TEXT 1
TEXT
rajovaca
uktas tvaya bhu-mandalayama-viseso yavad adityas tapati yatra casau
jyotisam ganais candrama va saha drsyate.
King Pariksit said to Sukadeva Gosvami: O brahmana, you have already
informed me that the radius of Bhu-mandala extends as far as the sun
spreads its light and heat and as far as the moon and all the stars can
be seen.
TEXT 2
TEXT
tatrapi priyavrata-ratha-carana-parikhataih saptabhih sapta sindhava
upaklpta yata etasyah sapta-dvipa-visesa-vikalpas tvaya bhagavan khalu
sucita etad evakhilam aham manato laksanatas ca sarvam vi-jijnasami.
My dear Lord, the rolling wheels of Maharaja Priyavrata’s chariot
created seven ditches, in which the seven oceans came into existence.
Because of these seven oceans, Bhu-mandala is divided into seven islands.
You have given a very general description of their measurement, names and
characteristics. Now I wish to know of them in detail. Kindly fulfill my
desire.
TEXT 3
TEXT
bhagavato gunamaye sthula-rupa avesitam mano hy agune ‘pi suksmatama
atma-jyotisi pare brahmani bhagavati vasudevakhye ksamam avesitum tad u
haitad guro ‘rhasy anuvarnayitum iti.
When the mind is fixed upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His
external feature made of the material modes of nature–the gross
universal form–it is brought to the platform of pure goodness. In that
transcendental position, one can understand the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Vasudeva, who in His subtler form is self-effulgent and beyond
the modes of nature. O my lord, please describe vividly how that form,
which covers the entire universe, is perceived.
TEXT 4
TEXT
rsir uvaca
na vai maharaja bhagavato maya-guna-vibhuteh kastham manasa vacasa
vadhigantum alam vibudhayusapi purusas tasmat pradhan-yenaiva bhu-golakavisesam
nama-rupa-mana-laksanato vyakhyasyamah.
The great rsi Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King, there is no limit
to the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s material energy.
This material world is a transformation of the material qualities
[sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna], yet no one could possibly explain
it perfectly, even in a lifetime as long as that of Brahma No one in the
material world is perfect, and an imperfect person could not describe
this material universe accurately, even after continued speculation. O
King, I shall nevertheless try to explain to you the principal regions,
such as Bhu-goloka [Bhuloka], with their names, forms, measurements and
various symptoms.
TEXT 5
TEXT
yo vayam dvipah kuvalaya-kamala-kosabhyantara-koso niyuta-yojana-visalah
samavartulo yatha puskara-patram.
The planetary system known as Bhu-mandala resembles a lotus flower,
and its seven islands resemble the whorl of that flower. The length and
breadth of the island known as Jambudvipa, which is situated in the
middle of the whorl, are one million yojanas [eight million miles].
Jambudvipa is round like the leaf of a lotus flower.
TEXT 6
TEXT
yasmin nava varsani nava-yojana-sahasrayamany astabhir maryada-giribhih
suvibhaktani bhavanti.
In Jambudvipa there are nine divisions of land, each with a length of
9,000 yojanas [72,000 miles]. There are eight mountains that mark the
boundaries of these divisions and separate them nicely.
TEXT 7
TEXT
esam madhye ilavrtam namabhyantara-varsam yasya nabhyam avasthitah
sarvatah sauvarnah kula-giri-rajo merur dvipayama-samunnahah karnikabhutah
kuvalaya-kamalasya murdhani dva-trimsat sahasra-yojana-vitato mule
sodasa-sahasram tavat antar-bhumyam pravistah.
Amidst these divisions, or varsas, is the varsa named Ilavrta, which
is situated in the middle of the whorl of the lotus. Within Ilavrta-varsa
is Sumeru Mountain, which is made of gold. Sumeru Mountain is like the
pericarp of the lotuslike Bhu-mandala planetary system. The mountain’s
height is the same as the width of Jambudvipa–or, in other words,
100,000 yojanas [800,000 miles]. Of that, 16,000 yojanas [128,000 miles]
are within the earth, and therefore the mountain’s height above the earth
is 84,000 yojanas [672,000 miles]. The mountain’s width is 32,000 yojanas
[256,000 miles] at its summit and 16,000 yojanas at its base.
TEXT 8
TEXT
uttarottarenelavrtam nilah svetah srngavan iti trayo ramyaka-hiranmayakurunam
varsanam maryada-girayah prag-ayata ubhayatah ksarodavadhayo dvisahasra-
prthava ekaikasah purvasmat purvasmad uttara uttaro
dasamsadhikamsena dairghya eva hrasanti.
Just north of Ilavrta-varsa–and going further northward, one after
another–are three mountains named Nila, Sveta and Srngavan. These mark
the borders of the three varsas named Ramyaka, Hiranmaya and Kuru and
separate them from one another. The width of these mountains is 2,000
yojanas [16,000 miles]. Lengthwise, they extend east and west to the
beaches of the ocean of salt water. Going from south to north, the length
of each mountain is one tenth that of the previous mountain, but the
height of them all is the same.
TEXT 9
TEXT
evam daksinenelavrtam nisadho hemakuto himalaya iti prag-ayata yatha
niladayo ‘yuta-yojanotsedha hari-varsa-kimpurusa-bharatanam yathasankhyam.
Similarly, south of Ilavrta-varsa and extending from east to west are
three great mountains named (from north to south) Nisadha, Hemakuta and
Himalaya. Each of them is 10,000 yojanas [80,000 miles] high. They mark
the boundaries of the three varsas named Hari-varsa, Kimpurusa-varsa and
Bharata-varsa [India].
TEXT 10
TEXT
tathaivelavrtam aparena purvena ca malyavad-gandhamadanav anilanisadhayatau
dvi-sahasram paprathatuh ketumala-bhadrasvayoh simanam
vidadhate.
In the same way, west and east of Ilavrta-varsa are two great
mountains named Malyavan and Gandhamadana respectively. These two
mountains, which are 2,000 yojanas [16,000 miles] high, extend as far as
Nila Mountain in the north and Nisadha in the south. They indicate the
borders of Ilavrta-varsa and also the varsas known as Ketumala and
Bhadrasva.
TEXT 11
TEXT
mandaro merumandarah suparsvah kumuda ity ayuta-yojana-vistaronnaha meros
catur-disam avastambha-giraya upaklptah.
On the four sides of the great mountain known as Sumeru are four
mountains–Mandara, Merumandara, Suparsva and Kumuda–which are like its
belts. The length and height of these mountains are calculated to be
10,000 yojanas [80,000 miles].
TEXT 12
TEXT
catursv etesu cuta-jambu-kadamba-nyagrodhas catvarah padapa-pravarah
parvata-ketava ivadhi-sahasra-yojanonnahas tavad vitapa-vitatayah satayojana-
parinahah.
Standing like flagstaffs on the summits of these four mountains are a
mango tree, a rose apple tree, a kadamba tree and a banyan tree. Those
trees are calculated to have a width of 100 yojanas [800 miles] and a
height of 1,100 yojanas [8,800 miles]. Their branches also spread to a
radius of 1,100 yojanas.
TEXTS 13-14
TEXT
hradas catvarah payo-madhv-iksurasa-mrsta-jala yad-upasparsina upadevagana
yogaisvaryani svabhavikani bharatarsabha dharayanti; devodyanani ca
bhavanti catvari nandanam caitraratham vaibhrajakam sarvatobhadram iti.
O Maharaja Pariksit, best of the Bharata dynasty, between these four
mountains are four huge lakes. The water of the first tastes just like
milk; the water of the second, like honey; and that of the third, like
sugarcane juice. The fourth lake is filled with pure water. The celestial
beings such as the Siddhas, Caranas and Gandharvas, who are also known as
demigods, enjoy the facilities of those four lakes. Consequently they
have the natural perfections of mystic yoga, such as the power to become
smaller than the smallest or greater than the greatest. There are also
four celestial gardens named Nandana, Caitraratha, Vaibhrajaka and
Sarvatobhadra.
TEXT 15
TEXT
yesv amara-parivrdhah saha sura-lalana-lalama-yutha-pataya upadeva-ganair
upagiyamana-mahimanah kila viharanti.
The best of the demigods, along with their wives, who are like
ornaments of heavenly beauty, meet together and enjoy within those
gardens, while their glories are sung by lesser demigods known as
Gandharvas.
TEXT 16
TEXT
mandarotsanga ekadasa-sata-yojanottunga-devacuta-siraso giri-sikharasthulani
phalany amrta-kalpani patanti.
On the lower slopes of Mandara Mountain is a mango tree named
Devacuta. It is 1,100 yojanas high. Mangoes as big as mountain peaks and
as sweet as nectar fall from the top of this tree for the enjoyment of
the denizens of heaven.
TEXT 17
TEXT
tesam visiryamananam ati-madhura-surabhi-sugandhi-bahularunarasodenarunoda
nama nadi mandara-giri-sikharan nipatanti pur-venelavrtam
upaplavayati.
sweet, fragrant juice within them flows out and becomes increasingly
more fragrant as it mixes with other scents. That juice cascades from the
mountain in waterfalls and becomes a river called Arunoda, which flows
pleasantly through the eastern side of Ilavrta.
TEXT 18
TEXT
yad-upajosanad bhavanya anucarinam punya-jana-vadhunam avayava-sparsasugandha-
vato dasa-yojanam samantad anuvasayati.
The pious wives of the Yaksas act as personal maidservants to assist
Bhavani, the wife of Lord Siva. Because they drink the water of the River
Arunoda, their bodies become fragrant, and as the air carries away that
fragrance, it perfumes the entire atmosphere for eighty miles around.
TEXT 19
TEXT
evam jambu-phalanam atyucca-nipata-visirnanam anasthi-prayanam ibha-kayanibhanam
rasena jambu nama nadi meru-mandara-sikharad ayuta-yojanad
avani-tale nipatanti daksinenatmanam yavad ilavrtam upasyandayati.
Similarly, the fruits of the jambu tree, which are full of pulp and
have very small seeds, fall from a great height and break to pieces.
Those fruits are the size of elephants, and the juice gliding from them
becomes a river named Jambu-nadi. This river falls a distance of 10,000
yojanas, from the summit of Merumandara to the southern side of Ilavrta,
and floods the entire land of Ilavrta with juice.
TEXTS 20-21
TEXT
tavad ubhayor api rodhasor ya mrttika tad-rasenanuvidhyamana vayv-arkasamyoga-
vipakena sadamara-lokabharanam jambu-nadam nama suvarnam bhavati;
yad u ha vava vibudhadayah saha yuvatibhir mukuta-kataka-kati-sutradyabharana-
rupena khalu dharayanti.
The mud on both banks of the River Jambu-nadi, being moistened by the
flowing juice and then dried by the air and the sunshine, produces huge
quantities of gold called Jambu-nada. The denizens of heaven use this
gold for various kinds of ornaments. Therefore all the inhabitants of the
heavenly planets and their youthful wives are fully decorated with golden
helmets, bangles and belts, and thus they enjoy life.
TEXT 22
TEXT
yas tu maha-kadambah suparsva-nirudho yas tasya kotarebhyo vinihsrtah
pancayama-parinahah panca madhu-dharah suparsva-sikharat patantyo
‘parenatmanam ilavrtam anumodayanti.
On the side of Suparsva Mountain stands a big tree called Mahakadamba,
which is very celebrated. From the hollows of this tree flow five rivers
of honey, each about five vyamas wide. This flowing honey falls
incessantly from the top of Suparsva Mountain and flows all around
Ilavrta-varsa, beginning from the western side. Thus the whole land is
saturated with the pleasing fragrance.
TEXT 23
TEXT
ya hy upayunjananam mukha-nirvasito vayuh samantac chata-yojanam
anuvasayati.
The air carrying the scent from the mouths of those who drink that
honey perfumes the land for a hundred yojanas around.
TEXT 24
TEXT
evam kumuda-nirudho yah satavalso nama vatas tasya skandhebhyo nicinah
payo-dadhi-madhu-ghrta-gudannady-ambara-sayyasanabharanadayah sarva eva
kama-dugha nadah kumudagrat patantas tam uttarenelavrtam upayojayanti.
Similarly, on Kumuda Mountain there is a great banyan tree, which is
called Satavalsa because it has a hundred main branches. From those
branches come many roots, from which many rivers are flowing. These
rivers flow down from the top of the mountain to the northern side of
Ilavrta-varsa for the benefit of those who live there. Because of these
flowing rivers, all the people have ample supplies of milk, yogurt,
honey, clarified butter [ghee], molasses, food grains, clothes, bedding,
sitting places and ornaments. All the objects they desire are
sufficiently supplied for their prosperity, and therefore they are very
happy.
TEXT 25
TEXT
yan upajusananam na kadacid api prajanam vali-palita-klama-svedadaurgandhya-
jaramaya-mrtyu-sitosna-vaivarnyopasargadayas tapa-visesa
bhavanti yavaj jivam sukham niratisayam eva.
The residents of the material world who enjoy the products of these
flowing rivers have no wrinkles on their bodies and no grey hair. They
never feel fatigue, and perspiration does not give their bodies a bad
odor. They are not afflicted by old age, disease or untimely death, they
do not suffer from chilly cold or scorching heat, nor do their bodies
lose their luster. They all live very happily, without anxieties, until
death.
TEXT 26
TEXT
kuranga-kurara-kusumbha-vaikanka-trikuta-sisira-patanga-rucaka-nisadhasinivasa-
kapila-sankha-vaidurya-jarudhi-hamsa-rsabha-naga-kalanjaranaradadayo
vimsati-girayo meroh karnikaya iva kesara-bhuta mula-dese
parita upaklptah.
There are other mountains beautifully arranged around the foot of
Mount Meru like the filaments around the whorl of a lotus flower. Their
names are Kuranga, Kurara, Kusumbha, Vaikanka, Trikuta, Sisira, Patanga,
Rucaka, Nisadha, Sinivasa, Kapila, Sankha, Vaidurya, Jarudhi, Hamsa,
Rsabha, Naga, Kalanjara and Narada.
TEXT 27
TEXT
jathara-devakutau merum purvenastadasa-yojana-sahasram udagayatau dvisahasram
prthu-tungau bhavatah; evam aparena pavana-pariyatrau daksinena
kailasa-karavirau prag-ayatav evam uttaratas trisrnga-makarav astabhir
etaih parisrto ‘gnir iva paritas cakasti kancana-girih.
On the eastern side of Sumeru Mountain are two mountains named Jathara
and Devakuta, which extend to the north and south for 18,000 yojanas
[144,000 miles]. Similarly, on the western side of Sumeru are two
mountains named Pavana and Pariyatra, which also extend north and south
for the same distance. On the southern side of Sumeru are two mountains
named Kailasa and Karavira, which extend east and west for 18,000
yojanas, and on the northern side of Sumeru, extending for the same
distance east and west, are two mountains named Trisrnga and Makara. The
width and height of all these mountains is 2,000 yojanas [16,000 miles].
Sumeru, a mountain of solid gold shining as brilliantly as fire, is
surrounded by these eight mountains.
TEXT 28
TEXT
meror murdhani bhagavata atma-yoner madhyata upaklptam purim ayutayojana-
sahasrim sama-caturasram satakaumbhim vadanti.
In the middle of the summit of Meru is the township of Lord Brahma.
Each of its four sides is calculated to extend for ten million yojanas
[eighty million miles]. It is made entirely of gold, and therefore
learned scholars and sages call it Satakaumbhi.
TEXT 29
TEXT
tam anuparito loka-palanam astanam yatha-disam yatha-rupam turiya-manena
puro ‘stav upaklptah.
Surrounding Brahmapuri in all directions are the residences of the
eight principal governors of the planetary systems, beginning with King
Indra. These abodes are similar to Brahmapuri but are one fourth the
size.
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