Vayu Purana

तत्रास्ते सुरसापुत्रः शतशीर्षो मुदा युतः। कश्यपस्य सुतः श्रीमान् वासुकिर्नाम नागराट् ॥ ५०.

There dwells the son of Surasā, Śataśīrṣa, filled with joy, the illustrious Vāsuki, king of serpents, son of Kaśyapa.

एवं पुरसहस्राणि नागदानवरक्षसाम् । षष्ठे तलेऽस्मिन् विख्याते शिलाभौमे रसातले ॥ ५०.

Thus, in this renowned sixth layer of Rasatala, there are thousands of cities belonging to Nagas, Danavas, and Rakshasas, all established upon the stony earth.

सप्तमे तु तले ज्ञेयं पाताले सर्व्वपश्चिमे । पुरं बलेः प्रमुदितं नरनारीसमाकुलम् ॥ ५०.

In the seventh layer, known as Patala, which lies at the farthest west, there is the splendid city of Bali, filled with joyous men and women.

असुराशीविषैः पूर्णमुद्धृतैर्द्देवशत्रुभिः। मुचुकुन्दस्य दैत्यस्य तत्र वै नगरं महत् ॥ ५०.

That great city there belongs to the Daitya Mucukunda, and is filled with Asuras, venomous serpents, and enemies of the gods who have been cast down.

अनेकैर्दितिपुत्राणां समुदीर्णैर्महापुरैः। तथैव नागनगरैऋद्धिमद्भिः सहस्रशः ॥ ५०.

It is crowded with many vast cities of the sons of Diti, and likewise with thousands of prosperous Naga cities.

दैत्यानां दानवानाञ्च समुदीर्णै र्महापुरैः। उदीर्णै राक्षसावासैरनेकैश्च समाकुलम् ॥ ५०.

It is teeming with great cities of Daityas and Danavas, and with numerous abodes of Rakshasas, making it densely populated.

पातालान्ते च विप्रेन्द्रा विस्तीर्णे बहुयोजने। आस्ते रक्तारविन्दाक्षो महात्मा ह्यजरामरः ॥ ५०.

At the end of Patala, O best of Brahmins, in a vast region spanning many yojanas, dwells the great-souled one with eyes like red lotuses, who is ageless and immortal.

धौतशङ्खोदरवपुर्नीलवासा महाभुजः। विशालभोगो द्युतिमांश्चित्रमालाधरो बली ॥ ५०.

His body is like a washed conch, he is clad in blue garments, has mighty arms, a vast hood, is radiant, adorned with a wondrous garland, and is powerful.

रुक्मश्रृङगावदातेन दीप्तास्येन विराजता। प्रभुर्मुखसहस्रेण शोभते वै स कुण्डली ॥ ५०.

He shines with a golden-crested, spotless, blazing face, and as a lord with a thousand faces, the coiled one appears resplendent.

स जिह्वामालया देवो लोलज्वालानलार्चिषा। ज्वालामालापरिक्षिप्तः कैलास इव लक्ष्यते ॥ ५०.

That god, with a garland of tongues, flickering with blazing fire, encircled by a wreath of flames, appears like Mount Kailasa.

स तु नेत्रसहस्रेण द्विगुणेन विराजता। बालसूर्य्याभिताम्रेण शोभते स्निग्धमण्डलः ॥ ५०.

He is adorned with a thousand eyes, twice as radiant, glowing with the hue of the rising sun, and his lustrous form is beautiful.

तस्य कुन्देन्दुवर्णस्य अक्षमाला विराजते । तरुणादित्यमालेव श्वेतपर्व्वतमूर्द्धनि ॥ ५०.

Upon his head, white as jasmine and the moon, shines a rosary of eyes, like the young sun upon a snowy mountain peak.

जटाकरालो द्युतिमान् लक्ष्यते शयनासने। विस्तीर्ण इव मेदिन्यां सहस्रशिखरो गिरिः ॥ ५०.

With matted locks and shining brilliance, he is seen reclining, like a mountain with a thousand peaks spread wide upon the earth.

महाभोगैर्महाभागैर्महानागैर्महाबलैः। उपास्यते महातेजा महानागपतिः स्वयम् ॥ ५०.

That lord of great serpents, of immense radiance, is worshipped by mighty, noble, and powerful serpents of great fortune.

स राजा सर्वनागानां शेषो नाम महाद्युतिः। सा वैष्णवी ह्यहितनुर्मर्यादायां व्यवस्थिता ॥ ५०.

He is the king of all Nagas, known as Shesha, of great splendor; truly, he is the Vaishnava serpent, established as the boundary.

सप्तैवमेते कथिता व्यवहार्या रसातलाः । देवासुरमहानागराक्षसाध्युषिताः सदा ॥ ५०.

Thus, these seven Rasatalas have been described, which are always inhabited by gods, Asuras, great Nagas, and Rakshasas.

अतःपरमनालोक्यमगम्यं सिद्धसाधुभिः। देवा मानप्यविदितं व्यवहारविवर्ज्जितम् ॥ ५०.

Beyond this is a region unseen, inaccessible even to perfected sages; unknown even to the gods, and devoid of any dealings.

पृथिव्यग्न्यम्बुवायूनां नभसश्च द्विजोत्तमाः। महत्त्वमेवमृषिभिर्वर्ण्यते नात्र संशयः ॥ ५०.

O best of twice-born, thus the greatness of earth, fire, water, air, and space is described by the sages; there is no doubt in this.

अत ऊर्द्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर्गतिम्। सूर्याचन्द्रमसावेतौ भ्रमन्तौ यावदेव तु। प्रकाशतः स्वभाभिस्तौ मण्डलाभ्यां समास्थितौ ॥ ५०.

Now, I shall explain further the course of the sun and the moon; how these two, the sun and the moon, move about, shining with their own radiance, established in their respective orbits.

सप्तानाञ्च समुद्राणां द्वीपानान्तु स विस्तरः। विस्तरार्द्धं पृथिव्यास्तु भवेदन्यत्र बाह्यतः ॥ ५०.

The extent of the seven oceans and the continents is described; beyond that, the earth's breadth is considered to be half as much elsewhere, outside.

पर्यासपारिमाण्यन्तु चान्द्रादित्यौ प्रकाशतः। पर्यासपारिमाण्येन भूमेस्तुल्यं दिवं स्मृतम् ॥ ५०.

The measures of circumference of the moon and the sun are made clear; by their circumference, the sky is said to be equal to the earth.

अवति त्रीनिमान् लोकान् यस्मात् सूर्यः परिभ्रमन्। अवधातुः प्रकाशाख्यो ह्यवनात्स रविः स्मृतः ॥ ५०.

Because the sun, moving around, protects these three worlds, he is called 'Avadhātu', known as the illuminator, and 'Ravi', as he shines upon the earth.

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रमाणं चन्द्रसूर्ययोः। महितत्वान्महीशब्दो ह्यस्मिन् वर्षे निपात्यते ॥ ५०.

Now I shall explain the measurement of the moon and the sun; due to their greatness, the term 'Mahī' (earth) is applied in this context.

अस्य भारतवर्षस्य विष्कम्भन्तु सुविस्तरम्। मण्डलं भास्करस्याथ योजनानां निबोधत ॥ ५०.

Hear now the great breadth of this land of Bhārata, and the circle of the sun, measured in yojanas.

नवयोजनसाहस्रो विस्तारो भास्करस्य तु। विस्तारात्र्रिगुणश्चास्य परिणाहोऽथ मण्डलम्। विष्कम्बो मण्जलस्यैव भास्कराद् द्विगुणः शशी ॥ ५०.

The sun's breadth is said to be nine thousand yojanas; its circumference is three times that, forming a circle; the moon's diameter is twice that of the sun.

अतः पृथिव्यां वक्ष्यामि प्रमाणं योजनैः सह। सप्तद्वीपसमुद्राया विस्तारो मण्जलञ्च यत् ॥ ५०.

Now I shall state the measurement of the earth in yojanas, including the extent and the circle of the seven continents and oceans.

इत्येतदिह सङ्ख्यातं पुराणं परिमाणतः। तद्वक्ष्यामि प्रसङ्ख्याय साम्प्रतैरभिमानिभिः ॥ ५०.

Thus, the ancient Purāṇa has enumerated these measurements; now I shall recount them according to the calculations of the present authorities.

अभिमानिव्यतीता ये तुल्यास्ते साम्प्रतैरिह। देवा ये वै ह्यतीतास्ते रूपैर्नामभिरेव च ॥ ५०.

Those who have transcended pride are considered equal to the present ones here; the gods who have passed are known only by their forms and names.

तस्मात्तु साम्प्रतैर्देवैर्वक्ष्यामि वसुधातलम्। दिवस्तु सन्निवेशो वै साम्प्रतैरेव कृत्स्नशः ॥ ५०.

Therefore, I shall describe the surface of the earth as told by the present gods; likewise, the arrangement of the heavens is given in full by the present ones.