Shakadvipa Described

Verse 1 (6.11.1)

जम्बूखण्डस्त्वया प्रोक्तो यथावदिह सञ्जय । विष्कम्भमस्य प्रब्रूहि परिमाणं तु तत्त्वतः ॥

jambūkhaṇḍastvayā prokto yathāvadiha sañjaya | viṣkambhamasya prabrūhi parimāṇaṃ tu tattvataḥ

You have described the region of Jambu fully, Sanjaya. Now tell me its extent, and its measure in truth;

Verse 2 (6.11.2)

समुद्रस्य प्रमाणं च सम्यगच्छिद्रदर्शनम् । शाकद्वीपं च मे ब्रूहि कुशद्वीपं च सञ्जय ॥

samudrasya pramāṇaṃ ca samyagacchidradarśanam | śākadvīpaṃ ca me brūhi kuśadvīpaṃ ca sañjaya

and the measure of the ocean, fully and without a flaw. Tell me of Shakadvipa and of Kushadvipa, Sanjaya,

Verse 3 (6.11.3)

शाल्मलिं चैव तत्त्वेन क्रौञ्चद्वीपं तथैव च । ब्रूहि गावल्गणे सर्वं राहोः सोमार्कयोस्तथा ॥

śālmaliṃ caiva tattvena krauñcadvīpaṃ tathaiva ca | brūhi gāvalgaṇe sarvaṃ rāhoḥ somārkayostathā

and truly of Shalmali and of Kraunchadvipa as well. Tell me everything, son of Gavalgana — of Rahu too, and of the moon and the sun.

Verse 4 (6.11.4)

राजन्सुबहवो द्वीपा यैरिदं सन्ततं जगत् । सप्त द्वीपान्प्रवक्ष्यामि चन्द्रादित्यौ ग्रहं तथा ॥

rājansubahavo dvīpā yairidaṃ santataṃ jagat | sapta dvīpānpravakṣyāmi candrādityau grahaṃ tathā

O king, there are a great many islands, and this world is spread across them. I shall describe seven islands, and the moon and the sun, and the planet Rahu.

Verse 5 (6.11.5)

अष्टादश सहस्राणि योजनानि विशांपते । षट् शतानि च पूर्णानि विष्कम्भो जम्बुपर्वतः ॥

aṣṭādaśa sahasrāṇi yojanāni viśāṃpate | ṣaṭ śatāni ca pūrṇāni viṣkambho jambuparvataḥ

Jambu, which has the shape of a mountain, measures eighteen thousand and a full six hundred yojanas across, O lord of the people.

Verse 6 (6.11.6)

लावणस्य समुद्रस्य विष्कम्भो द्विगुणः स्मृतः । नानाजनपदाकीर्णो मणिविद्रुमचित्रितः ॥

lāvaṇasya samudrasya viṣkambho dviguṇaḥ smṛtaḥ | nānājanapadākīrṇo maṇividrumacitritaḥ

The breadth of the salt ocean is said to be twice that. It is crowded with many peoples and bright with gems and coral;

Verse 7 (6.11.7)

नैकधातुविचित्रैश्च पर्वतैरुपशोभितः । सिद्धचारणसंकीर्णः सागरः परिमण्डलः ॥

naikadhātuvicitraiśca parvatairupaśobhitaḥ | siddhacāraṇasaṃkīrṇaḥ sāgaraḥ parimaṇḍalaḥ

graced with mountains streaked with many minerals and thronged with Siddhas and Charanas, that ocean rings the island round.

Verse 8 (6.11.8)

शाकद्वीपं च वक्ष्यामि यथावदिह पार्थिव । शृणु मे त्वं यथान्यायं ब्रुवतः कुरुनन्दन ॥

śākadvīpaṃ ca vakṣyāmi yathāvadiha pārthiva | śṛṇu me tvaṃ yathānyāyaṃ bruvataḥ kurunandana

Now I shall describe Shakadvipa as it is, O king. Listen to me closely, O joy of the Kurus, as I speak.

Verse 9 (6.11.9)

जम्बूद्वीपप्रमाणेन द्विगुणः स नराधिप । विष्कम्भेण महाराज सागरोऽपि विभागशः ॥

jambūdvīpapramāṇena dviguṇaḥ sa narādhipa | viṣkambheṇa mahārāja sāgaro'pi vibhāgaśaḥ

In breadth, O ruler of men, it is twice the measure of Jambudvipa, great king; and its ocean too is twice as great, in due proportion —

Note on the text: Corrected जम्बूद्वीपपरमाणेन → जम्बूद्वीपप्रमाणेन (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct प्र; the critical edition reads jambūdvīpapramāṇena). The verse is CE 6.12.9abcd.

Verse 10 (6.11.10)

क्षीरोदो भरतश्रेष्ठ येन संपरिवारिताः । तत्र पुण्या जनपदास्तत्र न म्रियते जनः । कुत एव हि दुर्भिक्षं क्षमातेजोयुता हि ते ॥

kṣīrodo bharataśreṣṭha yena saṃparivāritāḥ | tatra puṇyā janapadāstatra na mriyate janaḥ | kuta eva hi durbhikṣaṃ kṣamātejoyutā hi te

the Ocean of Milk, O best of the Bharatas, by which they are encircled. Holy are the realms there, and there no one dies; how then could there be famine? For its people are endowed with patience and vigour.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 6.12.9ef (संपरिवारिताः for saṃparivāritaḥ); lines 2–3 are CE 6.12.10. Wikisource prints the three lines as one verse.

Verse 11 (6.11.11)

शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावद्भरतर्षभ । उक्त एष महाराज किमन्यत्कथयामि ते ॥

śākadvīpasya saṃkṣepo yathāvadbharatarṣabha | ukta eṣa mahārāja kimanyatkathayāmi te

This, O bull of the Bharatas, is Shakadvipa in brief, as it truly is. I have told it, great king; what else shall I tell you?

Verse 12 (6.11.12)

शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावदिह सञ्जय । उक्तस्त्वया महाप्राज्ञ विस्तरं ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः ॥

śākadvīpasya saṃkṣepo yathāvadiha sañjaya | uktastvayā mahāprājña vistaraṃ brūhi tattvataḥ

You have told me of Shakadvipa in brief and as it truly is, Sanjaya, man of great wisdom. Now describe it at length, and in truth.

Verse 13 (6.11.13)

तथैव पर्वता राजन्सप्तात्र मणिभूषिताः । रत्नाकरास्तथा नद्यस्तेषां नामानि मे शृणु ॥

tathaiva parvatā rājansaptātra maṇibhūṣitāḥ | ratnākarāstathā nadyasteṣāṃ nāmāni me śṛṇu

There too, O king, are seven mountains adorned with gems, and rivers that are mines of jewels. Hear their names from me.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are CE 6.12.13abcd; the critical edition's third line (13ef) is Wikisource's verse 14.

Verse 14 (6.11.14)

अतीव गुणवत्सर्वं तत्र पुण्यं जनाधिप ॥

atīva guṇavatsarvaṃ tatra puṇyaṃ janādhipa

Everything there, O lord of men, is exceedingly virtuous and holy.

Note on the text: A single line, numbered as a verse of its own in Wikisource; it is CE 6.12.13ef, the third line of the verse before. Nothing is missing.

Verse 15 (6.11.15)

देवर्षिगन्धर्वयुतः प्रथमो मेरुरुच्यते । प्रागायतो महाराज मलयो नाम पर्वतः ॥

devarṣigandharvayutaḥ prathamo merurucyate | prāgāyato mahārāja malayo nāma parvataḥ

The first, frequented by divine sages and Gandharvas, is called Meru. Stretching to the east, great king, is the mountain named Malaya.

Note on the text: CE 6.12.14abcd (प्रथमो for paramo).

Verse 16 (6.11.16)

ततो मेघाः प्रवर्तन्ते प्रभवन्ति च सर्वशः । ततः परेण कौरव्य जलधारो महागिरिः ॥

tato meghāḥ pravartante prabhavanti ca sarvaśaḥ | tataḥ pareṇa kauravya jaladhāro mahāgiriḥ

From it the clouds go forth and spread in every direction. Beyond it, O Kauravya, is the great mountain Jaladhara,

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 6.12.14ef (ततो for yato); line 2 is CE 6.12.15ab.

Verse 17 (6.11.17)

ततो नित्यमुपादत्ते वासवः परमं जलम् । ततो वर्षं प्रभवति वर्षकाले जनेश्वर ॥

tato nityamupādatte vāsavaḥ paramaṃ jalam | tato varṣaṃ prabhavati varṣakāle janeśvara

from which Vasava constantly draws the finest water; from it comes the rain in the rainy season, O lord of men.

Note on the text: Corrected नित्युमुपादत्ते → नित्यमुपादत्ते (misprint in Wikisource; उ-sign for अ; the critical edition reads nityam upādatte). The verse is CE 6.12.15cdef (ततो … ततो for yatra … yato).

Verse 18 (6.11.18)

उच्चैर्गिरी रैवतको यत्र नित्यं प्रतिष्ठिता । रेवती दिवि नक्षत्रं पितामहकृतो विधिः ॥

uccairgirī raivatako yatra nityaṃ pratiṣṭhitā | revatī divi nakṣatraṃ pitāmahakṛto vidhiḥ

Then there is the lofty mountain Raivataka, where the constellation Revati of the sky is ever established — an ordinance made by the Grandsire.

Verse 19 (6.11.19)

उत्तरेण तु राजेन्द्र श्यामो नाम महागिरिः । नवमेघप्रभः प्रांशुः श्रीमानुज्ज्वलविग्रहः । यतः श्यामत्वमापन्नाः प्रजा जनपदेश्वर ॥

uttareṇa tu rājendra śyāmo nāma mahāgiriḥ | navameghaprabhaḥ prāṃśuḥ śrīmānujjvalavigrahaḥ | yataḥ śyāmatvamāpannāḥ prajā janapadeśvara

To the north, O lord of kings, is the great mountain named Shyama — lustrous as a fresh rain-cloud, lofty, glorious and radiant in form — from which the people there have taken their dark complexion, O lord of realms.

Note on the text: Lines 1 and 3 are CE 6.12.17; line 2 is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as the star passage 6.12.17b*0055).

Verse 20 (6.11.20)

सुमहान्संशयो मेऽद्य प्रोक्तोऽयं सञ्जय त्वया । प्रजाः कथं सूतपुत्र संप्राप्ताः श्यामतामिह ॥

sumahānsaṃśayo me'dya prokto'yaṃ sañjaya tvayā | prajāḥ kathaṃ sūtaputra saṃprāptāḥ śyāmatāmiha

What you have told me, Sanjaya, raises a great doubt in me. How, son of a Suta, did the people there come to be dark?

Verse 21 (6.11.21)

सर्वेष्वेव महाराज द्वीपेषु कुरुनन्दन । गौरः कृष्णश्च पतगस्तयोर्वर्णान्तरे नृप ॥

sarveṣveva mahārāja dvīpeṣu kurunandana | gauraḥ kṛṣṇaśca patagastayorvarṇāntare nṛpa

In all the islands, great king, O joy of the Kurus, there are the fair, the dark, and the patanga, the colour that lies between the two, O king.

Verse 22 (6.11.22)

श्यामो यस्मात्प्रवृत्तो वै तस्माच्छ्यामो गिरिः स्मृतः ॥

śyāmo yasmātpravṛtto vai tasmācchyāmo giriḥ smṛtaḥ

Because the dark colour sprang from it, the mountain is known as Shyama, "the Dark".

Note on the text: Word space restored in गिरिः स्मृतः. A single line in Wikisource, printed without a closing mark. It is CE 6.12.20ab with a different second half (CE tat te vakṣyāmi bhārata); the critical edition's 20cd (āste 'tra bhagavān kṛṣṇas tat kāntyā śyāmatāṃ gataḥ) is not in this recension — the vulgate commentary on the page glosses this line alone — so nothing is restored.

Verse 23 (6.11.23)

ततः परं कौरवेन्द्र दुर्गशैलो महोदयः । केसरः केसरयुतो यतो वातः प्रवर्तते ॥

tataḥ paraṃ kauravendra durgaśailo mahodayaḥ | kesaraḥ kesarayuto yato vātaḥ pravartate

Beyond that, O lord of the Kauravas, is the towering Durgashaila, and Kesara, crowned with blossoms, from which the wind springs forth.

Verse 24 (6.11.24)

तेषां योजनविष्कम्भो द्विगुणः प्रविभागशः । वर्षाणि तेषु कौरव्य सप्तोक्तानि मनीषिभिः ॥

teṣāṃ yojanaviṣkambho dviguṇaḥ pravibhāgaśaḥ | varṣāṇi teṣu kauravya saptoktāni manīṣibhiḥ

Their breadth in yojanas doubles from one to the next. Among them, O Kauravya, the wise have spoken of seven varshas.

Verse 25 (6.11.25)

महामेरुर्महाकाशो जलदः कुमुदोत्तरः । जलधारो महाराज सुकुमार इति स्मृतः ॥

mahāmerurmahākāśo jaladaḥ kumudottaraḥ | jaladhāro mahārāja sukumāra iti smṛtaḥ

The varsha of Mahameru is Mahakasha; that of the cloud-giving Malaya is Kumudottara; that of Jaladhara, great king, is known as Sukumara;

Verse 26 (6.11.26)

रेवतस्य तु कौमारः श्यामस्य मणिकाञ्चनः । केसरस्याथ मौदाकी परेण तु महापुमान् ॥

revatasya tu kaumāraḥ śyāmasya maṇikāñcanaḥ | kesarasyātha maudākī pareṇa tu mahāpumān

Raivata's is Kaumara, Shyama's is Manikanchana, and Kesara's is Maudaki; and beyond lies Mahapuman.

Verse 27 (6.11.27)

परिवार्य तु कौरव्य दैर्घ्यं ह्रस्वत्वमेव च । जम्बूद्वीपेन संख्यातस्तस्य मध्ये महाद्रुमः ॥

parivārya tu kauravya dairghyaṃ hrasvatvameva ca | jambūdvīpena saṃkhyātastasya madhye mahādrumaḥ

Shakadvipa encircles Jambudvipa, O Kauravya, and is reckoned against it in length and in breadth. At its centre stands a great tree

Note on the text: Corrected संक्यातस् → संख्यातस् (misprint in Wikisource; क for ख; the critical edition has vikhyātaḥ here).

Verse 28 (6.11.28)

शाको नाम महाराज प्रजा तस्य सदानुगा । तत्र पुण्या जनपदाः पूज्यते तत्र शंकरः ॥

śāko nāma mahārāja prajā tasya sadānugā | tatra puṇyā janapadāḥ pūjyate tatra śaṃkaraḥ

named Shaka, great king, and the people ever follow it. There the realms are holy, and there Shankara is worshipped.

Verse 29 (6.11.29)

तत्र गच्छन्ति सिद्धाश्च चारणा दैवतानि च । धार्मिकाश्च प्रजा राजंश्चत्वारोऽतीव भारत ॥

tatra gacchanti siddhāśca cāraṇā daivatāni ca | dhārmikāśca prajā rājaṃścatvāro'tīva bhārata

Siddhas, Charanas and gods go there. The people are righteous, O king, and the four

Verse 30 (6.11.30)

वर्णाः स्वकर्मनिरता न च स्तेनोऽत्र दृश्यते । दीर्घायुषो महाराज जरामृत्युविवर्जिताः ॥

varṇāḥ svakarmaniratā na ca steno'tra dṛśyate | dīrghāyuṣo mahārāja jarāmṛtyuvivarjitāḥ

classes, O Bharata, are wholly devoted to their own work; no thief is seen there. The people are long-lived, great king, and free from old age and death.

Verse 31 (6.11.31)

प्रजास्तत्र विवर्धन्ते वर्षास्विव समुद्रगाः । नद्यः पुण्यजलास्तत्र गङ्गा च बहुधा गता ॥

prajāstatra vivardhante varṣāsviva samudragāḥ | nadyaḥ puṇyajalāstatra gaṅgā ca bahudhā gatā

The people there increase like rivers in the rains. The rivers there have holy waters, and the Ganga flows there in many streams:

Verse 32 (6.11.32)

सुकुमारी कुमारी च शीताशी वेणिका तथा । महानदी च कौरव्य तथा मणिजला नदी ॥

sukumārī kumārī ca śītāśī veṇikā tathā | mahānadī ca kauravya tathā maṇijalā nadī

the Sukumari, the Kumari, the Shitashi and the Venika; the Mahanadi, O Kauravya, and the river Manijala;

Note on the text: CE 6.12.30abcd, with variant names (शीताशी वेणिका for sītā kāverakā).

Verse 33 (6.11.33)

चक्षुर्वर्धनिका चैव नदी भरतसत्तम । तत्र प्रवृत्ताः पुण्योदा नद्यः कुरुकुलोद्वह ॥

cakṣurvardhanikā caiva nadī bharatasattama | tatra pravṛttāḥ puṇyodā nadyaḥ kurukulodvaha

and the river Chakshurvardhanika, O best of the Bharatas. From there flow rivers of holy water, O upholder of the Kuru line,

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 6.12.30ef (चक्षुर्वर्धनिका … नदी for ikṣuvardhanikā … tathā); line 2 is CE 6.12.31ab (तत्र for tataḥ).

Verse 34 (6.11.34)

सहस्राणां शतान्येव यतो वर्षति वासवः । न तासां नामधेयानि परिमाणं तथैव च ॥

sahasrāṇāṃ śatānyeva yato varṣati vāsavaḥ | na tāsāṃ nāmadheyāni parimāṇaṃ tathaiva ca

hundreds of thousands of them, from which Vasava sends down the rain. Neither their names nor their measure

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 6.12.31cd; line 2 is CE 6.12.32ab.

Verse 35 (6.11.35)

शक्यन्ते परिसंख्यातुं पुण्यास्ता हि सरिद्वराः । तत्र पुण्या जनपदाश्चत्वारो लोकसंमताः ॥

śakyante parisaṃkhyātuṃ puṇyāstā hi saridvarāḥ | tatra puṇyā janapadāścatvāro lokasaṃmatāḥ

can be counted, for they are holy, the best of rivers. There are four holy realms there, honoured by the world:

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 6.12.32cd (शक्यन्ते for śakyate); line 2 is CE 6.12.33ab.

Verse 36 (6.11.36)

मङ्गाश्च मशकाश्चैव मानसा मन्दगास्तथा । मङ्गा ब्राह्मणभूयिष्ठाः स्वकर्मनिरता नृप ॥

maṅgāśca maśakāścaiva mānasā mandagāstathā | maṅgā brāhmaṇabhūyiṣṭhāḥ svakarmaniratā nṛpa

the Mangas, the Mashakas, the Manasas and the Mandagas. The Mangas are mostly brahmins, devoted to their own duties, O king;

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 6.12.33cd; line 2 is CE 6.12.34ab (मङ्गा for magā).

Verse 37 (6.11.37)

मशकेषु च राजन्या धार्मिकाः सर्वकामदाः । मानसाश्च महाराज वैश्यधर्मोपजीविनः ॥

maśakeṣu ca rājanyā dhārmikāḥ sarvakāmadāḥ | mānasāśca mahārāja vaiśyadharmopajīvinaḥ

among the Mashakas are kshatriyas, righteous and granting every wish; and the Manasas, great king, live by the calling of vaishyas,

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 6.12.34cd; line 2 is CE 6.12.35ab in a variant form (CE mānaseṣu mahārāja vaiśyāḥ karmopajīvinaḥ).

Verse 38 (6.11.38)

सर्वकामसमायुक्ताः शूरा धर्मार्थनिश्चिताः । शूद्रास्तु मन्दगा नित्यं पुरुषा धर्मशीलिनः ॥

sarvakāmasamāyuktāḥ śūrā dharmārthaniścitāḥ | śūdrāstu mandagā nityaṃ puruṣā dharmaśīlinaḥ

endowed with every comfort, brave, and firm in dharma and in wealth. The Mandagas are shudras, men ever devoted to dharma.

Note on the text: CE 6.12.35cdef.

Verse 39 (6.11.39)

न तत्र राजा राजेन्द्र न दण्डो न च दण्डिकाः । स्वधर्मेणैव धर्मज्ञास्ते रक्षन्ति परस्परम् ॥

na tatra rājā rājendra na daṇḍo na ca daṇḍikāḥ | svadharmeṇaiva dharmajñāste rakṣanti parasparam

There is no king there, O lord of kings, no punishment and no one to punish. Knowing dharma, they protect one another by their own dharma.

Verse 40 (6.11.40)

एतावदेव शक्यं तु तत्र द्वीपे प्रभाषितुम् । एतदेव च श्रोतव्यं शाकद्वीपे महौजसि ॥

etāvadeva śakyaṃ tu tatra dvīpe prabhāṣitum | etadeva ca śrotavyaṃ śākadvīpe mahaujasi

This much can be told of that island; and this is all one need hear of mighty Shakadvipa.