समुद्राः पर्वताश्चैव द्वीपा वर्षाणि निम्नगाः । संक्षेपात्सर्वमाख्यातं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥ २,६.
The oceans, the mountains, the continents, the regions, and the rivers—everything has been described in summary; what more do you wish to hear?
कथितं भूतलं ब्रह्मन्ममैतदखिलं त्वया । भुवर्लोकादिकाँ ल्लोकाञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं मुने
O Brahman, you have explained to me this entire earth; now, O sage, I wish to hear about the worlds beginning with Bhuvarloka.
तथैव ग्रहसंस्थानं प्रमाणानि यथा तथा । समाचक्ष्व महाभाग तन्मह्यं परिपृच्छते
In the same way, please tell me, O most fortunate one, about the arrangement and measurements of the planets, as I inquire of you.
श्रीपराशर उवाच । रविचन्द्र मसोर्यावन्मयूखैरवभास्यते । ससमुद्र सरिच्छैला तावती पृथिवी स्मृता
Śrī Parāśara said: The extent of the earth, with its oceans, rivers, and mountains, is considered to be as far as it is illuminated by the rays of the sun, moon, and fire.
यावत्प्रमाणा पृथिवी विस्तारपरिमण्डलात् । नभस्तावन्प्रमाणं वै व्यासमण्डलतो द्विज
O twice-born one, the measure of the sky is said to be equal to the diameter of the earth, from one side to the other.
भूमेर्यो जनलक्षे तु सौरं मैत्रेय मण्डलम् । लक्षाद्दिवाकरस्यापि मण्डलं शशिनः स्थितम्
O Maitreya, the orbit of the sun is at a hundred thousand yojanas from the earth; at the same distance beyond the sun is the orbit of the moon.
पूर्णे शतसहस्रे तु योजनानां निशाकरात् । नक्षत्रमण्डलं कृत्स्नमुपरिष्टात्प्रकाशते
At a full one hundred thousand yojanas above the moon, the entire circle of the stars shines forth.
द्वे लक्षे चोत्तरे ब्रह्मन् बुधो नक्षत्रमण्डलात् । तावत्प्रमाणभागे तु बुधस्याप्युशनाः स्थितः
O Brahman, two hundred thousand yojanas above the circle of stars is the planet Mercury; at the same distance above Mercury is Venus.
अङ्गारकोपि शुक्रस्य तत्प्रमाणे व्यवस्थितः । लक्षद्वये तु भौमस्य स्थितो देवपुरोहितः
Mars is situated at the same distance above Venus; and two hundred thousand yojanas above Mars is the priest of the gods (Jupiter).
सौरिर्बृहस्पतेश्चोर्ध्वं द्विलक्षे समवस्थितः । सप्तर्षिमण्डलं तस्माल्लक्षमेकं द्विजोत्तम
Saturn is positioned two hundred thousand yojanas above Jupiter; and, O best of the twice-born, one hundred thousand yojanas above that is the circle of the Seven Sages (the Saptarṣis).
ऋषिभ्यस्तु सहस्राणां शतादूर्ध्वं व्यवस्थितः । मेढीभूतः समस्तस्य ज्योतिश्चक्रस्य वै ध्रुवः
Above the sages, at a distance of one hundred thousand yojanas, is Dhruva, which is fixed as the axis of the entire circle of luminaries.
त्रैलोक्यमेतत्कथितमुत्सेधेन महामुने । इज्याफलस्य भूरेषा इज्या चात्र प्रतिष्ठिता
O great sage, thus the three worlds have been described in terms of their height; this earth is the field of sacrificial merit, and sacrifice is established here.
ध्रुवादूर्ध्वं महर्लोको यत्र ते कल्पवासिनः । एकयोजनकोटिस्तु यत्र ते कल्पवासिनः
Above Dhruva is Maharloka, where those who dwell for a kalpa reside; it is said to be ten million yojanas above.
द्वे कोटी तु जनो लोको यत्र ते ब्रह्मणः सुताः । सनन्दनाद्याः प्रथिता मैत्रेयामलचेतसः
Two hundred million yojanas above is Janaloka, where the pure-minded sons of Brahmā, such as Sanandana and others, are renowned to reside.
चतुर्गणोत्तरे चोर्ध्वं जनलोकात्तपः स्थितः । वैराजा यत्र ते देवाः स्थिता दाहविर्जिताः
Four times that distance above Janaloka is Tapoloka, where the Virājas, the gods free from burning (suffering), are established.
षड्गुणेन तपोलोकात्सत्यलोको विराजते । अपुनर्मारका यत्र ब्रह्मलोको हि संस्मृतः
Six times that distance above Tapoloka shines Satyaloka, the world of Brahmā, where there is no return to mortal existence.
पादगम्यन्तु यत्किञ्चिद्वस्त्वस्ति पृथिवीमयम् । स भूर्लोकः समाख्यातो विस्तरोस्य मयोदितः
Whatever is composed of earth and can be traversed by foot is called Bhūrloka; its extent has been described by me.
भूमिसूर्यान्तरं यच्च सिद्धादिमुनिसेवितम् । भुवर्लोकस्तु सोप्युक्तो द्वितीयो मुनिसत्तम
The region between the earth and the sun, frequented by accomplished beings and sages, is known as Bhuvarloka, the second world, O best of sages.
ध्रुवसूर्यान्तरं यच्च नियुतानि चतुर्दश । स्वर्लोकः सोपि गदितो लोकसंस्थानचिन्तकैः
The distance between Dhruva and the Sun, which is fourteen niyutas, is called the world of heaven; this too has been described by those who contemplate the arrangement of worlds.
त्रैलोक्यमेतत्कृतकं मैत्रेय परिपठ्यते । जनस्तपस्तथा सत्यमिति चाकृतकं त्रयम्
O Maitreya, this triad of worlds is considered artificial; while Jana, Tapas, and Satya are the three that are not artificial.
कृतकाकृतयोर्मध्ये महर्लोक इति स्मृतः । शून्यो भवति कल्पान्ते योत्यन्तं न विनश्यति
Between the artificial and non-artificial worlds, Maharloka is remembered; it becomes empty at the end of a kalpa, but does not perish completely.
एते सप्त मया लोका मैत्रेय कथितास्तव । पातालानि च सप्तैव ब्रह्माण्डस्यैष विस्तरः
O Maitreya, I have described to you these seven worlds, and also the seven nether regions; this is the expanse of the Brahmāṇḍa.
एतदण्डकटाहेन तिर्यक् चोर्ध्वमधस्तथा । कपित्थस्य यथा बीजं सर्वतो वै समावृतम्
This is encased by the shell of the cosmic egg, sideways, above, and below, just as the seed of a wood-apple is surrounded on all sides.
दशोत्तरेण पयसा मैत्रेयांडं च तद्वृतम् । सर्वोम्बुपरिधानोसौ वह्निना वेष्टितो बहिः
O Maitreya, the egg is enveloped by water, ten times its size; it is surrounded by all the elements, and outside, it is encircled by fire.
वह्निश्च वायुना वायुर्मैत्रेय नभसा वृतः । भूतादिना नभः सोपि महता परहिवेष्टितः । देशोत्तराण्यश्षोआ!णि मैत्रेयैतानि सप्त वै
Fire is encased by air, air by space, O Maitreya, and space by the principle of elements; space itself is surrounded by the great principle; these are the seven coverings, each exceeding the previous in size.
महान्तं च समावृत्य प्रधानं समवस्थितम् । अनन्तस्य न तस्यान्तः संख्यानं चापि विद्यते
Encompassing the great principle is Pradhāna, established beyond; it is endless, and its measure cannot be known.
तदन्तमसंख्यातप्रमाणं चापि वै यतः । हेतुभूतमसेषस्य प्रकृतिः सा परा मुने
Its extent is immeasurable, O sage, and because it is the cause of all, that Prakṛti is supreme.
अंडानां तु सहस्राणां सहस्राण्ययुतानि च । ईदृशानां तथा तत्र कोटिकोटिशतानि च
There are thousands upon thousands of such cosmic eggs, and hundreds of crores and hundreds of millions as well.
हारुण्यग्निर्यथा तैलं तिले तद्वत्पुमानपि । प्रधानेऽवस्थितो व्यापी चेतनात्मात्मवेदनः
Just as fire pervades oil in sesame seeds, so too does the Self, endowed with consciousness and self-awareness, pervade Pradhāna.
प्रधानं च पुमांश्चैव सर्वभूतात्मभूतया । विष्णुशक्त्या महाबुद्धे वृतौ संश्रयधर्मिणौ
Both Pradhāna and the Self, as the essence of all beings, are sustained by the power of Viṣṇu and the great intellect, and are endowed with the nature of dependence.