Description of the Regions of Jambudvipa

Verse 1 (shiva.uma.17.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । पाराशर्य सुसङ्क्षेपाच्छृणु त्वं वदतो मम । मण्डलं च भुवः सम्यक् सप्तद्वीपादिसंयुतम्

sanatkumāra uvāca pārāśarya susaṅkṣepācchṛṇu tvaṁ vadato mama maṇḍalaṁ ca bhuvaḥ samyak saptadvīpādisaṁyutam

Sanatkumara said: O son of Parashara, listen now as I briefly describe to you the circle of the earth together with its seven continents.

Verse 2 (shiva.uma.17.2)

जम्बूः प्लक्षः शाल्मलिश्च कुशः क्रौञ्चश्च शाककः । पुष्करः सप्तमः सर्वे समुद्रैः सप्तभिर्वृताः

jambūḥ plakṣaḥ śālmaliśca kuśaḥ krauñcaśca śākakaḥ puṣkaraḥ saptamaḥ sarve samudraiḥ saptabhirvṛtāḥ

Jambu, Plaksha, Shalmali, Kusha, Krauncha, and Shaka, and Pushkara the seventh -- all these continents are surrounded by seven oceans.

Verse 3 (shiva.uma.17.3)

लवणेक्षुरसौ सर्पिर्दधिदुग्धजलाशयाः । जम्बुद्वीपः समस्तानामेतेषां मध्यतः स्थितः

lavaṇekṣurasau sarpirdadhidugdhajalāśayāḥ jambudvīpaḥ samastānāmeteṣāṁ madhyataḥ sthitaḥ

Those oceans are, in order, of salt water, sugarcane juice, ghee, curd, milk, and sweet water; Jambudvipa stands in the very middle of them all.

Verse 4 (shiva.uma.17.4)

तस्यापि मेरुः कालेय मध्ये कनकपर्वतः । प्रविष्टः षोडशाधस्ताद्योजनैस्तस्य चोच्छ्रयः

tasyāpi meruḥ kāleya madhye kanakaparvataḥ praviṣṭaḥ ṣoḍaśādhastādyojanaistasya cocchrayaḥ

O Kaleya, in the middle of that Jambudvipa stands the golden Mount Meru, sunk sixteen thousand yojanas into the earth, and its height --

Verse 5 (shiva.uma.17.5)

चतुरशीतिमानैस्तैर्द्वात्रिंशन्मूर्ध्नि विस्तृतः । भूमिपृष्ठस्थशैलोऽयं विस्तरस्तस्य सर्वतः

caturaśītimānaistairdvātriṁśanmūrdhni vistṛtaḥ bhūmipṛṣṭhasthaśailo'yaṁ vistarastasya sarvataḥ

-- rises to eighty-four thousand yojanas, with a breadth of thirty-two thousand at its summit; the extent of this mountain, seated on the earth's surface, is described on every side in what follows.

Verse 6 (shiva.uma.17.6)

मूले षोडशसाहस्त्र कर्णिकाकारसंस्थितः । हिमवान् हेमकूटश्च निषधश्चास्य दक्षिणे

mūle ṣoḍaśasāhastra karṇikākārasaṁsthitaḥ himavān hemakūṭaśca niṣadhaścāsya dakṣiṇe

At its base it measures sixteen thousand yojanas across and is shaped like the pericarp of a lotus; to its south lie the mountains Himavan, Hemakuta, and Nishadha.

Verse 7 (shiva.uma.17.7)

नीलः श्वेतश्च शृङ्गी च उत्तरे वर्षपर्वताः । दशसाहस्रिका ह्येते रत्नवन्तोऽरुणप्रभाः

nīlaḥ śvetaśca śṛṅgī ca uttare varṣaparvatāḥ daśasāhasrikā hyete ratnavanto'ruṇaprabhāḥ

To the north lie the boundary-mountains named Nila, Shveta, and Shringi; each of these measures ten thousand yojanas, rich in gems and glowing with a reddish light.

Verse 8 (shiva.uma.17.8)

सहस्रयोजनोत्सेधास्तावद्विस्तारिणश्च ते । भारतं प्रथमं वर्षं ततः किम्पुरुषं स्मृतम्

sahasrayojanotsedhāstāvadvistāriṇaśca te bhārataṁ prathamaṁ varṣaṁ tataḥ kimpuruṣaṁ smṛtam

These mountains rise a thousand yojanas high and are equally broad; beyond them the first region is called Bharata, and after it comes the one known as Kimpurusha.

Verse 9 (shiva.uma.17.9)

हरिवर्षं ततोऽन्यद्वै मेरोर्दक्षिणतो मुने । रम्यकं चोत्तरे पार्श्वे तस्यांशे तु हिरण्मयम्

harivarṣaṁ tato'nyadvai merordakṣiṇato mune ramyakaṁ cottare pārśve tasyāṁśe tu hiraṇmayam

O sage, beyond that again, to the south of Meru, lies Harivarsha; to the north lies Ramyaka, and beyond that in turn lies the region of Hiranmaya.

Verse 10 (shiva.uma.17.10)

उत्तरे कुरवश्चैव यथा वै भारतं तथा । नवसाहस्रमेकैकमेतेषां मुनिसत्तम

uttare kuravaścaiva yathā vai bhārataṁ tathā navasāhasramekaikameteṣāṁ munisattama

To the north lies the region of Kuru, equal in extent to Bharata; O best of sages, each of these regions measures nine thousand yojanas.

Verse 11 (shiva.uma.17.11)

इलावृतं तु तन्मध्ये तन्मध्ये मेरुरुच्छ्रितः । मेरोश्चतुर्दिशं तत्र नवसाहस्रमुच्छ्रितम्

ilāvṛtaṁ tu tanmadhye tanmadhye merurucchritaḥ meroścaturdiśaṁ tatra navasāhasramucchritam

Ilavrita lies in the very middle of these, and in the middle of Ilavrita rises Mount Meru; in each of the four directions from Meru this region extends nine thousand yojanas.

Verse 12 (shiva.uma.17.12)

इलावृतमृषिश्रेष्ठ चत्वारश्चात्र पर्वताः । विष्कम्भा रचिता मेरोर्योजिताः पुनरुच्छ्रिताः

ilāvṛtamṛṣiśreṣṭha catvāraścātra parvatāḥ viṣkambhā racitā meroryojitāḥ punarucchritāḥ

O best of sages, in Ilavrita stand four mountains, fashioned as buttressing supports of Meru, joined to it and likewise risen high.

Verse 13 (shiva.uma.17.13)

पूर्वे हि मन्दरो नाम दक्षिणे गन्धमादनः । विपुलः पश्चिमे भागे सुपार्श्वश्चोत्तरे स्थितः

pūrve hi mandaro nāma dakṣiṇe gandhamādanaḥ vipulaḥ paścime bhāge supārśvaścottare sthitaḥ

To the east stands the mountain named Mandara, to the south Gandhamadana; Vipula stands in the western quarter, and Suparshva is situated in the north.

Verse 14 (shiva.uma.17.14)

कदम्बो जम्बुवृक्षश्च पिप्पलो वट एव च । एकादशशतायामाः पादपा गिरिकेतवः

kadambo jambuvṛkṣaśca pippalo vaṭa eva ca ekādaśaśatāyāmāḥ pādapā giriketavaḥ

A kadamba tree, a jambu tree, a pippala, and a banyan -- these trees, each eleven hundred yojanas in extent, adorn those mountains like banners.

Verse 15 (shiva.uma.17.15)

जम्बूद्वीपस्य नाम्नो वै हेतुं शृणु महामुने । विराजन्ते महावृक्षास्तत्स्वभावं वदामि ते

jambūdvīpasya nāmno vai hetuṁ śṛṇu mahāmune virājante mahāvṛkṣāstatsvabhāvaṁ vadāmi te

O great sage, hear now the reason for the name of Jambudvipa; these great trees shine forth there, and I shall describe their nature to you.

Verse 16 (shiva.uma.17.16)

महागजप्रमाणानि जम्ब्वास्तस्याः फलानि च । पतन्ति भूभृतः पृष्ठे शीर्यमाणानि सर्वतः

mahāgajapramāṇāni jambvāstasyāḥ phalāni ca patanti bhūbhṛtaḥ pṛṣṭhe śīryamāṇāni sarvataḥ

The fruits of that jambu tree are as large as a great elephant, and they fall upon the ridge of the mountain, bursting apart on every side.

Verse 17 (shiva.uma.17.17)

रसेन तेषां विख्याता तत्र जम्बूनदीति वै । परितो वर्तते तत्र पीयते तन्निवासिभिः

rasena teṣāṁ vikhyātā tatra jambūnadīti vai parito vartate tatra pīyate tannivāsibhiḥ

From their juice there flows a river there famed as the Jambu river, which winds all around and is drunk by the dwellers of that land.

Verse 18 (shiva.uma.17.18)

न स्वेदो न च दौर्गन्ध्यं न जरा चेन्द्रियग्रहः । तस्यास्तटे स्थितानां तु जनानां तन्न जायते

na svedo na ca daurgandhyaṁ na jarā cendriyagrahaḥ tasyāstaṭe sthitānāṁ tu janānāṁ tanna jāyate

For the people who dwell upon its banks, there is neither sweat, nor foul odor, nor old age, nor the failing of the senses.

Verse 19 (shiva.uma.17.19)

तीरमृत्स्नां च सम्प्राप्य सुखवायुविशोषिताम् । जाम्बूनदाख्यं भवति सुवर्णं सिद्धभूषणम्

tīramṛtsnāṁ ca samprāpya sukhavāyuviśoṣitām jāmbūnadākhyaṁ bhavati suvarṇaṁ siddhabhūṣaṇam

The clay of its banks, dried by the pleasant breeze, turns into the gold called Jambunada, which is the very ornament of the Siddhas.

Verse 20 (shiva.uma.17.20)

भद्राश्वं पूर्वतो मेरोः केतुमालं च पश्चिमे । वर्षे द्वे तु मुनिश्रेष्ठ तयोर्मध्य इलावृतम्

bhadrāśvaṁ pūrvato meroḥ ketumālaṁ ca paścime varṣe dve tu muniśreṣṭha tayormadhya ilāvṛtam

Bhadrashva lies to the east of Meru, and Ketumala to its west; O best of sages, Ilavrita lies between these two regions.

Verse 21 (shiva.uma.17.21)

वनं चैत्ररथं पूर्वे दक्षिणे गन्धमादनः । विभ्राजं पश्चिमे तद्वदुत्तरे नन्दनं स्मृतम्

vanaṁ caitrarathaṁ pūrve dakṣiṇe gandhamādanaḥ vibhrājaṁ paścime tadvaduttare nandanaṁ smṛtam

To the east lies the forest called Chaitraratha, to the south Gandhamadana; likewise Vibhraja lies to the west, and Nandana is known in the north.

Verse 22 (shiva.uma.17.22)

अरुणोदं महाभद्रं शीतोदं मानसं स्मृतम् । सरांस्येतानि चत्वारि देवभोग्यानि सर्वशः

aruṇodaṁ mahābhadraṁ śītodaṁ mānasaṁ smṛtam sarāṁsyetāni catvāri devabhogyāni sarvaśaḥ

Arunoda, Mahabhadra, Sitoda, and Manasa -- these four lakes are known, all for the enjoyment of the gods.

Verse 23 (shiva.uma.17.23)

शीताञ्जनः कुरुङ्गश्च कुररो माल्यवांस्तथा । एकैकप्रमुखा मेरोः पूर्वतः केसराचलाः

śītāñjanaḥ kuruṅgaśca kuraro mālyavāṁstathā ekaikapramukhā meroḥ pūrvataḥ kesarācalāḥ

Shitanjana, Kurunga, Kurara, and Malyavan -- these are foremost among the mane-mountains standing to the east of Meru.

Verse 24 (shiva.uma.17.24)

त्रिकूटः शिशिरश्चैव पतङ्गो रुचकस्तथा । निषधः कपिलाद्याश्च दक्षिणे केसराचलाः

trikūṭaḥ śiśiraścaiva pataṅgo rucakastathā niṣadhaḥ kapilādyāśca dakṣiṇe kesarācalāḥ

Trikuta, Shishira, Patanga, and Rucaka, Nishadha, Kapila, and others -- these are the mane-mountains to the south.

Verse 25 (shiva.uma.17.25)

सिनीवासः कुसुम्भश्च कपिलो नारदस्तथा । नागादयश्च गिरयः पश्चिमे केसराचलाः

sinīvāsaḥ kusumbhaśca kapilo nāradastathā nāgādayaśca girayaḥ paścime kesarācalāḥ

Sinivasa, Kusumbha, Kapila, and Narada, and Naga and other peaks -- these are the mane-mountains to the west.

Verse 26 (shiva.uma.17.26)

शङ्खचूडोऽथ ऋषभो हंसो नाम महीधरः । कालञ्जराद्याश्च तथा उत्तरे केसराचलाः

śaṅkhacūḍo'tha ṛṣabho haṁso nāma mahīdharaḥ kālañjarādyāśca tathā uttare kesarācalāḥ

Shankhachuda, then Rishabha, and the peak named Hamsa, and likewise Kalanjara and others -- these are the mane-mountains to the north.

Verse 27 (shiva.uma.17.27)

मेरोरुपरि मध्ये हि शातकौम्भं विधेः पुरम् । चतुर्दशसहस्राणि योजनानि च सङ्ख्यया

merorupari madhye hi śātakaumbhaṁ vidheḥ puram caturdaśasahasrāṇi yojanāni ca saṅkhyayā

Atop Meru, in the very middle, stands Brahma's golden city, measuring fourteen thousand yojanas in extent.

Verse 28 (shiva.uma.17.28)

अष्टानां लोकपालानां परितस्तदनुक्रमात् । यथादिशं यथारूपं पुरोऽष्टावुपकल्पिताः

aṣṭānāṁ lokapālānāṁ paritastadanukramāt yathādiśaṁ yathārūpaṁ puro'ṣṭāvupakalpitāḥ

Around it, in due order, according to their directions and their forms, are set the eight cities of the eight guardians of the world.

Verse 29 (shiva.uma.17.29)

तस्यां च ब्रह्मणः पुर्यां प्लावयित्वेन्दुमण्डलम् । विष्णुपादविनिष्क्रान्ता गङ्गा पतति वै नदी

tasyāṁ ca brahmaṇaḥ puryāṁ plāvayitvendumaṇḍalam viṣṇupādaviniṣkrāntā gaṅgā patati vai nadī

In that city of Brahma, having flooded the orb of the moon, the river Ganga, issuing forth from the foot of Vishnu, falls down.

Verse 30 (shiva.uma.17.30)

सीता चालकनन्दा च चक्षुर्भद्रा च वै क्रमात् । सा तत्र पतिता दिक्षु चतुर्धा प्रत्यपद्यत

sītā cālakanandā ca cakṣurbhadrā ca vai kramāt sā tatra patitā dikṣu caturdhā pratyapadyata

That same Ganga, dividing herself into four streams named Sita, Alakananda, Chakshu, and Bhadra, falls there in that order.

Verse 31 (shiva.uma.17.31)

सीता पूर्वेण शैलं हि नन्दा चैव तु दक्षिणे । सा चक्षुः पश्चिमे चैव भद्रा चोत्तरतो व्रजेत्

sītā pūrveṇa śailaṁ hi nandā caiva tu dakṣiṇe sā cakṣuḥ paścime caiva bhadrā cottarato vrajet

Sita flows to the east of the mountain, Nanda -- that is, Alakananda -- to the south; Chakshu goes to the west, and Bhadra to the north.

Verse 32 (shiva.uma.17.32)

गिरीनतीत्य सकलांश्चतुर्दिक्षु महाम्बुधिम् । सा ययौ प्रयता भूता गङ्गा त्रिपथगामिनी

girīnatītya sakalāṁścaturdikṣu mahāmbudhim sā yayau prayatā bhūtā gaṅgā tripathagāminī

Having crossed over all the mountains in the four directions, that Ganga, pure and manifest, coursing along three paths, went on to the great ocean.

Verse 33 (shiva.uma.17.33)

सुनीलनिषधौ यौ तौ माल्यवद्गन्धमादनौ । तेषां मध्यगतो मेरुः कर्णिकाकारसंस्थितः

sunīlaniṣadhau yau tau mālyavadgandhamādanau teṣāṁ madhyagato meruḥ karṇikākārasaṁsthitaḥ

Sunila and Nishadha, and likewise Malyavan and Gandhamadana -- in the midst of these Meru stands like the pericarp of a lotus.

Verse 34 (shiva.uma.17.34)

भारतः केतुमालश्च भद्राश्वः कुरवस्तथा । पत्राणि लोकपद्मस्य मर्यादालोकपर्वताः

bhārataḥ ketumālaśca bhadrāśvaḥ kuravastathā patrāṇi lokapadmasya maryādālokaparvatāḥ

Bharata, Ketumala, Bhadrashva, and Kuru are the petals of that lotus of the world, and the boundary-mountains form its rim.

Verse 35 (shiva.uma.17.35)

जठरं देवकूटश्च आयामे दक्षिणोत्तरे । गन्धमादनकैलासौ पूर्वपश्चिमतो गतौ

jaṭharaṁ devakūṭaśca āyāme dakṣiṇottare gandhamādanakailāsau pūrvapaścimato gatau

Jathara and Devakuta extend from south to north; Gandhamadana and Kailasa extend from east to west.

Verse 36 (shiva.uma.17.36)

पूर्वपश्चिमतो मेरोर्निषधो नीलपर्वतः । दक्षिणोत्तरमायातौ कर्णिकान्तर्व्यवस्थितौ

pūrvapaścimato merorniṣadho nīlaparvataḥ dakṣiṇottaramāyātau karṇikāntarvyavasthitau

To the east and west of Meru lie Nishadha and the Nila mountain; those extending from south to north are situated within the pericarp.

Verse 37 (shiva.uma.17.37)

जठराद्याः स्थिता मेरोर्येषां द्वौ द्वौ व्यवस्थितौ । केसराः पर्वता एते श्वेताद्याः सुमनोरमाः

jaṭharādyāḥ sthitā meroryeṣāṁ dvau dvau vyavasthitau kesarāḥ parvatā ete śvetādyāḥ sumanoramāḥ

Jathara and the other mountains stand around Meru, positioned two by two; these mane-mountains, Shveta and the rest, are exceedingly beautiful.

Verse 38 (shiva.uma.17.38)

शैलानामन्तरे द्रोण्यः सिद्धचारणसेविताः । सुरम्याणि तथा तासु काननानि पुराणि च

śailānāmantare droṇyaḥ siddhacāraṇasevitāḥ suramyāṇi tathā tāsu kānanāni purāṇi ca

Between these mountains lie valleys frequented by Siddhas and Charanas; within them are lovely groves and cities as well.

Verse 39 (shiva.uma.17.39)

सर्वेषां चैव देवानां यक्षगन्धर्वरक्षसाम् । क्रीडन्ति देवदैतेयाः शैलप्रायेष्वहर्निशम्

sarveṣāṁ caiva devānāṁ yakṣagandharvarakṣasām krīḍanti devadaiteyāḥ śailaprāyeṣvaharniśam

There all the gods, yakshas, gandharvas, and rakshasas -- gods and daityas alike -- sport day and night upon the slopes of those mountains.

Verse 40 (shiva.uma.17.40)

धर्मिणामालया ह्येते भौमाः स्वर्गाः प्रकीर्तिताः । न तेषु पापकर्तारो यान्ति पश्यन्ति कुत्रचित्

dharmiṇāmālayā hyete bhaumāḥ svargāḥ prakīrtitāḥ na teṣu pāpakartāro yānti paśyanti kutracit

These are the abodes of the righteous, proclaimed to be earthly heavens; those who commit sin never go there, nor do they ever behold them.

Verse 41 (shiva.uma.17.41)

यानि किम्पुरुषादीनि वर्षाण्यष्टौ महामुने । न तेषु शोको नापत्त्यो नोद्वेगः क्षुद्भयादिकम्

yāni kimpuruṣādīni varṣāṇyaṣṭau mahāmune na teṣu śoko nāpattyo nodvegaḥ kṣudbhayādikam

O great sage, in those eight regions beginning with Kimpurusha there is no grief, no misfortune, no anxiety, no hunger or fear or the like.

Verse 42 (shiva.uma.17.42)

स्वस्थाः प्रजा निरातङ्काः सर्वदुःखविवर्जिताः । दशद्वादशवर्षाणां सहस्राणि स्थिरायुषः

svasthāḥ prajā nirātaṅkāḥ sarvaduḥkhavivarjitāḥ daśadvādaśavarṣāṇāṁ sahasrāṇi sthirāyuṣaḥ

The people there are healthy, free of affliction, and free from every sorrow; their lifespans remain fixed at ten to twelve thousand years.

Verse 43 (shiva.uma.17.43)

कृतत्रेतादिकाश्चैव भौमान्यम्भांसि सर्वतः । न तेषु वर्षते देवस्तेषु स्थानेषु कल्पना

kṛtatretādikāścaiva bhaumānyambhāṁsi sarvataḥ na teṣu varṣate devasteṣu sthāneṣu kalpanā

The ages of Krita, Treta, and the rest, and the waters of the earth, exist everywhere else; but in those regions no rain ever falls -- no such reckoning applies there.

Verse 44 (shiva.uma.17.44)

सप्तस्वेतेषु नद्यश्च सुजाताः स्वर्णवालुकाः । शतशः सन्ति क्षुद्राश्च तासु क्रीडेच्छुभो जनः

saptasveteṣu nadyaśca sujātāḥ svarṇavālukāḥ śataśaḥ santi kṣudrāśca tāsu krīḍecchubho janaḥ

In these seven regions there are lovely rivers with golden sands, and hundreds of smaller streams besides, in which auspicious people take their delight.