्माद्विभ्राजतेऽर्चिर्भिर्वैभ्राजस्तेन स स्मृतः ।। ४९.

There, the seventh is Vaibhrāja, brilliant and great like crystal; because it shines with rays, it is remembered as Vaibhrāja.