Maitreya, full of curiosity and reverence, addressed Parāśara: “O Brāhman, you have described to me the creation of Svāyambhuva Manu. Now, I wish to hear of the entire extent of the earth. Tell me, how many oceans, islands, regions, mountains, forests, rivers, and cities there are, and where the abodes of the gods and other beings are found. What are their measures, their foundations, and their natures? O venerable sage, please describe to me their arrangement in proper order.” Parāśara replied, “Maitreya, listen as I speak briefly, for even in a hundred years the full detail of the earth cannot be told. There are seven great islands: Jambū, Plakṣa, Śālmalī, Kuśa, Krauñca, Śāka, and the seventh, Puṣkara. These are each encircled by their own ocean, and the seven oceans have waters of salt, sugarcane juice, wine, clarified butter, curds, milk, and pure water, each surrounding one island after another. At the very center of all these islands lies Jambūdvīpa. At the heart of Jambūdvīpa rises the golden mountain, Meru, radiant and majestic. This mountain extends sixteen thousand leagues below the earth and thirty-two thousand leagues above it. At its base, Meru is sixteen thousand leagues broad in every direction, shaped like the pericarp of a lotus. To the south of Meru stand the mountains Himavat, Hemakūṭa, and Niṣadha. To the north are Nīla, Śveta, and Śṛṅgī. Of these, two central ranges are a hundred thousand leagues in length, while the others are each ten thousand leagues less. All rise to a height of three thousand leagues, and their breadth matches their length. Jambūdvīpa itself is divided into regions. Bhārata is the first, followed by Kimpuruṣa, and then Harivarṣa to the south of Meru. To the north lie Ramyaka, then Hiraṇmaya, and the Uttarakurus, each as expansive as Bhārata. Each of these regions, O best of the twice-born, measures nine thousand leagues across. In the midst of them all is Ilāvṛta, with the golden Meru rising high at its center. To the east of Meru lies the region of Bhadrāśva, and to the west, Ketumāla. Ilāvṛta lies between these two. Ilāvṛta itself stretches nine thousand yojanas, and four great mountains stand as buttresses to Meru, each rising ten thousand yojanas high. These are Mandara to the east, Gandhamādana to the south, Vipula to the west, and Supārśva to the north. Upon these mountains grow four wondrous trees: the kadamba, jambū, pippala, and banyan, each as tall as the mountains themselves—eleven hundred yojanas high. Among these, the great jambū tree gives Jambūdvīpa its name. Its fruits are as large as mighty elephants. When these fruits fall and break open upon the slopes, their juice flows in abundance, forming the famed river Jambūnadī. The people there drink of this river, and by its power, they know no sweat, no foul odor, no old age, and no decline of the senses. Those who partake of its waters are born with pure minds. When the foam of the river, dried by gentle winds, settles upon the banks, it becomes the gold called Jāmbūnada, prized for the ornaments of the perfected. In the east of Meru is the region Bhadrāśva, to the west Ketumāla, with Ilāvṛta between them. In the east lies the delightful forest Caitraratha, to the south Gandhamādana, to the west Vaibhrāja, and to the north the renowned Nandana forest. Four lakes—Aruṇoda, Mahābhadra, Asitoda, and Śamāna—are always enjoyed by the gods. To the east of Meru stand the Kesarācala mountains: Śītānta, Śvakramuñja, Kurarī, Mālyavān, Vaikaṅka, Trikūṭa, Śiśira, Pataṅga, and Rucaka. To the south, beginning with Niṣadha, are more Kesarācala mountains: Śikhivāsa, Savaidūrya, Kapila, Gandhamādana; to the west, beginning with Jārudhi, are also Kesarācala mountains. Adjacent to Meru, in regions such as Jaṭhara, are Śaṅkhakūṭa, Ṛṣabha, Haṃsa, Nāga, and others. To the north, starting with Kālañjara, are further Kesarācala mountains. Atop Meru stands the great city of Brahmā, renowned in the heavens, measuring fourteen thousand yojanas. Surrounding it, in all eight directions and the intermediate points, are the splendid cities of Indra and the other guardians of the worlds. From the very feet of Viṣṇu, the sacred Gaṅgā emerges, flooding the lunar orb and then descending from heaven to encircle the city of Brahmā. Upon reaching there, Gaṅgā divides into four mighty streams, each flowing in a different direction: Sītā, Alakanandā, Cakṣurbhadā, and Bhadrā. Sītā flows from the eastern mountain through the sky to another mountain, then by the eastern course she reaches the ocean at Bhadrāśva. In the same way, Alakanandā flows southward into Bhārata, where it divides into seven branches before entering the sea. Cakṣu, after crossing the western mountains, enters the western region called Ketumālā and then the ocean. Bhadrā, after passing over the northern mountains and the land of the northern Kurus, flows into the northern ocean. Surrounding Meru are the mountains Ānīla and Niṣadha, Mālyavat and Gandhamādana, with Meru itself in the midst, shaped like the pericarp of a lotus. The regions of Bhārata, Ketumāla, Bhadrāśva, and the Kurus form the petals of this world-lotus, each marked by mountain boundaries. Jaṭhara and Devakūṭa are boundary mountains to the south and north, lying between Ānīla and Niṣadha. Gandhamādana and Kailāsa are situated to the east and west, each eighty yojanas in length, positioned between these mountains. Thus, O Maitreya, is the wondrous arrangement of the earth and its sacred mountains, rivers, forests, and regions, as revealed by the ancient sages.