Vayu Purana

सप्त प्रकृतयस्त्वेता धारयन्ति परस्परम्। तास्वल्पपरिमाणेन प्रसङ्ख्यातुमिहोच्यते। असङ्ख्येयाः प्रकृतयस्तिर्यगूर्द्ध्वमधश्च याः ।। ४९.

These seven primal substances support each other; among them, those with small measure can be enumerated here, but the primal substances extending horizontally, upwards, and downwards are innumerable.

तारकासन्निवेशश्च यावद्दिव्यं तु मण्जलम्। मर्यादासन्निवेशस्तु भूमेस्तदनुमण्डलम्। अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि पृथिव्यां वै द्विजोत्तमाः ।। ४९.

The arrangement of the stars extends as far as the celestial sphere; the arrangement of the boundaries of the earth is up to its own sphere; beyond this, I shall further explain about the earth, O best of twice-born.

अधःप्रमाणमूर्द्ध्वञ्च वर्ण्यमानं निबोधत। पृथिवी वायुराकाशमापो ज्योतिश्च पञ्चमम्। अनन्तधातवो ह्येते व्यापकास्तु प्रकीर्तिताः ॥ ५०.

Now hear of the measurement below and above: earth, wind, space, water, and light as the fifth—these are called the infinite elements, all-pervading.

जननी सर्वभूतानां सर्व भूतधरा धरा। नानाजनपदाकीर्णा नानाधिष्ठानपत्तना ॥ ५०.

The earth is the mother of all beings, the bearer of all creatures, filled with many peoples and adorned with many cities and abodes.

नानानदनदीशैला नैकजातिसमाकुला। अनन्ता गीयते देवी पृथिवी बहुविस्तरा ॥ ५०.

With many rivers, mountains, and teeming with various kinds of beings, the goddess earth is sung as infinite and of great expanse.

नदीनदसमुद्रस्थास्तथा क्षुद्राश्रयाः स्थिताः। पर्वताकाशसंस्थाश्च अन्तर्भूमिगताश्च याः ॥ ५०.

Those beings who dwell in rivers, streams, and oceans, as well as those who reside in small enclosures, those established on mountains and in the sky, and those who are within the earth—

आपोऽनन्ताश्च विज्ञेयास्तथाग्निः सर्वलौकिकः। अनन्तः पठ्यते चैव व्यापकः सर्वसम्भवः ॥ ५०.

The waters are to be understood as endless, and likewise, fire in all the worlds is said to be infinite, all-pervading, and the source of everything.

तथाकाशमनालम्बं रम्यं नानाश्रयं स्मृतम्। अनन्तं प्रथितं सर्वं वायुश्चाकाशसम्भवः ॥ ५०.

In the same way, space is considered unsupported, delightful, and having various abodes; it is proclaimed as infinite and all-pervading, and wind arises from space.

आपः पृथिव्यामुदके पृथिवी चोपरि स्थिता। आकाशञ्चापरमधः पुनर्भूमिः पुनर्ज्जलम् ॥ ५०.

Water is within the earth, and the earth is established above the water; above that is space, and below again is earth, and then again water.

एवमन्तमनन्तस्य भौतिकस्य न विद्यते। पुरा सुरैरभिहितं निश्चितन्तु निबोधत ॥ ५०.

In this way, the extent of the infinite material world is without limit; this was formerly declared by the gods—now listen to this settled conclusion.

भूमिर्जलमथाकाशमिति ज्ञेया परम्परा। स्थितिरेषा तु विज्ञेया सप्तमेऽस्मिन् रसातले ॥ ५०.

Earth, water, and then space—this is the sequence to be known; and this arrangement is to be understood in the seventh region, Rasātala.

दशयोजनसाहस्रमेकभौमं रसातलम्। साधुभिः परिविख्यातमेकैकं बहुविस्तरम् ॥ ५०.

Rasātala, the first subterranean region, is ten thousand yojanas in extent; each one is widely renowned among the virtuous as vast and spacious.

प्रथममतलञ्चैव सुतलन्तु ततः परम्। ततः परतरं विद्याद्वितलं बहुविस्तरम् ॥ ५०.

First is Atala, then Sutala beyond that; after that, one should know Vitala, which is very extensive.

ततो गभस्तलं नाम परतश्च महातलम्। श्रीतलञ्च ततः प्राहुः पातालं सप्तमंस्मृतम् ॥ ५०.

Then comes Gabhastala by name, and beyond that Mahātala; after that, they speak of Śrītala, and Pātāla is known as the seventh.

कृष्णभौमञ्च प्रथमं भूमिभागञ्च कीर्त्तितम्। पाण्डुभौमं द्वितीयन्तु तृतीयं रक्तमृत्तिकम् ॥ ५०.

The first region is called black earth, and the portion of earth is thus described; the second is pale earth, and the third is red clay.

पीतभौमञ्चतुर्थन्तु पञ्चमं शर्करातलम्। षष्ठं सिलामयञ्चैव सौवर्णं सप्तमन्तलम् ॥ ५०.

The fourth is yellow earth, the fifth is the gravelly layer; the sixth is stony, and the seventh is golden ground.

प्रथमे तु तले ख्यातमसुरेन्द्रस्य मन्दिरम्। नमुचेरिन्द्रशत्रोर्हि महानादस्य चालयम् ॥ ५०.

In the first region, the palace of the lord of the Asuras is renowned, as is the abode of Namuci, the enemy of Indra, and the mansion of Mahānāda.

पुरञ्च शङ्कुकर्णस्य कबन्धस्य च मन्दिरम्। निष्कुलादस्य च पुरं प्रहृष्टजनसङ्कुलम् ॥ ५०.

There is the city of Śaṅkukarṇa, the palace of Kabandha, and the city of Niṣkulāda, crowded with joyful people.

राक्षसस्य च भीमस्य शूलदन्तस्य चालयम्। लोहिताक्षकलिङ्गानां नगरं श्वापदस्य तु ॥ ५०.

There is also the abode of the Rākṣasa Bhīma, and of Śūladanta; the city of Lohitākṣa and Kaliṅga, and the town of Śvāpada.

धनञ्जयस्य च पुरं माहेन्द्रस्य महात्मनः । कालियस्य च नागस्य नगरं कलसस्य च ॥ ५०.

There is the city of Dhanañjaya, the great-souled Mahendra, the city of the serpent Kāliya, and that of Kalasa.

एवं पुरसहस्राणिं नागदानवरक्षसाम्। तले ज्ञेयानि प्रथमे कृष्णभौमे न संशयः ॥ ५०.

In this way, thousands of cities of Nāgas, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas are to be known in the first region, the black earth—there is no doubt.

द्वितीयेऽपि तले विप्रा दैत्येन्द्रस्य सुरक्षसः। महाजम्भस्य च तथा नगरं प्रथमस्य तु ॥ ५०.

In the second region as well, O sages, is the city of the Daitya lord Surakṣasa, and likewise that of Mahājambha, the foremost.

हयग्रीवस्य कृष्णस्य निकुम्भस्य च मन्दिरम्। शङ्खाख्येयस्य च पुरं नगरं गोमुखस्य च ॥ ५०.

There is the palace of Hayagrīva, of Kṛṣṇa, and of Nikumbha; the city of Śaṅkha, and the town of Gomukha.

राक्षसस्य च नीलस्य मेघस्य क्रथनस्य च। पुरञ्च कुरुपादस्य महोष्णीषस्य चालयम् ॥ ५०.

And the city of the Rākṣasa Nīla, and of Megha, and of Krathana, and the city of Kurupāda, and of Mahoṣṇīṣa.

कम्बलस्य च नागस्य पुरमश्वतरस्य च। कद्रुपुत्रस्य च पुरं तक्षकस्य महात्मनः ॥ ५०.

And the city of Kambala the serpent, and of Aśvatara, and the city of Kadru's son, the great-souled Takṣaka.

एवं पुरसहस्राणि नागदानवरक्षसाम्। द्वितीयेऽस्मिन् तले विप्राः पाण्डुभौमे न संशयः ॥ ५०.

In this way, thousands of cities of serpents, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas exist on this second layer, O sages, on the pale earth, without doubt.

तृतीये तु तलेख्यातं प्रह्लादस्य महात्मनः। अनुह्लादस्य च पुरं देत्येन्द्रस्य महात्मनः ॥ ५०.

On the third layer, it is said, is the city of the great-souled Prahlāda, and the city of Anuhlāda, the great-souled lord of the Daityas.

तारकाख्‌यस्य च पुरं पुरं त्रिशिरसस्तथा। शिशुमारस्य च पुरं हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलम् ॥ ५०.

And the city of Tāraka, and likewise the city of Triśiras, and the city of Śiśumāra, crowded with joyful and prosperous people.

च्यवनस्य च विज्ञेयं राक्षसस्य च मन्दिरम्। राक्षसेन्द्रस्य च पुरंकुम्भिलस्य खरस्यच ॥ ५०.

And the residence of Cyavana, and the mansion of the Rākṣasa, and the city of the Rākṣasa king Kumbhila and of Khara.