Vayu Purana

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.

इत्येष सन्निवेशो वः शाल्मलस्यापि कीर्तितः। प्लक्षवृक्षेण संख्यातस्तस्य मध्ये महाद्रुमः ।। ४९.

Thus, the arrangement of Śālmalī has also been described to you; counted by the Plakṣa tree, its great tree stands in the center.

शाल्मलिर्विपुलस्कन्ध स्तस्य नाम्ना स उच्यते। शाल्मलिस्तु समुद्रेण सुरोदेन समन्ततः। विस्ताराच्छाल्मलस्यैव समेन तु समन्ततः ।। ४९.

Śālmalī, with its broad trunk, is so called by name; Śālmalī is surrounded on all sides by the ocean of sweet water, and its expanse is equal on every side to that of Śālmalī itself.

उत्तरेषु तु धर्मज्ञा द्वीपेषु श्रृणुत प्रजाः। यथाश्रुतं यथान्यायं ब्रुवतो मे निबोधत ।। ४९.

Now hear, in the northern islands, O knowers of righteousness, about the peoples; listen as I speak to you, according to what has been heard and what is proper.

कुशद्वीपं प्रवक्ष्यामि चतुर्थं तं समासतः। सुरोदकः परिवृतः कुशद्वीपेन सर्वतः ।। ४९.

I shall briefly describe Kuśadvīpa, the fourth island, which is entirely surrounded by the Suroda sea.

सप्तैव गिरयस्तत्र वर्ण्यमानान्निबोधत। शाल्मलस्य तु विस्ताराद् द्विगुणेन समन्ततः ।। ४९.

There are seven mountains there—listen as I describe them; the extent of Kuśadvīpa is twice that of Śālmaladvīpa in every direction.

कुखद्वीपे तु विज्ञेयः पर्वतो विद्रुमोच्चयः। द्वीपस्य प्रथमस्तस्य द्वितीयो हेमपर्वतः ।। ४९.

In Kuśadvīpa, the first mountain is called Vidrumoccaya; the second is Hemaparvata.

तृतीयो द्युतिमान्नाम जीमूतसदृशो गिरिः। चतुर्थः पुष्पवान्नाम पञ्चमस्तु कुशेशयः ।। ४९.

The third is the radiant mountain named Dyutimān, resembling a rain cloud; the fourth is called Puṣpavān, and the fifth is Kuśeśaya.

षष्ठो हरिगिरिर्नाम सप्तमो मन्दरः स्मृतः । मन्दा इति ह्यपां नाम मन्दरो दारणादपाम् ।। ४९.

The sixth is the mountain named Harigiri, and the seventh is known as Mandara; Mandara is also called Mandā, and it is so named because it splits the waters.

तेषामन्तरविष्कम्भो द्विगुणः परिवारितः। उद्भिदं प्रथमं वर्षं द्वितीयं वेणुमण्डलम् ।। ४९.

The spaces between them are twice as wide as before; the first region is called Udbhida, the second is Veṇumaṇḍala.

तृतीयं स्वैरथाकारं चतुर्थं लवणं स्मृतम्। पञ्चमं धृतिमद्वर्षं षष्ठं वर्ष प्रभाकरम्। सप्तमं कपिलं नाम सप्तैते वर्षपर्वताः ।। ४९.

The third is of the form called Svairatha, the fourth is known as Lavaṇa; the fifth is Dhṛtimat, the sixth is Varṣaprabhākara, and the seventh is named Kapila—these are the seven mountain-regions.