The Description of Shaka-dvipa

Verse 1 (padma.3.8.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । जंबूखंडस्त्वया प्रोक्तो यथावदिह सत्तमः । विष्कंभस्य च प्रब्रूहि परिमाणं हि तत्त्वतः

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ jaṁbūkhaṁḍastvayā prokto yathāvadiha sattamaḥ viṣkaṁbhasya ca prabrūhi parimāṇaṁ hi tattvataḥ

The sages said: You have duly told us of the Jambu region, O excellent one; now tell us also the true measure of its breadth,

Verse 2 (padma.3.8.2)

समुद्रस्य प्रमाणं च सम्यगच्छिद्र दर्शनः । शाकद्वीपं च नो ब्रूहि कुशद्वीपं च धार्मिकम्

samudrasya pramāṇaṁ ca samyagacchidra darśanaḥ śākadvīpaṁ ca no brūhi kuśadvīpaṁ ca dhārmikam

and the measure of the ocean, O you of flawless insight; tell us also of Shaka-dvipa, and of righteous Kusha-dvipa,

Verse 3 (padma.3.8.3)

शाल्मलं चैव तत्त्वेन क्रौंचद्वीपं तथैव च । सूत उवाच । विप्राः सुबहवो द्वीपाः यैरिदं संततं जगत् । सप्तद्वीपान्प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुध्वं द्विजपुंगवाः

śālmalaṁ caiva tattvena krauṁcadvīpaṁ tathaiva ca sūta uvāca viprāḥ subahavo dvīpāḥ yairidaṁ saṁtataṁ jagat saptadvīpānpravakṣyāmi śṛṇudhvaṁ dvijapuṁgavāḥ

and truly of Shalmala-dvipa, and likewise of Kraunca-dvipa. Suta said: O brahmins, there are very many islands by which this world is bound together in continuity; I shall describe the seven dvipas — listen, O bulls among the twice-born.

Verse 4 (padma.3.8.4)

अष्टादशसहस्राणि योजनानि द्विजोत्तमाः । षट्शतानि च पूर्णानि विष्कंभो जंबुपर्वतः

aṣṭādaśasahasrāṇi yojanāni dvijottamāḥ ṣaṭśatāni ca pūrṇāni viṣkaṁbho jaṁbuparvataḥ

O best of the twice-born, eighteen thousand six hundred yojanas in full is the breadth of the Jambu mountain (dvipa).

Verse 5 (padma.3.8.5)

लवणस्य समुद्रस्य विष्कंभो द्विगुणः स्मृतः । नानाजनपदाकीर्णो मणिविद्रुमचित्रितः

lavaṇasya samudrasya viṣkaṁbho dviguṇaḥ smṛtaḥ nānājanapadākīrṇo maṇividrumacitritaḥ

The breadth of the Salt Ocean is held to be twice that; it is thronged with various inhabited lands, adorned with gems and coral,

Verse 6 (padma.3.8.6)

नैकधातुविचित्रैश्च पर्वतैरुपशोभितः । सिद्धचारणसंकीर्णैः सागरः परिमंडलः

naikadhātuvicitraiśca parvatairupaśobhitaḥ siddhacāraṇasaṁkīrṇaiḥ sāgaraḥ parimaṁḍalaḥ

beautified with mountains bright with many kinds of ore, and that circular ocean is thronged with Siddhas and Charanas.

Verse 7 (padma.3.8.7)

शाकद्वीपं च वक्ष्यामि यथावदिह सत्तमाः । शृणुताद्य यथान्यायं ब्रुवतो मम धार्मिकाः

śākadvīpaṁ ca vakṣyāmi yathāvadiha sattamāḥ śṛṇutādya yathānyāyaṁ bruvato mama dhārmikāḥ

O excellent ones, now I shall describe Shaka-dvipa duly; O righteous ones, hear it today in proper order as I speak it.

Verse 8 (padma.3.8.8)

जंबुद्वीपप्रमाणेन द्विगुणः स द्विजर्षभाः । विष्कंभेन महाभागाः सागरोऽपि विभागशः

jaṁbudvīpapramāṇena dviguṇaḥ sa dvijarṣabhāḥ viṣkaṁbhena mahābhāgāḥ sāgaro'pi vibhāgaśaḥ

O bulls among the twice-born, O greatly fortunate ones, it is twice the measure of Jambudvipa in breadth, and the ocean too, in each of its divisions, matches it accordingly,

Verse 9 (padma.3.8.9)

क्षीरोदो मुनिशार्दूला येन संपरिवारितः । तत्र पुण्याजनपदास्तत्र न म्रियते जनः

kṣīrodo muniśārdūlā yena saṁparivāritaḥ tatra puṇyājanapadāstatra na mriyate janaḥ

O tigers among sages, it is wholly surrounded by the Ocean of Milk. There are sacred inhabited lands there, and no one dies there before their time.

Verse 10 (padma.3.8.10)

कुत एव हि दुर्भिक्षं क्षमा तेजोयुता हि ते । शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावन्मुनिसत्तमाः । उक्त एष महाभागाः किमन्यत्कथयामि वः

kuta eva hi durbhikṣaṁ kṣamā tejoyutā hi te śākadvīpasya saṁkṣepo yathāvanmunisattamāḥ ukta eṣa mahābhāgāḥ kimanyatkathayāmi vaḥ

Whence indeed could famine come, for they are endowed with vigor and radiance? O greatly fortunate ones, thus has the summary of Shaka-dvipa been duly told — what else shall I tell you?

Verse 11 (padma.3.8.11)

ऋषय ऊचुः । शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावदिह धार्मिक । उक्तस्त्वया महाप्राज्ञ विस्तरं ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ śākadvīpasya saṁkṣepo yathāvadiha dhārmika uktastvayā mahāprājña vistaraṁ brūhi tattvataḥ

The sages said: O righteous, greatly wise one, you have duly told us the summary of Shaka-dvipa; now tell us the true details.

Verse 12 (padma.3.8.12)

सूत उवाच । तथैव पर्वता विप्राः सप्तात्र मणिपर्वताः । रत्नाकरास्तथा नद्यस्तेषां नामानि वर्णये

sūta uvāca tathaiva parvatā viprāḥ saptātra maṇiparvatāḥ ratnākarāstathā nadyasteṣāṁ nāmāni varṇaye

Suta said: O brahmins, likewise there are seven gem-mountains there; I shall tell the names of those jewel-treasuries and of the rivers among them.

Verse 13 (padma.3.8.13)

अतीवगुणवत्सर्वं तत्त्वं पृच्छथ धार्मिकाः । देवर्षिगंधर्वयुतः प्रथमो मेरुरुच्यते

atīvaguṇavatsarvaṁ tattvaṁ pṛcchatha dhārmikāḥ devarṣigaṁdharvayutaḥ prathamo merurucyate

O righteous ones, you ask of everything truly, and it is exceedingly full of merit. The first mountain is called Meru, inhabited by divine seers and gandharvas.

Verse 14 (padma.3.8.14)

प्रागायतो महाभागा मलयोनाम पर्वतः । ततो मेघाः प्रवर्त्तंते प्रभवंति च सर्वशः

prāgāyato mahābhāgā malayonāma parvataḥ tato meghāḥ pravarttaṁte prabhavaṁti ca sarvaśaḥ

O greatly fortunate ones, extending eastward is the mountain named Malaya; from it the clouds arise and gather in every way.

Verse 15 (padma.3.8.15)

ततः परेण मुनयो जलधारो महागिरिः । ततो नित्यमुपादत्ते वासवः परमं जलम्

tataḥ pareṇa munayo jaladhāro mahāgiriḥ tato nityamupādatte vāsavaḥ paramaṁ jalam

O sages, beyond that is the great mountain Jaladhara; from it Vasava (Indra) ever draws up the finest water,

Verse 16 (padma.3.8.16)

ततो वर्षं प्रभवति वर्षाकाले द्विजोत्तमाः । उच्चैर्गिरी रैवतको यत्र नित्यं प्रतिष्ठितम्

tato varṣaṁ prabhavati varṣākāle dvijottamāḥ uccairgirī raivatako yatra nityaṁ pratiṣṭhitam

from which rain falls in the rainy season, O best of the twice-born. There is the lofty mountain Raivataka, where the constellation Revati is ever established in the sky,

Verse 17 (padma.3.8.17)

रेवती दिवि नक्षत्रं पितामहकृतो विधिः । उत्तरेण तु विप्रेंद्राः श्यामो नाम महागिरिः

revatī divi nakṣatraṁ pitāmahakṛto vidhiḥ uttareṇa tu vipreṁdrāḥ śyāmo nāma mahāgiriḥ

an ordinance made by Grandsire Brahma. O lords among brahmins, to the north is a great mountain named Shyama,

Verse 18 (padma.3.8.18)

नवमेघप्रभः प्रांशुः श्रीमानुज्ज्वलविग्रहः । यतः श्यामत्वमापन्नाः प्रजा मुदितमानसाः

navameghaprabhaḥ prāṁśuḥ śrīmānujjvalavigrahaḥ yataḥ śyāmatvamāpannāḥ prajā muditamānasāḥ

resplendent as a fresh cloud, lofty, glorious, of radiant form; from it the people came to acquire their dark hue, and grew glad of mind.

Verse 19 (padma.3.8.19)

ऋषय ऊचुः । सुमहान्संशयोऽस्माकं प्राप्तोयं सूत यत्त्वया । प्रजाः कथं सूत सम्यक्संप्राप्ताः श्यामतामिह

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ sumahānsaṁśayo'smākaṁ prāptoyaṁ sūta yattvayā prajāḥ kathaṁ sūta samyaksaṁprāptāḥ śyāmatāmiha

The sages said: A great doubt has arisen in us, O Suta, from what you have said — how, O Suta, did the people rightly come to acquire this dark hue here?

Verse 20 (padma.3.8.20)

सूत उवाच । सर्वेष्वेव महाप्राज्ञा द्वीपेषु मुनिपुंगवाः । गौरः कृष्णश्च पतगस्तयोर्वर्णांतरे द्विजाः

sūta uvāca sarveṣveva mahāprājñā dvīpeṣu munipuṁgavāḥ gauraḥ kṛṣṇaśca patagastayorvarṇāṁtare dvijāḥ

Suta said: O greatly wise ones, O bulls among sages, in every dvipa there is a white bird and a black bird, and, O twice-born, between the two of them, an offspring of intermediate hue —

Verse 21 (padma.3.8.21)

श्यामो यस्मात्प्रवृत्तो वै तस्मात्श्यामगिरिः स्मृतः । ततः परं मुनिश्रेष्ठा दुर्गशैलो महोदयः

śyāmo yasmātpravṛtto vai tasmātśyāmagiriḥ smṛtaḥ tataḥ paraṁ muniśreṣṭhā durgaśailo mahodayaḥ

since a dark bird issued forth from there, it came to be called the Dark Mountain. O best of sages, beyond that is the prosperous mountain Durgashaila,

Verse 22 (padma.3.8.22)

केशरी केशरयुतो यतो वातः प्रवर्त्तते । तेषां योजनविष्कंभो द्विगुणः प्रविभागशः

keśarī keśarayuto yato vātaḥ pravarttate teṣāṁ yojanaviṣkaṁbho dviguṇaḥ pravibhāgaśaḥ

and the maned mountain Keshari, whence the wind arises. Their breadth in yojanas is, division by division, twice the preceding one.

Verse 23 (padma.3.8.23)

वर्षाणि तेषु विप्रेंद्राः संप्रोक्तानि मनीषिभिः । महामेरुर्महाकाशो जलदः कुमुदोत्तरम्

varṣāṇi teṣu vipreṁdrāḥ saṁproktāni manīṣibhiḥ mahāmerurmahākāśo jaladaḥ kumudottaram

O lords among brahmins, the regions situated among them have been declared by the wise as: Mahameru, Mahakasha, Jaladha, and Kumudottara,

Verse 24 (padma.3.8.24)

जलधारो महाप्राज्ञः सुकुमार इति स्मृतः । रेवतस्य तु कौमारः श्यामश्च मणिकांचनः

jaladhāro mahāprājñaḥ sukumāra iti smṛtaḥ revatasya tu kaumāraḥ śyāmaśca maṇikāṁcanaḥ

O greatly wise one, Jaladhara's region is remembered by the name Sukumara; Raivataka's is Kaumara, and Shyama's is Manikanchana,

Verse 25 (padma.3.8.25)

केशरस्याथ मौदाकी परेण तु महान्पुमान् । परिवार्य्यं तु विप्रेंद्रा दैर्घ्यं ह्रस्वत्वमेव च

keśarasyātha maudākī pareṇa tu mahānpumān parivāryyaṁ tu vipreṁdrā dairghyaṁ hrasvatvameva ca

Keshara's is Maudaki, and beyond that lies the region of the Great Person. O lords among brahmins, their circumference, and likewise their greater or lesser extent, follow this same order.

Verse 26 (padma.3.8.26)

जंबूद्वीपेन संख्यातस्तस्य मध्ये महाद्रुमः । शाको नाम महाप्राज्ञाः प्रजास्तस्य सहानुगाः

jaṁbūdvīpena saṁkhyātastasya madhye mahādrumaḥ śāko nāma mahāprājñāḥ prajāstasya sahānugāḥ

Reckoned by the measure of Jambudvipa, in its very middle stands a great tree; O greatly wise ones, it is called Shaka (teak), and its people are its followers.

Verse 27 (padma.3.8.27)

तत्र पुण्या जनपदाः पूज्यते तत्र शंकरः । तत्र गच्छंति सिद्धाश्च चारणा दैवतानि च

tatra puṇyā janapadāḥ pūjyate tatra śaṁkaraḥ tatra gacchaṁti siddhāśca cāraṇā daivatāni ca

There are sacred inhabited lands there, and there Shankara is worshipped; there the Siddhas, the Charanas, and the deities also go,

Verse 28 (padma.3.8.28)

धार्मिकाश्च प्रजाः सर्वाः चत्वारो गतमत्सराः । वर्णाः स्वकर्मनिरता न च स्तेनोऽत्र दृश्यते

dhārmikāśca prajāḥ sarvāḥ catvāro gatamatsarāḥ varṇāḥ svakarmaniratā na ca steno'tra dṛśyate

and all the righteous people, the four varnas free from envy, are devoted each to their own duty — no thief is ever seen there.

Verse 29 (padma.3.8.29)

दीर्घायुषो महाप्राज्ञा जरामृत्युविवर्जिताः । प्रजास्तत्र विवर्द्धंते वर्षास्विव समुद्रगाः

dīrghāyuṣo mahāprājñā jarāmṛtyuvivarjitāḥ prajāstatra vivarddhaṁte varṣāsviva samudragāḥ

O greatly wise ones, long-lived and free from old age and death, the people there flourish just as rivers flourish in the rainy season.

Verse 30 (padma.3.8.30)

नद्यः पुण्यजलास्तत्र गंगा च बहुधा गता । सुकुमारी कुमारी च शीता शीतोदका तथा

nadyaḥ puṇyajalāstatra gaṁgā ca bahudhā gatā sukumārī kumārī ca śītā śītodakā tathā

There are rivers of sacred water there — the Ganga, flowing in many streams, Sukumari, Kumari, Shita, and likewise Shitodaka,

Verse 31 (padma.3.8.31)

महानदी च भो विप्रास्तथा मणिजला नदी । इक्षुवर्द्धनिका चैव नदी मुनिवराः स्मृताः

mahānadī ca bho viprāstathā maṇijalā nadī ikṣuvarddhanikā caiva nadī munivarāḥ smṛtāḥ

and, O brahmins, the great river, and likewise the river Manijala; and, O best of sages, the river Ikshuvardhanika too is remembered.

Verse 32 (padma.3.8.32)

ततः प्रवृत्ताः पुण्योदा नद्यः परमशोभनाः । सहस्राणां शतान्येव यतो वर्षति वासवः

tataḥ pravṛttāḥ puṇyodā nadyaḥ paramaśobhanāḥ sahasrāṇāṁ śatānyeva yato varṣati vāsavaḥ

From these proceed hundreds of thousands of other exceedingly beautiful sacred-water rivers, upon which Vasava rains down blessing.

Verse 33 (padma.3.8.33)

न तासां नामधेयानि परिस्मर्तुं तथैव च । शक्यंते परिसंख्यातुं पुण्यास्ता हि सरिद्वराः

na tāsāṁ nāmadheyāni parismartuṁ tathaiva ca śakyaṁte parisaṁkhyātuṁ puṇyāstā hi saridvarāḥ

It is not even possible to recall all their names, let alone enumerate them fully — so sacred are these foremost of rivers.

Verse 34 (padma.3.8.34)

ततः पुण्या जनपदाश्चत्वारो लोकविश्रुताः । मृगाश्च मशकाश्चैव मानसा मल्लकास्तथा

tataḥ puṇyā janapadāścatvāro lokaviśrutāḥ mṛgāśca maśakāścaiva mānasā mallakāstathā

Then there are four sacred inhabited lands there, renowned throughout the world — Mriga, Mashaka, Manasa, and likewise Mallaka.

Verse 35 (padma.3.8.35)

मृगाश्च ब्रह्मभूयिष्ठाः स्वकर्मनिरता द्विजाः । मशकेषु तु राजन्या धार्मिकाः सर्वकामदाः

mṛgāśca brahmabhūyiṣṭhāḥ svakarmaniratā dvijāḥ maśakeṣu tu rājanyā dhārmikāḥ sarvakāmadāḥ

O twice-born, the Mriga people are mostly brahmins, devoted to their own duty; among the Mashakas are kshatriyas, righteous, granters of every desire.

Verse 36 (padma.3.8.36)

मानसाश्च महाभागा वैश्यधर्मोपजीविनः । सर्वकामसमायुक्ताः शूरा धर्मार्थनिश्चिताः

mānasāśca mahābhāgā vaiśyadharmopajīvinaḥ sarvakāmasamāyuktāḥ śūrā dharmārthaniścitāḥ

O greatly fortunate ones, the Manasa people live by the duties of vaishyas, endowed with every desire, heroic, resolute in dharma and artha.

Verse 37 (padma.3.8.37)

शूद्रास्तु मल्लका नित्यं पुरुषा धर्मशीलिनः । न तत्र राजा विप्रेंद्रा न दंडो न च दंडिकाः

śūdrāstu mallakā nityaṁ puruṣā dharmaśīlinaḥ na tatra rājā vipreṁdrā na daṁḍo na ca daṁḍikāḥ

The Mallaka people are always shudras, men devoted to righteous conduct. O lords among brahmins, there is no king there, no punishment, and no one to administer punishment.

Verse 38 (padma.3.8.38)

स्वधर्मेणैव धर्मज्ञास्ते रक्षंति परस्परम् । एतावदेव शक्यं तु तत्र द्वीपे प्रभाषितुम्

svadharmeṇaiva dharmajñāste rakṣaṁti parasparam etāvadeva śakyaṁ tu tatra dvīpe prabhāṣitum

Knowing dharma, they protect one another by their own righteous conduct alone. This much only can be told of that dvipa.

Verse 39 (padma.3.8.39)

एतदेव च श्रोतव्यं शाकद्वीपे महौजसि

etadeva ca śrotavyaṁ śākadvīpe mahaujasi

This much indeed should be heard concerning the greatly glorious Shaka-dvipa.