O sage, listen as I recount the wondrous realms that lie beyond our own, each with its own peoples, lands, and sacred features, as described by the ancient wisdom. In the continent of Śālmalī, there are seven great regions: Śveta, Harita, Vaidyuta, Mānasa, Jīmūta, Rohita, and Suprabha. In each of these, the four social orders—Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras—dwell and uphold their respective duties. The inhabitants of Śālmalī are of four distinct colors: tawny, red, yellow, and black, each group separate from the others. All the people there, regardless of their order, worship the Blessed Lord, the eternal Self of all, manifest in the form of the wind. With excellent sacrifices, they maintain the sacred order of ritual. At the center of this continent stands the mighty Śālmalī tree, vast, beautiful, and pleasing to the gods, renowned as the bringer of contentment. Surrounding Śālmalī on all sides is the ocean named Suroda, equal in extent to the continent itself. Encircling Suroda lies the continent of Kuśa, which is twice as broad as Śālmalī. The ruler of Kuśa-dvīpa was Jyotiṣmat, and his seven sons—Udbhida, Veṇumān, Veratha, Lambana, Dhṛti, Prabhākara, and Kapila—gave their names to the seven regions of that land. In Kuśa-dvīpa dwell not only humans but also Daityas, Dānavas, gods, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Kimpuruṣas, and others. The four social orders there are known as Daminas, Śuṣmiṇas, Snehās, and Mandehas, corresponding to Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras. Each group is intent on its prescribed duties and, by virtue of their own authority and roles, they worship Janārdana in the form of Brahman. Through this worship, they are freed from the consequences of excessive authority. Seven splendid mountains adorn Kuśa-dvīpa: Vidruma, Hemashaila, Dyutimat, Pushpavan, Kushashaya, Hari, and the seventh, Mandaracala. Likewise, there are seven rivers that cleanse all sins: Dhūtapāpā, Shivā, Pavitrā, Saṃmati, Vidyudambhā, Mahī, and Sarvapāpaharā. Besides these, countless smaller rivers and hills grace the land, among which Guśastamba is especially renowned. Kuśa-dvīpa is entirely surrounded by the ocean of clarified butter, known as Ghṛtoda. This ocean is, in turn, encircled by Krauñca-dvīpa, a continent twice as wide as Kuśa-dvīpa. In Krauñca-dvīpa, the sons of the noble Dyutimat became rulers, and the regions bear their names: Kushala, Mallaga, Uṣṇa, Pīvara, Andhakāraka, Muni, and Dundubhi. The continent is adorned with delightful mountain ranges, beloved by gods and Gandharvas. These mountains are: Krauñca, Vāmana, Andhakāraka, Ratnashaila, Svāhinī, Hayasannibha, Divāvṛt, Puṇḍarīkavān, and the great Dundubhi—each twice as large as the previous, just as the continents themselves increase in size. Within these beautiful regions and majestic mountains, the people live without fear, in the company of hosts of gods. The four social orders here are called Puṣkarāḥ, Puṣkalā, Dhanyā, and Tiṣyā, corresponding to Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras. Seven main rivers flow through the land, providing pure water: Gaurī, Kumudvatī, Sandhyā, Rātri, Manojavā, Kṣānti, and Puṇḍarīkā, along with hundreds of smaller streams. In Krauñca-dvīpa, Lord Viṣṇu is worshipped as Puṣkārādya and Janārdana, manifesting as Rudra in the sacrificial rites. This continent is completely surrounded by the ocean of curds, which matches Krauñca-dvīpa in size. Encircling the ocean of curds is Śākadvīpa, a land twice as vast as Krauñca-dvīpa. The noble Bhavya rules here and divided the continent among his seven sons: Jalada, Kumāra, Mukumāra, Marīcaka, Kusumoda, Maudāki, and Mahādruma, each giving his name to a region. Seven mountains separate these regions: Udaya in the east, Jalādhāra, Raivataka, Śyāma, Astagiri, Āmbikeya, and the delightful Kesari, foremost among mountains. At the heart of Śākadvīpa stands the great Śāka tree, served by Siddhas and Gandharvas. The mere touch of its wind brings supreme delight. The peoples of this realm are virtuous, organized into the four social orders, and sacred rivers flow through their lands, dispelling all fear of sin. The seven principal rivers are Sukumārī, Kumārī, Nalinī, Dhenukā, Ikṣu, Veṇukā, and Gabhastī, alongside hundreds of smaller rivers and countless hills and mountains. The inhabitants of these regions, such as Jalada, joyfully drink from these rivers. They are a blessed people, descended from heaven to dwell upon the earth. Among them, there is no loss of righteousness, no conflict, and no transgression of boundaries in any of the seven lands. Thus, these continents, with their peoples, mountains, rivers, and oceans, stand as testaments to the order and harmony established by the divine.