वङ्गाश्च मागधाश्चैव मानसा मन्दगास्तथा । वङ्गा ब्रह्मणभूयिष्ठा मागधाः क्षत्रियास्तथा । वैश्यास्तु मानसास्तेषां शूद्रस्तेषां तु मन्दगाः ॥ २,४.
The Vaṅgas, Māgadhas, Mānasas, and Mandagas are there; the Vaṅgas are mostly Brāhmaṇas, the Māgadhas are Kṣatriyas, the Mānasas are Vaiśyas, and the Mandagas are Śūdras among them.
शाकद्वीपे तु तैर्विष्णुः सूर्यरूपधरो मुने । यथोक्तौरिज्यते सम्यक्कर्मभिर्नियतात्मभिः ॥ २,४.
In Śākadvīpa, O sage, Viṣṇu is worshipped in the form of the Sun, by those of controlled mind, with the prescribed rites.
शाकद्वीपस्तु मैत्रेय क्षीरोदेन समावृतः । शाकद्वीपप्रमाणेन वलयेनेव वेष्टितः ॥ २,४.
Śākadvīpa, O Maitreya, is surrounded by the ocean of milk, encircled like a ring, equal in measure to Śākadvīpa itself.
क्षीराब्धिः सर्वतो ब्रह्मन्पुष्कराख्येन वेष्टितः । द्वीपेन शाकद्वीपात्तु द्विगुणेन समन्ततः ॥ २,४.
The ocean of milk, O Brāhmaṇa, is entirely encircled by the island called Puṣkara, which is twice the size of Śākadvīpa in every direction.
पुष्करे सवनस्यापि महावीरोऽभवत्सुतः । धातुकिश्च तयोस्तत्र द्वे वर्षे नामचिह्निते । महावीरं तथैवान्यद्धातुकीखण्डसंज्ञितम् ॥ २,४.
On Puṣkara, Savanā had a mighty son named Mahāvīra; and there, two regions are distinguished by name: Mahāvīra and Dhātukī, the latter also called Dhātukīkhanda.
एकश्चत्र महाभाग प्रख्यातो वर्षपर्वतः । मानासोत्तरसंज्ञो वै मध्यतो वलयाकृतिः ॥ २,४.
There, O illustrious one, is a single renowned mountain dividing the regions, called Mānasa, circular in the middle.
योजनानां सहस्राणि ऊर्ध्वं पञ्चाशदुच्छ्रितः । तावदेव च विस्तीर्णः सर्वतः परिमण्डलः ॥ २,४.
It rises fifty thousand yojanas high, and is equally wide, forming a perfect circle all around.
पुष्करद्वीपवलयं मध्येन विभजन्निव । स्थितोसौ तेन विछिन्नं जातं तद्वर्षकद्वयम् ॥ २,४.
Standing in the middle, it divides the ring of Puṣkaradvīpa, thus creating the two regions.
वलयाकारमेकैकं तयोर्वर्षं तथा गिरिः ॥ २,४.
Each of those regions is encircled by a mountain in the form of a ring.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि तत्र जीवन्ति मानवाः । विरामया विशोकाश्च रागद्वेषादिवर्जिताः ॥ २,४.
There, humans live for ten thousand years, free from disease and sorrow, without attachment or aversion.
अधमोत्तमौ न तेष्वास्तां न वध्यवधकौ द्विज । नेर्ष्यासूया भयं द्वेषो दोषो लोभादिको न च ॥ २,४.
Among them, there are neither the lowest nor the highest; there are no killers or those to be killed, O twice-born; there is no envy, spite, fear, hatred, fault, greed, or anything of the sort.
महापीतंबहिर्वर्षं धातकीखण्डमन्ततः । मानसोत्तरशौलस्य देवदैत्यादिसेवितम् ॥ २,४.
Beyond lies the great region called Dhātakīkhaṇḍa, the outermost land, honored by gods, demons, and others, to the north of Lake Mānasa.
सत्यानृतेन तत्रास्तां द्वीपे पुष्करसंज्ञिते । न तत्र नद्यः शैला वा द्वीपे वर्षद्वयान्विते ॥ २,४.
In that island called Puṣkara, truth and falsehood dwell together; there are no rivers or mountains in that island with its two regions.
तुल्यपेषास्तु मनुजा देवास्तत्रैकरूपिणः ॥ २,४.
There, the humans and gods are all of equal appearance.
वर्णाश्रमाचारहीनं धर्माचरणवर्जितम् । त्रयीवार्तादण्डनीतिशुश्रूषारहितञ्च यत् ॥ २,४.
There, people lack the practices of caste and stage of life, do not observe religious duties, and are without the three Vedas, legal punishment, or service.
वर्षद्वयं तु मैत्रेय भौमः स्वर्गोयमुत्तमः । सर्वर्तुसुखदः कालो जरारोगादिवर्जितः । धातकीखण्डसंज्ञेऽथ महावीरे च वै मुने ॥ २,४.
O Maitreya, these two regions are the highest earthly heavens, always pleasant in every season, free from old age, disease, and the like, called Dhātakīkhaṇḍa and Mahāvīra, O sage.
न्यग्रोधः पुष्करद्वीपे ब्रह्मणः स्थानमुत्तमम् । तस्मिन्नवसति ब्रह्मा पूज्यमानः सुरासुरैः ॥ २,४.
In Puṣkara island stands the great Nyagrodha tree, the supreme abode of Brahmā; there, Brahmā resides, worshipped by gods and demons.
स्वादूदकेनोदधिना पुष्करः परिवेष्टितः । समेन पुष्करस्यैव विस्तारान्मण्डलं तथा ॥ २,४.
Puṣkara is surrounded by an ocean of sweet water, and its expanse is circular and equal in measure to Puṣkara itself.
एवं द्वीपाः समुद्रैश्च सप्तसप्तभिरावृताः । द्वीपश्चैव समुद्रश्च समानो द्विगुणौ परौ ॥ २,४.
Thus, the islands and oceans are arranged in sevens, each island and ocean being equal in size, and each successive pair is double the previous.
पयांसि सर्वदा सर्वसमुद्रेषु समानि वै । न्यूनातिरिक्तता तेषां कदाचिन्नैव जायते ॥ २,४.
The waters in all the oceans are always equal; there is never any deficiency or excess among them.
स्थालीस्थमग्नीसंयोगादुद्रेकिसलिले यथ । तथेन्दुवृद्धौ सलिलमंभोधौ मुनिसत्तम ॥ २,४.
Just as water increases in a pot when fire is applied, so too does water in the ocean rise with the waxing of the moon, O best of sages.
अन्यूनानतिरिक्ताश्च वर्धन्त्यापो ह्रसंति च । उदयास्तमनेष्विन्दोः पक्षयोः शुक्लकृष्णयोः ॥ २,४.
The waters neither fall short nor exceed; they increase and decrease with the rising and setting of the moon, during the bright and dark fortnights.
दशोत्तराणि पञ्चैव ह्यङ्गुलानां शतानि वै । अपां वृद्धिक्षणो दृष्टौ सामुद्रीणां महामुने ॥ २,४.
O great sage, the moment of increase in the ocean waters is observed to be five hundred and ten finger-breadths.
भोजनं पुष्करद्वीपे तत्र स्वयमुपस्थितम् । षड्रसं भुञ्जते विप्र प्रजाः सर्वाः सदैव हि ॥ २,४.
In Puṣkara island, food appears of its own accord; O brāhmaṇa, all the people there always partake of food with six tastes.
स्वादूदकस्य परितो दृस्यते लोकसंस्थितिः । द्विगुणा काञ्चनी भूमिः सर्वजन्तुविवर्जिता ॥ २,४.
Beyond the sweet-water ocean, there is a region called Lokasaṃsthiti, double in size and golden, devoid of all living beings.
लोकालोकस्ततः शैलो जोजनायुतविस्तृतः । उच्छ्रायेणापि तावन्ति सहस्राण्यचलो हि सः ॥ २,४.
Beyond that is the mountain called Lokāloka, ten thousand yojanas wide and just as many thousands high.
ततस्तमः समावृत्य तं शौलं सर्वतः स्थितम् । तमश्चाण्डकटाहेन समन्तात्परिवेष्टितम् ॥ २,४.
Then, darkness enveloped that shell, which was established all around; and that darkness was itself surrounded on every side by the fierce shell of the cosmic egg.
पञ्चशत्कोटिविस्तारा सेयमुर्व महामुने । सहैवाण्डकटाहेन सद्वीपाब्धिमहीधरा ॥ २,४.
This earth, O great sage, together with the shell of the cosmic egg, the continents, oceans, and great mountains, extends five hundred million leagues.
सेयं धात्री विधात्री च सर्वभूतगुणाधिका । आधारभू६ आ सर्वेषां मैत्रेय जगतामिति ॥ २,४.
This is the supporter and sustainer, surpassing all beings in qualities; it is the foundation of all worlds, O Maitreya.
पराशर उवाच ततश्च नरका विप्र भुवोधः सलिलस्य च । पापिनो येषु पात्यन्ते ताञ्छृणुष्वमहामुने ॥ २,६.
Parāśara said: Next, O sage, listen to the hells beneath the earth and the waters, into which sinners are cast.