धृतराष्ट्र उवाच उक्तो द्वीपस्य संक्षेपो विधिवद् बुद्धिमंस्त्वया। तत्त्वज्ञश्चासि सर्वस्य विस्तरं ब्रूहि संजय॥
Dhritarashtra said O Sanjaya, you are intelligent, you know the truth, you have duly given me in brief the description of the island. Tell us now of the island in detail.
यावान् भूम्यवकाशोऽयं दृश्यते शशलक्षणे। तस्य प्रमाणं प्रब्रूहि ततो वक्ष्यसि पिप्पलम्॥
Tell us now of the dimension of that portion of the land that looks like a hare. You may then describe the portion that looks like the pipal tree.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं राज्ञा स पृष्टस्तु संजयो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।
Having thus said by the king, Sanjaya spoke these words:
संजय उवाच प्रागायता महाराज षडेते वर्षपर्वताः। अवगाढा [भयतः समुद्रौ पूर्वपश्चिमौ॥
Sanjaya said Stretching from east to west, there are six mountains that are all equal and that extend from the eastern to the western sea.
हिमवान् हेमकूटश्च निषधश्च नगोत्तमः। नीलश्च वैदूर्यमयः श्वेतश्च शशिसंनिभः॥
They are named Himavat, Hemakut that foremost of mountains Nishadha, Nila that abounds in Vaidurya gems, Shveta, as white as the moon,
सर्वधातुविचित्रश्च शृङ्गवान् नाम पर्वतः। एते वै पर्वता राजन् सिद्धचारणसेविताः॥
And Shringavat which is made of all kinds of metals. O king, these are the six mountains ever frequented by the Siddhas and the Charanas.
एषामन्तरविष्कम्भो योजनानि सहस्रशः। तत्र पुण्या जनपदास्तानि वर्षाणि भारत॥
The space between them extends cne thousand Yojanas. There are many delightful kingdoms thereon. O descendant of Bharata, these divisions are called Varshas.
वसन्ति तेषु सत्त्वानि नानाजातीनि सर्वशः। इदं तु भारतं वर्षं ततो हैमवतं परम्॥
In all these kingdoms live creatures of various kinds. This is the Varsha called after Bharata, Next to it the Varsha called after Himavat.
हेमकूटात् परं चैव हरिवर्षं प्रचक्षते। दक्षिणेन तु नीलस्य निषधस्योत्तरेण तु॥
The land that is beyond Hemakuta is called Harivarsha; south of the Nila mountain and the north of the Nishadha.
प्रागायतो महाभाग माल्यवान् नाम पर्वतः। ततः परं माल्यवतः पर्वतो गन्धमादनः॥
Is a mountain, O king, called Malyavat that extends from east to west. Beyond Malyavat is the mountain called the Gandhamadana.
परिमण्डलयोर्मध्ये मेरुः कनकपर्वतः। आदित्यतरुणाभासो विधूम इव पावकः॥
Between these two (mountains) is a round mountain called Meru which is made of gold. It is as effulgent as the morning sun; it is like fire without smoke.
योजनानां सहस्राणि चतुरशीतिरुच्छ्रितः। अधस्ताच्चतुरशीतिर्योजनानां महीपते॥
It is eighty-four thousand Yojanas high. O king, its depth is eighty-four thousand Yojanas.
ऊर्ध्वमधश्च तिर्यक् च लोकानावृत्य तिष्ठति। तस्य पार्श्वेष्वमी द्वीपाश्चत्वारः संस्थिता विभो॥
It stands carrying the worlds above, below and transversely. O lord, by the side of Meru are situated four islands.
भद्राश्वः केतुमालश्च जम्बूद्वीपश्च भारत। उत्तराश्चैव कुरवः कृतपुण्यप्रतिश्रयाः॥
Namely Bhadrashva, Ketumala, Jambudvipa also called Bharata, and Uttara Kuru which is the abode of the pious.
विहगः सुमुखो यस्तु सुपर्णस्यात्मजः किल। स वै विचिन्तयामास सौवर्णान् वीक्ष्य वायसान्॥
The bird Sumukha, the son of Suparna (Garuda), seeing that all the birds on the Meru were of golden plumage, reflected.
मेरुरुत्तममध्यानामधमानां च पक्षिणाम्। अविशेषकरो यस्मात् तस्मादेनं त्यजाम्यहम्॥
"I shall go away from this mountain, because there is no difference there between good, indifferent and bad birds".
तमादित्योऽनुपर्येति सततं ज्योतिषां वरः। चन्द्रमाश्च सनक्षत्रो वायुश्चैव प्रदक्षिणः॥
That foremost of luminaries, the sun, always goes round the Meru, so does the moon with his attendant constellations so does also Vayu.
स पर्वतो महाराज दिव्यपुष्पफलान्वितः। भवनैरावृतः सर्वैर्जाम्बूनदपरिष्कृतैः॥
O king, that mountain possesses celestial fruits and flowers; it is covered all over with houses made of burnished gold.
तत्र देवगणा राजन् गन्धर्वासुरराक्षसाः। अप्सरोगणसंयुक्ताः शैले क्रीडन्ति सर्वदा॥
O king, there on that mountain the celestial, the Gandharvas, the Asuras and the Rakshasas with the Apasaras always come to sport.
तत्र ब्रह्मा च रुद्रश्च शक्रश्चापि सुरेश्वरः। समेत्य विविधैर्यज्ञैर्यजन्तेऽनेकदक्षिणैः॥
There Brahma, Rudra, and Shakra the lord of the celestial, meet together and perform various kinds of sacrifices with large Dakshinas.
तुम्बुरु रदश्चैव विश्वावसुर्हहा हुहूः। अभिगम्यामरश्रेष्ठांस्तुष्टुवुर्विविधैः स्तवैः॥
Tamburu, and Narada, Vishvavasu and the Hahas and the Huhus went there and adored the foremost of the celestial with various hymns.
सप्तर्षयो महात्मानः कश्यपश्च प्रजापतिः। तत्र गच्छन्ति भद्रं ते सदा पर्वणि पर्वणि॥
The illustrious seven Rishis and Kashyapa, the lord of creatures, go there on every Parva day.
तस्यैव मूर्धन्युशनाः काव्यो दैत्यैर्महीपते। इमानि तस्य रत्नानि तस्येमे रत्नपर्वताः॥
On the summit of that mountain, Ushanas, otherwise called the Poet, sports with the Dailyas. The jewels and gems and all precious stones belong to Meru.
तस्मात् कुबेरो भगवांश्चतुर्थं भागमश्नुते। ततः कलांशं वित्तस्य मनुष्येभ्यः प्रयच्छति॥
A fourth part of them is enjoyed by Kubera. Only a sixteenth part he gives away to men to be enjoyed by them.
पार्श्वे तस्योत्तरे दिव्यं सर्वर्तुकुसुमैश्चितम्। कर्णिकारवनं रम्यं शिलाजालसमुद्गतम्॥
On the northern side of Meru there is a charming and beautiful forest of Karnikaras. It is ever covered with the flowers of every season. It occupies a range of hills.
तत्र साक्षात् पशुपतिर्दिव्यैर्भूतैः समावृतः। उमासहायो भगवान् रमते भूतभावनः॥
There sports the illustrious Pashupati, the creator of all things, surrounded by his celestial attendants and accompanied by Uma.
कर्णिकारमयीं मालां बिभ्रत्पादावलम्बिनीम्। त्रिभित्रैः कृतोद्योतस्त्रिभिः सूर्यैरिवोदितैः॥
He wears a garland of Karnikars flowers round his neck which reaches down his feet and which blazes with radiance with his three eyes resembling three suns.
तमुग्रतपसः सिद्धाः सुव्रताः सत्यवादिनः। पश्यन्ति न हि दुर्वृत्तैः शक्यो द्रष्टुं महेश्वरः॥
The Siddhas who are truthful, who are of excellent vows and austere asceticism can see him. Maheshvara is incapable of being seen by men of bad conduct.
तस्य शैलस्य शिखरात् क्षीरधारा नरेश्वर। विश्वरूपापरिमिता भीमनिर्घातनि:स्वनः॥ पुण्या पुण्यतमैर्जुष्टा गङ्गा भागीरथी शुभा। प्लवन्तीव प्रवेगेन ह्रदे चन्द्रमसः शुभे॥
O king, from the summit of that mountain issues forth like a stream of milk the sacred and immeasurable Ganga of universal form resorted to by the pious. She falls with great force and fearful noise in the charming lake of Chandramas.
तया ह्युत्पादित: पुण्यः स ह्रदः सागरोपमः। तां धारयामास तदा दुर्धरा पर्वतैरपि॥ शतं वर्षसहस्राणां शिरसैव पिनाकधूक्। मरोस्तु पश्चिमे भागे केतुमालो महीपते॥
That sacred lake like an ocean has been formed by Ganga herself. Ganga, incapable of being held by even the mountains, was held for one thousand years by the wilder of Pinaka on his head. O king, on the western side of the Meru is Ketumala.
जम्बूखण्डस्तु तत्रैव सुमहान् नन्दनोयमः। आयुर्दश सहस्राणि वर्षाणां तत्र भारत॥
Here is also Jambukhanda, O king, which is greatly populated. O descendant of Bharata, the length of human life there is ten thousand years.
सुवर्णवर्णाश्च नराः स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसोपमाः। अनामया वीतशोका नित्यं मुदितमानसाः॥
The men are of golden complexion. Women are all like Apsaras. All the persons are without sickness, and grief, and are always cheerful.
जायन्ते मानवास्तत्र निष्टप्तकनकप्रभाः। गन्धमादनशृङ्गेयु कुबेरः सह राक्षसैः॥ संवृतोऽप्सरसा सङ्घर्मोदते गुह्यकाधिपः। गन्धमादनपादेषु परेष्वपरगण्डिकाः॥
The men born there possess effulgence like that of the melted gold. On the Gandhamadana the lord of Guhyakas, Kubera, with many Rakshasas and Apsaras passes his time in happiness. By the sides of the Gandhamadana there are many smaller mountains and hills.
तत्र हृष्टा नरा राजंस्तेजोयुक्ता महाबलाः। स्त्रियश्चोत्पलवर्णाभाः सर्वाः सुप्रियदर्शनाः॥
The length of human life there is eleven thousand years. O king, the men there are cheerful, and possess great energy and great strength. The women are all of the complexion of the lotus. They are exceedingly beautiful.
नीलात् परतरं श्वेतं श्वेताद्धैरण्यकं परम्। वर्षमैरावतं राजन् नानाजनपदावृतम्॥
Beyond the Nila (mountain) is Shveta; beyond Shveta is Hiranyaka, beyond Hiranyaka is Airavata abounding in many countries.
धनु:संस्थे महाराज द्वे वर्षे दक्षिणोत्तरे। इलावृतं मध्यमं तु पञ्च वर्षाणि चैव हि॥
O king, the last Varsha in the north and Bharata Varsha in the south are both of the form of a bow. Ilavrita is situated in the very middle of the five Varshas.
उत्तरोत्तरमेतेभ्यो वर्षमुद्रिच्यते गुणैः। आयुःप्रमाणमारोग्यं धर्मतः कामतोऽर्थतः॥
Amongst these seven Varshas, the one that is furthest north excels the one immediate south to it as regards its many features such as the length of life, stature, wealth, piety, pleasure and profit.
समन्वितानि भूतानि तेषु वर्षेषु भारत। एवमेषा महाराज पर्वतैः पृथिवी चिता।॥
O descendant of Bharata, in these Varshas, creatures all live together. O king, the earth is thus covered with mountains.
हेमकूटस्तु सुमहान् कैलासो नाम पर्वतः। यत्र वैश्रवणो राजन् गुह्यकैः सह मोदते॥
The great mountain of Hemakuta is also called Kailasa where, ( king, Vaishravana delightedly sports with his Guhyakas.
अस्त्युत्तरेण कैलासं मैनाकं पर्वतं प्रति। हिरण्यशृङ्गः सुमहान् दिव्यो मणिमयो गिरिः॥
Immediately north of Kailasa and near the mountain Mainaka, there is a great and beautiful mountain called Manimeya which possesses golden peaks.
तस्य पार्श्वे महद् दिव्यं शुभं काञ्चनवालुकम्। रम्यं बिन्दुसरो नाम यत्र राजा भगीरथ॥ द्रष्टुं भागीरथीं गङ्गामुवास बहुलाः समाः। यूपा मणिमयास्तत्र चैत्याचापि हिरण्मयाः॥
Near this mountain there is a large, celestial and delightful lake called Bindusara with golden sands. There king Bhagiratha, seeing Ganga who is called after his name, lived for many years. There are innumerable sacrificial stakes made of gems and Chaitya trees made of gold.
तत्रेष्ट्वा तु गतः सिद्धिं सहस्राक्षो महायशाः। स्रष्टा भूतपतिर्यत्र सर्वलोकैः सनातनः॥
It was there that of greatly renowned Indra obtained success by performing sacrifices. There the lord of all creatures, the eternal creator of all the worlds.
उपास्यते तिग्मतेजा यत्र भूतैः समन्ततः। नरनारायणौ ब्रह्मा मनुः स्थाणुश्च पञ्चमः॥
Endued with supreme energy, surrounded by his ghostly attendants, is adored. There Nara and Narayana and Brahma and Manu and Sthanu are ever present.
तत्र दिव्या त्रिपथगा प्रथमं तु प्रतिष्ठिता। ब्रह्मलोकादपक्रान्ता सप्तधा प्रतिपद्यते॥ वस्वोकसारा नलिनी पावनी च सरस्वती। जम्बूनदी च सीता च गङ्गा सिन्धुश्च सप्तमी॥
There the celestial river Ganga, of three currents, issues out of the region of Brahima. There she first appeared. Then dividing herself into seven streams she became Vasvokasara, Nalini, the sin-cleansing Sarasvati, Jambunadi, Sita, Ganga and Sindhu.
अचिन्त्या दिव्यसंकाशा प्रभोरेषैव संविधिः। उपासते यत्र सत्रं सहस्रयुगपर्यये।॥
The supreme lord has himself made all the arrangements as regards this inconceivable and celestial river. It is there that sacrifices have been performed on thousand of occasions at the revolution of the Yugas.
दृश्यादृश्या च भवति तत्र तत्र सरस्वती। एता दिव्याः सप्तगङ्गास्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुताः॥
As regards the Sarasvati, in some parts she becomes visible and in some parts she disappears. This celestial seven Gangas is known all over the three worlds.
रक्षांसि वै हिमवति हेमकूटे तु गुह्यकाः। सर्प नागाश्च निषधे गोकर्णं च तपोवनम्॥
The Rakshasas live on the Himavat, the Guhyakas on Hemakuta and the Nagas on the Nishadha and the ascetics on the Gokarna.
देवासुराणां सर्वेषां श्वेतपर्वत उच्यते। गन्धर्वा निषधे नित्यं नीले ब्रह्मपर्यस्तथा।।
The Shveta mountain is said to be the abode of the celestial and celestial and the Asuras. The Gandharvas live on the Nishadha and the Brahmana Rishis on the Nila.
शृङ्गवांस्तु महाराज देवानां प्रतिसंचरः॥ इत्येतानि महाराज सप्त वर्षाणि भागशः।
The mountain of Shringavat is considered to be the resort of the celestial. O king of kings, these are the seven Varshas of the world as they are divided.
भूतान्युपनिविष्टानि गतिमन्ति ध्रुवाणि च॥ तेषामृद्धिर्बहुविधा दृश्यते दैवमानुषी।
Various mobile and immobile creatures are all placed in them. Various sorts of prosperity, both providential and human are noticeable in them.
अशक्या परिसंख्यातुं श्रद्धेया तु बुभूषता॥ यां तु पृच्छसि मां राजन् दिव्यामेतां शशाकृतिम्।
They cannot be counted. Those that are desirous of their own welfare believe in all this. I have now narrated to you the delightful region that is in the form of a hare which you asked me.
पार्श्वे शशस्य द्वे वर्षे उक्ते ये दक्षिणोत्तरे। कर्णौ तु नागद्वीपश्च काश्यपद्वीप एव च।॥ ताम्रपर्णः शिरो राजञ्छीमान् मलयपर्वतः। एतद् द्वितीयं द्वीपस्य दृश्यते शशसंस्थितम्॥
At the end of the region are the two Varshas, namely one on the north and the other on the south. Then again the two islands Nagadvipa and Kashyapadvipa are the two cars of this region of the form of a hare. O king, the beautiful mountain of Malaya, with stones like plates of copper, forms the second part of Jambudvipa. This makes it look like a hare.