18 - The Magnitude of Oceans and Continents 

Lomaharşhana said: 

1. Just as the Jambūdvīpa is encircled by the briny sea so also the briny sea is encircled by the Plakṣa dvipa. 

2. The extent of Jambūdvipa is one hundred thousand Yojanas. O brahmins, twice that is cited as the extent of Plakşa dvipa. 

3-4. Medhatithi, the overlord of the Plakshadvīpa, had seven sons. The eldest was Santabhaya by name. Sisira was the next one. Others were Sukhodaya, Ananda, Siva, Kşhemaka and Dhruva. All of them were kings in Plakṣa Dvipa. 

5. The sub-continents are Santabhaya, Sisira, Sukhada, Ananda, Siva, Kşhemaka and Dhruva. 

6. There are Varşaparvatas, the mountains demarcating the boundary. They are only seven, O excellent sages. Listen to their names. 

7. They are Gomeda, Chandra, Närada, Dundubhi, Somaka, Sumanas and Vaibhrāja. 

8. O sinless ones, accompanied by Devas and Gandharvas the subjects live in the charming Varsa mountains and lands. 

9. The countries and territories therein are holy. People are born after long periods (of gestation). Neither mental agony nor ailments afflict them. They feel happy throughout the year. 

10. There are seven rivers in these Varşas which flow into the oceans. I shall name them. Their mention dispels sins altogether. 

11. They are Anutaptă, Sikhi, Vipaśa, Tridivā, Kramu, Amrutā and Sukstă. These are seven rivers there. 

12. O brahmins, the mountains and rivers mentioned here are the main ones. Small rivers and mountains are in thousands there. 

13. The people of the region drink waters thereof and feel delighted. Every river, O brahmins, flows downwards and no river flows up. 

14. O excellent brahmins, the different Yugas are not reckoned in these seven climes. The time is perpetually like that of the Tretà-yuga. 

15. O Brahmins, in all these continents beginning with Plaksha and ending with Saka the people live for five thousand years without any ailment. 

16-17. Dharma is of four types among them in accordance with the divisions of Varņas (castes) and Aśhramas (stages of life) The Varņas are four. 

O learncd men, I shall mention them to you, O excellent sages, they are Aryakas, Kurus, Vivasvats and Bhavins. They are brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaiśyas and Sūdras. 

18. In the centre, there is a big tree of the size of Jambū tree. It is the Plaksha tree from which O excellent brahmins, the continent derives its name. 

19. Hari identical with all, lord of all, creator of the universe is worshipped in the form of Soma (Moon) by those Varnas, Aryakas and others. 

20. The Plaksha is encircled by the ocean of Sugarcane juice. It is of the same size as the continent Plakṣa and it emulates a halo around it. 

21. Thus, O excellent sages, the Plaksha continent has been recounted to you briefly. Now I shall tell you the history of Salmaladvipa. 

22-23. O brahmins, the overlord of Salmaladvipa is the heroic Vapuşmān. O excellent brahmins, his sons are Sveta, Harita, Jimūta, Rohita (Harita?) Vaidyuta, Manasa and Suprabha. There are seven Varşhas named after them. 

24. The ocean of Sugarcane juice is encircled by Salmala dvipa twice its size in extent. 

25. It should be known that there are seven mountains there, the source of jewels. They signify the different Varşhas. There are seven main rivers too. 

26-27. The mountains are: Kumuda, Unnata, Balāhaka, Droņa that abounds in great medicinal herbs, Kanka the fifth mountain, Mahişa the sixth and Kakudmān the seventh. Now, O brahmins I shall mention names of the rivers. 

28. They are Sroni, Toya, Vitrusna, Cakra, Sukra, Vimocani and Nivrutti. Merely on being remembered they quell sins immediately. 

29-32. The seven Varşhas are Sveta, Lohita, Jimūta, Harita, Vaidyuta, Manasa and Suprabha. These Varşhas contain the four Varnas. 

O excellent brahmins, in the Varşhas of Sälmala Dvīpa the Varnas stay. They are Kapilas (tawny), Arunas (pink), Pitas (yellow) and Krişhņas (black). They are brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaiśyas and Sūdras. They worship lord Vişhņu, the lord of all, the unchanging Ātman, in the form of wind. They worship by performing sacrifices. They worship the lord stationed in Yojanas. 

33. In this charming place there live Devas. Sälmali is the tree which gives the continent its name. 

34. This is encircled by the ocean of wine which in extent is equal to Sälmaladvīpa itself. 

35. The ocean of wine is encircled by Kušadvīpa twice the size of Salmala in extent. 

36-38. Jyotişman is the overlord of Kusadvīpa and has seven sons. They are Udbhida, Venuman, Svairatha, Randhana, Dhruti, Prabhakara and Kapila. The Varsha mountains are named after them. Human beings stay there along with the Daityas and Dānavas, So also stay Devas, Gandharvas, Yakşhas, Kimpuruşas and others. There also live four Varnas interested in carrying out their duties. 

39. O excellent brahmins, they are Damins, Susmins, Snehas and Mandehas. They are to be cited in order as brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaiśyas and Sūdras here. 

40-42. Since their authority declines by the performance of holy rites the people in Kušadvīpa worship Janardana as Brahman and dispel Ugra, the fierce deity, the bestower of the benefit of Adhikara. 

O excellent brahmins, the following are the seven Varsha mountains in that Dvipa:- Vidruma, Hemaśaila, Dyutimän, Puştiman, Kuśeśaya, Hari and Mandāra mountain. 

43-44. The rivers are seven. Listen to their names in order. They are Dhūtapapa, Siva, Pavitra, Sammati, Vidyudambhas, Mahi and unnamed river. All these dispel sins of the worshipper. There are thousands of other small rivers and mountains. 

45. There is a stump of Kusa grass in the Kusa Dvīpa and this gives the continent its name. This Dvipa is encircled by an ocean of ghee of an equal size. 

 46. The ocean of ghee is encircled by Krauñcha Dvipa. O excellent sages, Krauñchadvipa is another great continent. May the account of the same be heard attentively. 

47. It extends to twice the size of Kušadvipa In Krauñcha dvipa, Dyutimän is the over-lord and the noble Dyutiman had seven sons. 

48-54. The king named Varşhas after the names of his sons. They were—Kusaga, Mandaga, Uşhna, Pivara, Andhakāraka, Muni and Dundubhi. O brahmins, these were his seven sons. 

O excellent sages, there are Varşhas, mountains very charm ing and frequented by Devas and Gandharvas. Now, I shall mention their names. They are Krauñcha, Vamana, Andhakaraka, Devavrata, Dama, Pundarīkavana and the great mountain Dundubhi. The latter ones are twice in size of the previous ones. Just as one Dvipa is twice another Dvīpa in size, the mountains also are twice in size. In these charming Varşhas and on these excellent Varşa mountains the subjects live without agony along with the groups of Devas. O excellent brahmins, they are known as Puşkalas and Puşhkaras. They are brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sūdras cited in due order. O excellent sages, listen to the names of rivers which they drink from. 

55-61. There are hundreds of local rivers but the following seven are chief:- Kumudvatī, Sandhya, Rātri, Manojavā, Khyati and Pundarīkā. These seven are Varşha rivers. 

The lord Janardana, in the form of Yogirudra is also wor shipped there by the Varnas, Puşhkara and others at the holding of a sacrifice. 

The Krauñcha Dvipa is encircled all round by the ocean of the skin of curds of equal magnitude. O excellent sages, the ocean of the skim of curds is encircled by Sakadvipa, whose magnitude is twice as that of Krauñcha dvīpa. 

Bhavya the noble lord of Sakadvīpa had seven sons and he gave them seven Varşhas. 

The sons were-Jalada, Kumāra, Sukumāra, Manīraka, Kusumoda, Modaki and Mahādruma. The seven Varşhas, are named after their names in due order. 

62-64. There are seven mountains in that continent which demarcate the boundary of Varşhas. The mountains are Udayagiri, Jaladhara, Raivataka, Syāma, Ambhogiri, Astikeya and Kesarī the most excellent of all mountains. 

Säka is the great tree here. It is frequented by Siddhas and Gandharvas. On coming into contact with the wind blowing from its leaves, great delight is experienced. 

65. Many realms are there consisting of four castes. Noble souls devoid of agony and calamity stay there. 

66-67. There are highly meritorious rivers here. They dispel sins and fears thereof. They are: Sukumārī, Kumārī, Nalini, Renuka, Ikşhu, Dhenukā and Gabhasti. O excellent brahmins, there are ten thousands of other small rivers there. 

68-70. There are hundreds and thousands of mountains also. Those who are stationed in clouds etc drink joyously the water of those rivers. The realms in the Varşhas are equipped with the fourth aim of life (i.e. liberation). The rivers too are holy and they descend to Earth from heaven. There is no loss of Dharma, no struggle, no sorrow. Nor is there any action repugnant to the limits of decency in those seven regions. 

71-74. The four Varnas are Magas, Māgadhas, Mānasas, and Mandagas. The Magas are brahmins; Magadhas are Kshatriyas; Mänasas are Vaisyas and Mandagas are Sūdras. 

Vişhnu , who has assumed the form of the sun is worshipped by the residents of Säkadvīpa by performing appropriate holy rites in the manner they are laid down. The residents have perfect control of their souls and minds. 

O brahmins, Sakadvīpa is encircled by the ocean of milk of the size of Sākadvīpa. It is as though encircled by a girdle. 

O brahmins, the ocean of milk is encircled by Puşhkaradvīpa. 

75-76. Puşhkaradvipa is twice as much as the Sākadvīpa in size. 

In Puskaradvipa the over-lord is Savana and his sons are Mahāvīta and Dhātaki. The two Varşhas are named after them 

-Mahāvīta and Dhātakikhanda. 

77. O highly blessed ones, there is only one Varsha mountain named Mānasottara. It is well renowned. It has the shape of a girdle. It is in the centre of Dvipa. 

78. It is fifty thousand Yojanas high and extends to many Yojanas. It is cylindrical in shape. 

79. This mountain is so stationed that it appears to divide the circular Dvīpa in the middle. Hence, the two Varşhas are separated. 

80. Each of the two halves is circular in shape and the great mountain is between them. Men there live upto ten thousand years. 

81-84. They are devoid of ailments and sorrow. They are free from passion and hatred. O brahmins, there is no distinction of the base and excellent, of the killer and the killed among them. They do not have malice, jealousy, fear, fury, defect or greed and similar base qualities. 

The Mahāvīta Varșha adorned by the Dhataki-khanda is frequented by Devas, Daityas and others on the Mānasottara mountain. 

In that Dvipa called Puşhkara there is neither truth nor falsehood. There are neither rivers nor mountains. Men have similar dresses and features. They are similar in form to Devas. 

85. The continent is devoid of Varnas, Āśramas and the conduct of life as such. It is devoid of holy rites. There is neither the Vedic lore, nor the Science of polity, neither business manual nor the code of service. 

86. Consisting of two Varşhas, O brahmins, it is called the terrestrial heaven. The time passes happily with everyone devoid of old age and sickness. 

87. Such is the situation O brahmins, in the Puşhkara,  Dhātakikhanda and Mahävita. 

In the Puşhkaradvipa the holy fig tree is the excellent abode of Brahma. 

88-89. Brahmā stays there, worshipped by Devas and Asuras. 

Puşhkara is encircled by the ocean of meat, water equal in size and extent to it. 

Thus the seven Dvipas are surrounded by the seven oceans. 

90. The Dvipa and the ocean that surrounds it are equal. The latter one is twice in size as the earlier one. 

The water in each of these oceans remains always the same in volume. 

91-94. They do not become less or more in the manner that water in a pot becomes less when heated by fire. 

When the moon waxes, the water in the ocean does not increase. Waters move up or down in the same volume, neither more not less. 

O excellent sages, during the moonrise and moonset in the two halves of the lunar month the waters of the ocean are seen moving up or down one thousand five hundred Angulas. 

The diet of the people in the Puşhkara Dvípa comes to them by itself. 

95-99. O brahmins, there the subjects enjoy foodstuffs of all the six tastes always. 

All round the ocean of sweet water a world is seen stationed. It is twice the size of the ocean. The ground is golden but devoid of all creatures. 

Beyond that is the mountain Lokāloka extending to ten thousand Yojanas. That mountain is as many thousand Yojanas in height also. 

Beyond that is darkness. It has encircled the mountain all round. That darkness is enveloped by the cauldron of the Egg (Andakațaha). 

This universe extends to fifty crores of Yojanas along with the Andakațāha, Dvipas, oceans and mountains. 

O excellent brahmins, this earth is the support of all worlds. It is superior to all other creations, it is noble and excellent.