Vayu Purana

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.

तेषां वर्षाणि वक्ष्यामि नामतस्तु यथाक्रमम्। गोमेदं प्रथमं वर्षं नाम्ना शान्तभयं स्मृतम् ।। ४९.

I will now tell you the names of their regions, in order: the first region is Gomeda, known as Śāntabhaya.

चन्द्रस्य शिखरं नाम नारदस्य सुखोदयम्। आनन्दं दुन्दुभेर्वर्ष सोमकस्य शिवंस्मृतम्। क्षेमकं ऋषभस्यापि वैभ्राजस्य ध्रुवं तथा ।। ४९.

The peak of Candra is called Śikhara, the delight of Nārada; Ānanda is the region of Dundubhi, Śiva is remembered as the region of Somaka, Kṣemaka is that of Ṛṣabha, and Dhruva is that of Vaibhrāja.

एतेषु देवगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च सहचारणैः विहरन्ति रमन्ते च दृश्यमानास्तु तैः सह ।। ४९.

In these regions, the gods, gandharvas, and siddhas, along with the cāraṇas, wander and delight, appearing together with them.

तेषां नद्यश्च सप्तैव प्रतिवर्षं समुद्रगाः। नामतस्ताः प्रवक्ष्यामि सप्तगङ्गा महानदी ।। ४९.

There are seven rivers in each region, flowing to the ocean; I will tell you their names, the seven Gaṅgās, the great rivers.

अभिगच्छन्ति ता नद्यस्ताभ्यश्चान्याः सहस्रशः। बहूदकाश्चौघवत्यो यतो वर्षति वासवः ।। ४९.

Those rivers are approached, and from them, thousands of other streams arise, abundant with water, as Indra causes rain.

ताः पिबन्ति सदा हृष्टा नदीर्जनपदास्तु ते। शुभाः शान्तवहाश्चैव प्रमोदा ये च ते शिवाः ।। ४९.

The people of those regions, always joyful, drink from those rivers; those who are auspicious, peaceful, and happy dwell there.

आनन्दाश्च ध्रुवाश्चैव क्षेमकाश्च शिवै सह। वर्णाश्रमाचारयुक्ताः प्रजास्तेष्वथ सर्वशः ।। ४९.

Those who are Ānanda, Dhruva, Kṣemaka, and Śiva, endowed with the duties of varṇa and āśrama, are the people there in every way.

सर्वेष्वरोगाः सुबला- प्रजास्त्वामयवर्जिताः। अधःसर्पिणी न तेष्वस्ति तथैवोत्सर्पिणी न च ।। ४९.

All are free from disease, strong, and without any illness; there is neither decline nor excessive growth among them.

न तत्रास्ति युगावस्था चतुर्युगकृता व्कचित्। त्रेतायुगसमः कालः सर्वदा तत्र वर्त्तते ।। ४९.

There, the states of the yugas, made by the four ages, do not exist; time there is always like the Tretā Yuga.

प्लक्षद्वीपादिषु ज्ञेयः पञ्चस्वेतेषु सर्वशः। देशस्यानुविधानेन कालस्यानुविधाः स्मृताः ।। ४९.

In Plakṣadvīpa and the other five, it should be known that the divisions of time follow the divisions of the land.

पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि तेषु जीवन्ति मानवाः। सुरूपाश्च सुवेषाश्च अरोगा बलिनस्तथा ।। ४९.

There, humans live for five thousand years; they are beautiful, well-dressed, healthy, and strong.

सुखमायुर्बलं रूपमारोग्यं धर्म एव च। प्लक्षद्वीपादिषु ज्ञेयं शाकद्वीपान्तकेषु च ।। ४९.

Happiness, long life, strength, beauty, health, and righteousness are found in Plakṣadvīpa and at the ends of Śākadvīpa.

प्लक्षद्वीपः पृथुः श्रीमान् सर्वतो धनधान्यवान्। दिव्यौषधि फलोपेतः सर्वौषधिवनस्पतिः ।। ४९.

Plakṣadvīpa is vast and splendid, rich in all kinds of wealth and grain; it is endowed with divine herbs and fruits, and all medicinal plants and trees.

आवृतः पशुभिः सर्वैर्ग्रामारण्यैः सहस्रशः। जम्बूवृक्षेण संख्यातस्तस्य मध्ये द्विजोत्तमाः। प्लक्षो नाम्ना महावृक्षस्तस्य नाम्ना स उच्यते ।। ४९.

It is filled with all kinds of animals, with thousands of villages and forests; in its midst, O best of twice-born, stands the great tree named Plakṣa, from which it takes its name.

स तत्र पूज्यते स्थाणुर्मध्ये जनपदस्य हि। स चापीक्षुरसोद्देशः प्लक्षद्वीपसमावृतः। प्लक्षद्वीपस्य चैवेह वैपुल्याद्विस्तरेण तु ।। ४९.

There, Sthāṇu is worshipped in the center of the region; and that area, rich in sugarcane, is surrounded by Plakṣa Island. Here, due to the vastness of Plakṣa Island, it is encompassed extensively.

इत्येष सन्निवेशोवः प्लक्षद्वीपस्य कीर्तितः। आनुपूर्व्या समासेन शाल्मलन्तन्निबोधत ।। ४९.

Thus, the arrangement of Plakṣa Island has been described to you in sequence and briefly; now listen to the account of Śālmalī.

ततस्तृतीयं द्वीपानां शाल्मलं द्वीपमुत्तमम्। शाल्मलेन समुद्रस्तु द्वीपेनेक्षुरसोदकः। प्लक्षद्वीपस्य विस्ताराद्‌द्विगुणेन समावृतः ।। ४९.

Then, among the islands, the third and most excellent is Śālmalī Island; the ocean around it is filled with sugarcane water, and it is surrounded by an expanse twice that of Plakṣa Island.

तत्रापि पर्वताः सप्त विज्ञेया रत्नयोनयः। रत्नाकरास्तथा नद्यस्तेषु वर्षेषु सप्तसु ।। ४९.

There also, seven mountains are to be known, sources of gems; and likewise, there are rivers of gems in the seven regions.

प्रथमः सूर्यसङ्काशः कुमुदो नाम पर्वतः। सर्वधातुमयैः श्रृङ्गैः शिलाजालसमुद्गतैः ।। ४९.

The first mountain is Kumuda, said to be radiant like the sun, with peaks made of all minerals, emerging from masses of stone.

द्वितीयः पर्वतस्तस्य उन्नतो नाम विश्रुतः। हरितालमयैः श्रृङ्गैर्दिवमावृत्य तिष्ठति ।। ४९.

The second mountain there is renowned as Unnata, lofty, with peaks made of orpiment, reaching up to the sky.