46 - The abodes of Guardians of the world 

Sūta said:

1. On the mountain Meru, there is the well-known great city of Brahma, the lord of Devas. It is fourteen thousand Yojanas in extent. 

2. There resides lord Brahma, the soul of the Universe, the creator of the universe. He is being worshipped by leading Yogins, prominent sages as well as by Indra, Vishņu and Shankara. 

3. Holy lord Sanatkumara perpetually adores Prajāpati, Ishana (the Lord), the chief of Devas, the soul of the universe. 

4. With his soul absorbed in Yoga he drinks the excellent nectar. He stays there while being worshipped by Siddhas, sages, Gandharvas and gods. 

5. The splendid and brilliant abode of Shambhu of immeasurable splendour, the overlord of Devas, is situated there in front of the abode of god Brahmā. 

6. It is endowed with divine splendour. It is very splendid and it has four doors. It is full of great sages. It is resorted to by the knowers of Brahman. 

7. God Mahadeva, the ruler of the universe and the lord of Pramathas (goblins, ghosts and other attendants of Shiva) with the Sun, moon and fire as his eyes, sports there with the goddess Umā while accompanied by Pramathas. 

8. The knowers of the Vedas, the quiescent truthful sages observing celibacy adore Mahadeva by means of their penance. 

9. Accompanied by Pārvati, lord Mahadeva, the Supreme Lord, directly accepts with his head the worship of those sages of devoted and purified Ātman. 

10. There, on the excellent mountain itself but to its east is situated the greatest city of Indra called Amarāvati. It is endowed with all splendour and beauty. 

11. The heavenly ladies, Siddhas, Gandharvas, and Charanas and gods in thousands, worship the deity of a thousand-eyed Indra there. 

12. That is the highest abode of those who are virtuous, the knowers of the Vedas and devoted to the performance of sacrifices and Homas. It is inaccessible even to Devas. 

13. To the south of it is the city of the Fire-god of boundless splendour. It is named Tejovati and it is full of divine miracles. 

14. There stays lord Agni the fire-god shining with his brilliance. It is the abode of the performers of Japas and Homas. It is difficult of access to the sons of Danu. 

15. The great city of Yama is on the southern mountain. It is named Samyamani. It is divine and endowed with all types of splendour. 

16. There Devas and others adore lord Vaivasvata (i.e., Yama). It is the abode of those who ad there to truth, and of those who perform meritorious deeds in the world. 

17. To the west of that is the city of the noble-souled Nirruti. It is named Rakshovati and it is encircled by Rakshasas. 

18. There the Rakshasas worship lord Nairruta. Those who are devoted to piety but whose activities are urged by Tamas go to that city. 

19. On the western mountain is the great city of Varuna known by the name of Shuddhavati. It is meritorious and it is endowed with all desirable objects and affluence. 

20. There stays king Varuna. The king is served by Siddhas, bevies of celestial damsels and the lords of immortal beings. Those who make gifts of water go there. 

21. To the north of that city is the great and sacred city of Vayu known by the name Gandhavati. There stays the Wind-god. 

22. The great lord is served by the celestial ladies and Gandharvas. Brahmanas devoted to Pranayamas (restraint over breath) attain that eternal abode. 

23. To the east of that city is the great city of Soma. It is the splendid city known by the name Kantimati wherein shines the Moon-god. 

24. That abode which is abounding in various objects of pleasure is the proper place for those who are devoted to virtuous activities and who worshipfully take up their respective religious duties. 

25. To the east of that city is the great city of Shankara. It is a meritorious city known as Yashovati. It is difficult of access to all. 

26. The auspicious abode of Išhana, the overlord of the Ganas, which is very large and presided over by Rudra is there. He stays there surrounded by the Ganas. 

27. It was there that the residence of the devotees of Parameshthin who are desirous of enjoyment of pleasures has been assigned by the trident-bearing lord of Devas. 

28. Flowing out from Vishnu's feet and flooding the sphere of the Moon, Ganga falls all round the city of god Brahma. 

29. O Brahmanas, after falling there it became divided into four branches in accordance with the four quarters. The branches are called: Sitå, Alakananda, Suchakshu and Bhadra.1

1. De identifies Sita with the jaxartes (sir-Daria), Suchakshu with the Oxus, and Bhadra with the Yarkand or Zarafshan. M. Ali differs but the description of the rivers and the regions watered by them tallies more with M. Ali's description in Op. Chit. Ch. IV (and also Chs. V-VIII).

30. Sitå flows through the aerial path from mountain to mountain along the east of Meru. Flowing through the eastern sub-continent across Bhadrashva, it falls into the sea. 

31. O excellent Brahmanas! Similarly, Alakananda, entering the Bharata Varsha from the south of Meru splits itself into seven branches and falls into the ocean. 

32. The Suchakshu crosses the western mountains, enters the western Varsha called Ketumala and flows into the ocean. 

33. O great sages, the Bhadra traverses through the chain of northern mountains and the northern Kurus and falls into the northern ocean. 

34. The mountain Malyavan and Gandhamadana extend upto Nila and Nishadha. In the middle of the two chains of mountains Mt. Meru stands like the pericarp of a lotus.

35. The sub-continents Bharata, Ketumala, Bhadrashva and the Kurus are the petals of the lotus of the universe outside the Border-mountains. 

36. Jathara and Devakūta1 are the two boundary mountains extending from the south to the north as far as Nila and Nishadha mountains.

1. M. Ali identifies Devakūta with modern Altin Tagh-Nan-Shan-Tsing-Ling and Jathara with Kuruk-Tagh (Op. Cit. p. 100). Devakūta thus fulfils all conditions; along with Jathara (Kuruk Tagh), it joins the Nila (Tien-Shan) and the Nishadha (Kunlun).

37. Gandhamadana and Kailasa extend from east to west. They go deep within the ocean to the extent of eighty Yojanas. 

38. Nishadha and Pariyatra are the two border-mountains situated as before to the west of Meru. 

39. Trishrunga and Jarudhi2 are the Varsha mountains in the north. They run east and west between the two oceans.

2. M. Ali identifies the Jarudhi range of mountains with Kirghiz-Zailai Ala-Tau, Ketmen chain. Its twin, the Kara Tau, Talars, Kungei, Ketmin chain which extends westwards is the Trishrunga or Shrungivan mountain of the Puranas (Op. chit. p. 83). 

The chapter shows the acquaintance of the author of KP. with the main mountain systems and river-systems in Asia.

40. O Brahmanas! O great sages! The eight border mountains have been described by me. Jathara and other mountains are stationed all round the Meru.