06.007
Library: Description of the five elements and their manifestation. Then the Sudarshana island, visible in the moon's sphere.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
ukto dvīpasya saṅkṣepo vistaraṃ brūhi sañjaya। yāvadbhūmyavakāśo'yaṃ dṛśyate śaśalakṣaṇe ॥ tasya pramāṇaṃ prabrūhi tato vakṣyasi pippalam ॥6-7-1॥
The summary of the island has been mentioned; now, Sanjaya, describe it in detail as far as the earth's expanse is visible, marked by the hare. Explain its dimensions, and then you will speak of Pippala.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
evamuktaḥ sa rājñā tu sañjayo vākyamabravīt। prāgāyatā mahārāja ṣaḍete ratnaparvatāḥ ॥ avagāḍhā hyubhayataḥ samudrau pūrvapaścimau ॥6-7-2॥
Upon being addressed by the king, Sanjaya spoke: 'O great king, these six jewel mountains stretch out and are submerged between the eastern and western oceans.'
himavān hemakūṭaś ca niṣadhaś ca nagottamaḥ। nīlaś ca vaiḍūryamayaḥ śvetaś ca rajataprabhaḥ॥ sarvadhātuvinaddhaś ca śṛṅgavān nāma parvataḥ॥ 6-7-3॥
The mountains Himavan, Hemakuta, and Nishadha are considered the best. Nila is known for its beryl composition, while Shveta is renowned for its silver-like shine. Shringavan is a mountain rich in various minerals.
ete vai parvatā rājansiddhacāraṇasevitāḥ। teṣāmantaraviṣkambho yojanāni sahasraśaḥ ॥6-7-4॥
These are the mountains, O king, revered by siddhas and charanas. The distance between them spans thousands of yojanas.
tatra puṇyā janapadāstāni varṣāṇi bhārata। vasanti teṣu sattvāni nānājātīni sarvaśaḥ ॥6-7-5॥
In those holy regions, O Bhārata, various kinds of beings dwell everywhere for years.
idaṁ tu bhārataṁ varṣaṁ tato haimavataṁ param। hemakūṭātparaṁ caiva harivarṣaṁ pracakṣate ॥6-7-6॥
This region is known as Bharata, beyond which lies the Himavat. Beyond Hemakuta, it is indeed called Harivarsa.
dakṣiṇena tu nīlasya niṣadhasyottareṇa ca। prāgāyato mahārāja mālyavānnāma parvataḥ ॥6-7-7॥
O great king, the mountain named Mālyavān stretches to the east, lying to the south of Nīla and to the north of Niṣadha.
tataḥ paraṃ mālyavataḥ parvato gandhamādanaḥ। parimaṇḍalastayormadhye meruḥ kanakaparvataḥ ॥6-7-8॥
Then, beyond the Mālyavat mountain lies Gandhamādana. Between these two stands Meru, the golden mountain.
ādityataruṇābhāso vidhūma iva pāvakaḥ। yojanānāṃ sahasrāṇi ṣoḍaśādhaḥ kila smṛtaḥ ॥6-7-9॥
The sun, appearing youthful and like a smokeless fire, is said to be situated sixteen thousand leagues below.
uccaiśca caturāśītiryojanānāṃ mahīpate। ūrdhvamantaśca tiryakca lokānāvṛtya tiṣṭhati ॥6-7-10॥
O King, it stands high, covering eighty-four yojanas upwards, within, and across the worlds.
tasya pārśve tvime dvīpāścatvāraḥ saṁsthitāḥ prabho। bhadrāśvaḥ ketumālaśca jambūdvīpaśca bhārata ॥ uttarāścaiva kuravaḥ kṛtapuṇyapratiśrayāḥ ॥6-7-11॥
Beside him, there are four islands: Bhadrashva, Ketumala, Jambudvipa, and Bharata. To the north are the Kurus, known as the abode of the virtuous.
vihagaḥ sumukho yatra suparṇasyātmajaḥ kila। sa vai vicintayāmāsa sauvarṇānprekṣya vāyasān ॥6-7-12॥
The beautiful-faced bird, who was indeed the son of Suparna, contemplated upon seeing the golden crows.
meruruttamamadhyānāmadhamānāṃ ca pakṣiṇām। aviśeṣakaro yasmāttasmādenaṃ tyajāmyaham ॥6-7-13॥
Meru, being indiscriminate among the best, middling, and lowest of birds, is abandoned by me for this reason.
tamādityo'nuparyeti satataṃ jyotiṣāṃ patiḥ। candramāśca sanakṣatro vāyuścaiva pradakṣiṇam ॥6-7-14॥
The Sun, as the lord of all luminaries, constantly follows its path. The Moon, along with the stars and the wind, indeed perform their circumambulation.
sa parvato mahārāja divyapuṣpaphalānvitaḥ। bhavanairāvṛtaḥ sarvairjāmbūnadamayaiḥ śubhaiḥ ॥6-7-15॥
O great king, that mountain is adorned with divine flowers and fruits and is surrounded by all auspicious buildings made of gold.
tatra devagaṇā rājan gandharvāsurarākṣasāḥ। apsarogaṇasaṃyuktāḥ śaile krīḍanti nityaśaḥ ॥6-7-16॥
In that place, O king, the divine beings, including gandharvas, demons, and rākṣasas, along with the apsaras, are always engaged in playful activities on the mountain.
tatra brahmā ca rudraśca śakraścāpi sureśvaraḥ। sametya vividhairyajñairyajante'nekadakṣiṇaiḥ ॥6-7-17॥
In that place, Brahma, Rudra, and Indra, the lord of the gods, gather together to perform various sacrifices, offering numerous gifts.
tumbururnāradaścaiva viśvāvasurhahā huhūḥ। abhigamyāmaraśreṣṭhāḥ stavai stuvanti cābhibho ॥6-7-18॥
Tumburu, Nārada, Viśvāvasu, Hahā, and Huhūḥ, the best among the immortals, approach and praise you, O Lord, with their hymns.
saptarṣayo mahātmānaḥ kaśyapaśca prajāpatiḥ। tatra gacchanti bhadraṃ te sadā parvaṇi parvaṇi ॥6-7-19॥
The seven great sages, including Kaśyapa, the lord of creatures, always go there on every occasion. May you be blessed always.
tasyaiva mūrdhany uśanāḥ kāvyo daityair mahīpate। tasya hīmāni ratnāni tasyeme ratnaparvatāḥ ॥6-7-20॥
O king, Ushanas Kavi was placed on the head by the demons; these are indeed his gems, these are his mountains of gems.
tasmātkubero bhagavāṃścaturthaṃ bhāgamaśnute। tataḥ kalāṃśaṃ vittasya manuṣyebhyaḥ prayacchati ॥6-7-21॥
Therefore, the divine Kubera enjoys a fourth of the wealth and then distributes a portion of it to humans.
pārśve tasyottare divyaṃ sarvartukusumaṃ śivam। karṇikāravanaṃ ramyaṃ śilājālasamudgatam ॥6-7-22॥
On the northern side of him, there is a divine and auspicious karṇikāra forest, blooming with flowers in all seasons, beautifully emerging from a network of rocks.
tatra sākṣātpaśupatirdivyairbhūtaiḥ samāvṛtaḥ। umāsahāyo bhagavānramate bhūtabhāvanaḥ ॥6-7-23॥
There, Lord Shiva, the creator of all beings, enjoys in the company of Uma, surrounded by divine beings.
karṇikāramayīṃ mālāṃ bibhratpādāvalambinīm। tribhirnetraiḥ kṛtoddyotatribhiḥ sūryairivoditaiḥ ॥6-7-24॥
He wore a garland made of karṇikāra flowers that hung down to his feet, and his three eyes shone like three rising suns.
tamugratapasaḥ siddhāḥ suvratāḥ satyavādinaḥ। paśyanti na hi durvṛttaiḥ śakyo draṣṭuṃ maheśvaraḥ ॥6-7-25॥
The great Lord Shiva is visible to those who have perfected themselves through intense austerities, uphold good vows, and speak the truth; he cannot be seen by the wicked.
tasya śailasya śikharātkṣīradhārā nareśvara। triṃśadbāhuparigrāhyā bhīmanirghātanisvanā ॥6-7-26॥
O King, from the peak of that mountain flows a stream of milk, spanning thirty arms, resonating with the sound of thunder.
puṇyā puṇyatamairjuṣṭā gaṅgā bhāgīrathī śubhā। patatyajasravegena hrade cāndramase śubhe ॥ tayā hyutpāditaḥ puṇyaḥ sa hradaḥ sāgaropamaḥ ॥6-7-27॥
The sacred and auspicious Ganga, known as Bhagirathi, flows continuously into the moon-like lake. This lake, created by her, is as vast as an ocean.
tāṃ dhārayām āsa purā durdharāṃ parvatair api। śataṃ varṣasahasrāṇāṃ śirasā vai maheśvaraḥ ॥6-7-28॥
Long ago, Lord Shiva held her on his head for a hundred thousand years, even though she was difficult to hold even by the mountains.
merostu paścime pārśve ketumālo mahīpate। jambuṣaṇḍaśca tatraiva sumahānnandanopamaḥ ॥6-7-29॥
O king, on the western side is Ketumala, and there is the very great Jambuṣaṇḍa, comparable to Nandana.
āyurdaśa sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ tatra bhārata। suvarṇavarṇāśca narāḥ striyaścāpsarasopamāḥ ॥6-7-30॥
O Bhārata, in that place, people live for ten thousand years. The men are golden-colored, and the women are like celestial nymphs (Apsaras).
anāmayā vītaśokā nityaṃ muditamānasāḥ। jāyante mānavāstatra niṣṭaptakanakaprabhāḥ ॥6-7-31॥
In that place, humans are born free from disease and sorrow, always with joyful minds, and they shine like refined gold.
gandhamādanaśṛṅgeṣu kuberaḥ saha rākṣasaiḥ। saṃvṛto'psarasāṃ saṅghairmodate guhyakādhipaḥ ॥6-7-32॥
Kubera, the lord of the Guhyakas, enjoys his time on the peaks of Gandhamādana, surrounded by groups of celestial nymphs and demons.
gandhamādanapādeṣu pareṣvaparagaṇḍikāḥ। ekādaśa sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ paramāyuṣaḥ ॥6-7-33॥
In the regions of Gandhamādana and other places, the other Gaṇḍikas have a supreme lifespan of eleven thousand years.
tatra kṛṣṇā narā rājaṃstejoyuktā mahābalāḥ। striyaścotpalapatrābhāḥ sarvāḥ supriyadarśanāḥ ॥6-7-34॥
There, O king, the men were dark, endowed with brilliance and very strong, while the women were all very pleasing to look at, resembling lotus petals.
nīlātparataraṃ śvetaṃ śvetāddhairaṇyakaṃ param। varṣamairāvataṃ nāma tataḥ śṛṅgavataḥ param ॥6-7-35॥
Beyond the blue region lies the white, and beyond the white is the golden region. This region is known as Airavata, and beyond it is Shringavata.
dhanuḥsaṃsthe mahārāja dve varṣe dakṣiṇottare। ilāvṛtaṃ madhyamaṃ tu pañca varṣāṇi caiva ha ॥6-7-36॥
O great king, when the sun is in the position of Sagittarius, it takes two years to traverse the southern and northern paths. However, the middle region, Ilavrita, takes five years.
uttarottarametebhyo varṣamudricyate guṇaiḥ। āyuṣpramāṇamārogyaṃ dharmataḥ kāmato'rthataḥ ॥6-7-37॥
The year is progressively enhanced by qualities compared to these: life span, health, through righteousness, desire, and wealth.
samanvitāni bhūtāni teṣu varṣeṣu bhārata। evameṣā mahārāja parvataiḥ pṛthivī citā ॥6-7-38॥
O Bharata, in those years, the beings were endowed. Thus, O great king, this earth is adorned with mountains.
hemakūṭastu sumahān kailāso nāma parvataḥ। yatra vaiśravaṇo rājā guhyakaiḥ saha modate ॥6-7-39॥
There is a very great mountain named Kailasa, known as Hemakuta, where King Vaishravana enjoys with the Guhyakas.
astyuttareṇa kailāsaṃ mainākaṃ parvataṃ prati। hiraṇyaśṛṅgaḥ sumahāndivyo maṇimayo giriḥ ॥6-7-40॥
To the north of Kailasa and Mainaka mountains, there is a magnificent and divine mountain with golden peaks, made of jewels.
tasya pārśve mahaddivyaṃ śubhaṃ kāñcanavālukam। ramyaṃ bindusaro nāma yatra rājā bhagīrathaḥ ॥ dṛṣṭvā bhāgīrathīṃ gaṅgāmuvāsa bahulāḥ samāḥ ॥6-7-41॥
Beside him was a great divine and auspicious golden sand. There was a beautiful lake called Bindu where King Bhagīratha, after seeing the Bhāgīrathī Ganges, lived for many years.
yūpā maṇimayāstatra cityāścāpi hiraṇmayāḥ। tatreṣṭvā tu gataḥ siddhiṃ sahasrākṣo mahāyaśāḥ ॥6-7-42॥
In that place, the sacrificial posts were made of jewels and the altars were made of gold. After worshipping there, the thousand-eyed Indra, renowned for his great fame, achieved success.
sṛṣṭvā bhūtapati ryatra sarvalokān sanātanaḥ। upāsyate tigmatejā vṛto bhūtaiḥ samāgataiḥ ॥ naranārāyaṇau brahmā manuḥ sthāṇuśca pañcamaḥ ॥6-7-43॥
After creating all beings, the eternal lord is worshipped in all worlds. He is of fierce energy, surrounded by assembled beings, including Nara and Narayana, Brahma, Manu, and Sthanu as the fifth.
tatra tripathagā devī prathamaṃ tu pratiṣṭhitā। brahmalokādapakrāntā saptadhā pratipadyate ॥6-7-44॥
There, the goddess Ganga, known as the three-path-flowing, is first established. Having departed from Brahmaloka, she proceeds in seven streams.
vasvokasārā nalinī pāvanā ca sarasvatī। jambūnadī ca sītā ca gaṅgā sindhuśca saptamī ॥6-7-45॥
The essence of wealth, the lotus, the purifying Sarasvati; the Jambu river, Sita, Ganga, and Sindhu are the seven sacred rivers.
acintyā divyasaṅkalpā prabhoreṣaiva saṃvidhiḥ। upāsate yatra satraṃ sahasrayugaparyaye ॥6-7-46॥
The divine intentions of the Lord are beyond comprehension; this is indeed the arrangement where the assembly is worshipped at the end of a thousand ages.
dṛśyādṛśyā ca bhavati tatra tatra sarasvatī। etā divyāḥ sapta gaṅgāstriṣu lokeṣu viśrutāḥ ॥6-7-47॥
Sarasvati, both visible and invisible, is present everywhere. These seven divine rivers, known as the Ganges, are renowned across the three worlds.
rakṣāṃsi vai himavati hemakūṭe tu guhyakāḥ। sarpā nāgāśca niṣadhe gokarṇe ca tapodhanāḥ ॥6-7-48॥
In the Himalayas reside demons, while in Hemakuta there are secretive beings. Serpents and nagas are found in Nishadha, and ascetics in Gokarna.
devāsurāṇāṃ ca gṛhaṃ śvetaḥ parvata ucyate। gandharvā niṣadhe śaile nīle brahmarṣayo nṛpa ॥ śṛṅgavāṃstu mahārāja pitṝṇāṃ pratisañcaraḥ ॥6-7-49॥
The white mountain is known as the abode of both gods and demons. The Gandharvas reside in the blue mountain of Nishadha, while the Brahmarshis are in the blue mountain, O king. Shringavan is the place where the ancestors return, O great king.
ityetāni mahārāja sapta varṣāṇi bhāgaśaḥ। bhūtānyupaniviṣṭāni gatimanti dhruvāṇi ca ॥6-7-50॥
Thus, O great king, these seven years are divided into parts, and the beings are settled, both moving and fixed.
teṣāmṛddhirbahuvidhā dṛśyate daivamānuṣī। aśakyā parisaṅkhyātuṃ śraddheyā tu bubhūṣatā ॥6-7-51॥
Their prosperity appears in various forms, both divine and human. It is impossible to count, but should be believed by those who desire it.
yāṃ tu pṛcchasi mā rājandivyāmetāṃ śaśākṛtim। pārśve śaśasya dve varṣe ubhaye dakṣiṇottare ॥6-7-52॥
O king, you ask me about this divine form resembling a hare. There are two years beside the hare, one to the south and one to the north.
karṇau tu nāgadvīpaṃ ca kaśyapadvīpameva ca ॥6-7-52॥
The ears, however, are indeed in Nagadwipa and Kashyapadwipa.
tāmravarṇaḥ śiro rājañśrīmānmalayaparvataḥ। etaddvitīyaṃ dvīpasya dṛśyate śaśasaṃsthitam ॥6-7-53॥
The Malaya mountain, with its copper-colored peak, is a magnificent sight, O king. It appears as the second island, resembling the moon.
