Vayu Purana

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.

तृतीयः पर्वतस्तस्य बलाहक इति श्रुतः। जात्यञ्जनमयैः श्रृङ्गैर्दिवमावृत्य तिष्ठति ।। ४९.

The third mountain is called Balāhaka, known for its peaks made of natural antimony, rising up to the heavens.

चतुर्थः पर्वतो द्रोणो यत्रौषध्यो महाबलाः। विशल्यकरणी चैव मृतसञ्जीवनी तथा ।। ४९.

The fourth mountain is Droṇa, where powerful medicinal herbs grow, including Viśalyakarani and Mṛtasañjīvanī.

कङ्कस्तु पञ्चमस्तत्र पर्वतः सुमहोदयः। दिव्यपुष्पफलो पेतो वृक्षवीरुत्समावृतः ।। ४९.

Kaṅka is the fifth mountain there, of great height, adorned with divine flowers and fruits, and surrounded by trees and creepers.

षष्ठस्तु पर्वतस्तत्र महिषो मेघसन्निभः। यस्मिन् सोऽग्निर्निवसति महिषो नाम वारिजः ।। ४९.

The sixth mountain there is Mahiṣa, resembling a cloud, where Agni resides; it is called Mahiṣa, born of water.

सप्तमः पर्वतस्तत्र ककुझान्नाम भाष्यते। तत्र रत्नान्यनेकानि स्वयं वर्षति वासवः। प्रजापतिमुपादाय प्राजापत्ये विधिस्त्वयम् ।। ४९.

The seventh mountain is called Kakudha; there, Indra himself rains down many gems, taking Prajāpati as his guide, according to the Prajāpati rite.

इत्येते पर्वताः सप्त शाल्मले मणिभूषिताः । तेषां वर्षाणि वक्ष्यामि सप्तैव तु शुभानि वै। कुमुदात् प्रथमं श्वेतमुन्नतस्य तु लोहितम् ।। ४९.

These are the seven mountains in Śālmalī, adorned with jewels. I will now describe their seven auspicious regions: from Kumuda, the first is white; from Unnata, red.

बलाहकस्य जीमूतं द्रोणस्य हरितं स्मृतम् । कङ्कस्य वैद्युतं नाम महिषस्य तु मानसम् ।। ४९.

From Balāhaka, it is called Jīmūta; from Droṇa, it is remembered as green; from Kaṅka, it is named Vaidyuta; from Mahiṣa, Mānasam.

ककुदः सुप्रभं नाम सप्तैतानि तु सप्तधा। वर्षाणि पर्वतांश्चैव नदीस्तेषु निबोधत ।। ४९.

Kakudha is called Suprabha; thus, these are the seven regions and mountains. Now listen to the rivers in those regions.

पानितोया वितृष्णा च चन्द्रा शुक्रा विमोचनी। निवृत्तिः सप्तमी तासां प्रतिवर्षं तु ताः स्मृताः ।। ४९.

Pānitoyā, Vitṛṣṇā, Candrā, Śukrā, Vimocanī, and Nivṛtti are the seven rivers; each is remembered for its respective region.

तासां समीपगाश्चान्याः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। अशक्याः परिसंख्यातुं श्रद्धेयास्तु बुभूषता ।। ४९.

Besides these, there are hundreds and thousands of other rivers nearby, impossible to enumerate, but worthy of belief for those who desire knowledge.