Asitoda

Asitoda · asita-uda, “the lake of dark water”

Asitoda is one of the four lakes enjoyed by the devas (deva-bhogya) in the land around Meru, the golden mountain at the centre of Jambūdvīpa. The Brahma Purāṇa names it in Chapter 18, in the account of the earth given to the munis who asked to hear the arrangement of the bhuvana-kośa, the shape of the worlds.

The lakes of Meru

In the middle of Jambūdvīpa stands Meru, and around it lies the varsha of Ilāvṛta. East of Meru is the varsha Bhadrāśva and west of it is Ketumāla, with Ilāvṛta between them. Four forests lie around the mountain: Caitraratha on the east, Gandhamādana on the south, Vaibhrāja on the west and Nandana on the north. And there are four lakes, enjoyed by the devas: Aruṇoda, Mahābhadra, Asitoda and Mānasa.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 18

Sources

• Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 18