Vayu Purana

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.

शतार्द्ध कोटिविस्तारा पृथिवी कृत्स्नतः स्मृता। तस्या वार्धप्रमाणेन मेरोर्वै चातुरन्तरम् ॥ ५०.

The earth in its entirety is said to have a breadth of one and a half hundred crores; at half that measure lies the region surrounding Meru.

पृथिव्या वार्धविस्तारो योजनाग्रात्प्रकीर्त्तितः । मेरुमध्यात् प्रति दिशं कोटिरेकादश स्मृताः ॥ ५०.

The half-breadth of the earth is reckoned from the summit of Meru; from the center of Meru to each direction, eleven crores are counted.

तथा शतसहस्राणि एकोननवतिः पुनः। पञ्चाशच्च सहस्राणि पृथिव्या वार्धविस्तरः ॥ ५०.

Likewise, there are ninety-nine hundred thousand, and fifty thousand more; thus is the half-breadth of the earth.

पृथिव्या विस्तरं कृत्स्नं योजनैस्तन्निबोधत। तिस्रः कोट्यस्तु विस्तारः संख्यातः स चतुर्दिशम् ॥ ५०.

Now hear the total breadth of the earth in yojanas; the breadth is reckoned as three crores, measured in all four directions.

तथा शतसहस्राणामेकोनाशीतिरुच्यते। सप्तद्वीपसमुद्रायाः पृथिव्यास्त्वेष विस्तरः ॥ ५०.

Likewise, it is said to be seventy-nine hundred thousand; this is the breadth of the earth with its seven continents and oceans.

विस्तारात् त्रिगुण़ञ्चैव पृथिव्यन्तस्य मण्डलम्। गणितं योजनाग्रन्तु कोट्यस्त्वेकादश स्मृताः ॥ ५०.

The circumference of the earth is three times its breadth; calculated in yojanas, it is said to be eleven crores.

तथा शतसहस्रन्तु सप्त त्रिंशाधिकानि तु। इत्येतद्वै प्रसङ्ख्यातं पृथिव्यन्तस्य मण्डलम् ॥ ५०.

Likewise, there are seven million and thirty thousand hundred thousand; thus is the circumference of the earth calculated.

तारकासन्निवेशस्य दिवि यावद्धि मण्डलम्। पर्यासः सन्निवेशस्य भूमस्तावत्तु मण्डलम् ॥ ५०.

As far as the circle of the stars is arranged in the sky, so is the circle of the earth's arrangement measured.

पर्यासपारिमाण्डेन भूमेस्तुल्यं दिवं स्मृतम्। सप्तानामपि लोकानामेतन्मानं प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ ५०.

The expanse of the heavens is considered equal to the circumference of the earth; this measurement is declared for all seven worlds.

पर्यासपारिमाण्डेन मण्डलानुगतेन च। उपर्युपरि लोकानां छत्रवत्परिमण्डलम् ॥ ५०.

By the same circumference, following the circular form, the worlds above are arranged one upon another like the shape of a parasol.