52 - Geography of the World 

Süta said: 

1-2. O best of Brahmins, on every sub-continent there are many holy rivers always full of water and originating from great lakes. They flow in all four directions: east, south, north and west. 

3. The storehouse of water in the sky which is called Soma (moon) is the support of all living beings. To Devas, it is the receptacle of nectar. 

4-8. From this has originated the river of auspicious waters and it flows in the firmament. With nectarine waters it functions through the seventh path of the wind. This river follows the path of the luminaries. It is frequented by groups of luminaries, and by thousands and crores of stars of the sky³¹². Just like the moon it also goes round and round every day. 

312. The Puränas describe the three stages in the evolution of Ganga: (i) It is a starry river (i.e., åkäsha-Gangå the Milky Way) in the form of snow. (ii) As the snow falls on the high plateau of the Pamir (Meru) (v.7) and also on the high ridges and ranges which surround and radiate from the Pamir region, it is still 'snowy Gangã' (=hima-Gangā). (iii) As snow melts, it divides into the four main rivers (v. o) of Asia which radiate in different directions. The Gangå at this stage becomes a stream, or rather streams of water. After passing through thousands of mountains, valleys, forests and caves, it falls into the southern sea (v. 10) 

Mahameru, the tender sporting ground of Shrikantha is eighty-four thousand yojanas high. Lord Shiva is seated there together with Umā and the chiefs of his Gaņas and also sports³¹³ about there for a long time. This auspicious river of holy waters circumambulates the mountain Meru.

313. Mark the archaic form "kridate in the atmanepada for 'kridati' in the parasmaipada. 

9. With its waters agitated by the wind and by its own velocity, thc river flows down on all the four inner peaks of the Meru. 

10. After going beyond all the mountains partially it enters the great sea at the behest of lord Shiva. 

11. There are hundreds and thousands of rivers branching out from this, which flow through all the sub-continents and continents as well as the mountains therein. 

12a. Since the Gangā has gone to the earth from the firmament, there are innumerable small rivers. 

12b-13a. In the Ketumäla subcontinent men are dark coloured³¹⁴. They subsist on jack fruits. Their women have the lustre of blue lotuses. Their life span is ten thousand years. 

         314. käläh=krişhnavarṇaḥ ST. of dark complexion.

13b-15a. In the Bhadrāśhva sub-continent women are white-coloured, resembling the rays of the moon. They have their staple diet of black mangoes. They are devoid of anguish and agony and fond of sexual pleasures. Mentally meditating on Śhiva they live upto ten thousand years. Like the Hiranmayas³¹⁵ they have freely dedicated their minds to Ishvara.

         315. Hairanmayah-residents of Hiranmaya Varşha.

15b-18. In the sub-continent Ramanaka, the living beings subsist on the fruits of the Nyagrodha (the holy fig tree). They live up to eleven thousand five hundred years. They are all white-complexioned and engrossed in the meditation on Shiva. The highly blessed Hairanamayas are those dwelling in the forest of Hiranmaya. They live upto twelve thousand five hundred years mainly subsisting on the Ashvattha (holy fig tree) fruits. They have also dedicated their minds freely to the lord like the Hiranmayas. 

19. The Kurus in Kuruvarsha are those who have fallen down there from the heavenly world. All of them are born by copulation. They are fond of milk ³¹⁶ and live on milk diet. 

316. Kşhirinaḥ-of milk-white complexion. Contrast with Käläh V. 12. 

20. They love one another and have qualities similar to those of the Chakravāka birds. They are devoid of ailments and sorrow and perpetually seek happiness. 

21. They live up to fourteen thousand five hundred years. They have great virility, but do not associate with other women. 

22. All the residents of the Kuruvarsha like the heaven dwellers die simultaneously. They are delighted and flourishing. They take in all kinds of cooked rice and nectar. 

23. They shine always like the moon; they have perpetual youth; they are dark in colour in their bodies and always wear ornaments. 

24. Among all the sub-continents in the Jambūdvipa the sub-continent of Kuruvarsha is extremely splendid. There is a magnificent palace of the moon-crested lord Shiva. It has the lustre of the moon. 

25. In the sub-continent Bhāratavarşha³¹⁷ men are auspicious and their longevity depends on their Karmans. They are said to live for a hundred years. They are of different colours and their bodies are small. 

317. The glorification of Bhārata is one of the common topics in the Purāņas. 

26. They are engaged in the worship of different Devas; they experience the fruits of different kinds of Karmans; they are richly endowed with knowledge and with different materials. They are weak and have very little pleasures. 

27-28. Some of them have gone to Indradvipa³¹⁸ and some to Kaseruka. Others have gone to Tämradvīpa and some to the country Gabhastimān. Some have gone to Nāgadvipa, some to Saumyadvīpa, and others to the Dvipa of Gandharvas as well as of Varuņa. Some of them are Mlecchas and Pulindas born of different castes. 

318. Bhärata is one of the nine khandas of Jambūdvipa; the other eight being Indradvipa, Kaśherumăn, Tâmra-varņa, Gabhastimān, Näga, Saumya, Gandharva, and Varuna. 

29. In the Eastern parts of the Dvipa are the Kirātas; in the western extremities the Yavanas; in the middle the Brahmins Kşhatriyas and Vaishyas. The Shūdras are everywhere³¹⁹. 

319. The Purãņas are conscious of the foreign tribes that surrounded Bhärata (cf. Matsya. 50.75-76; Mark. 57,8.), The Kirātas mentioned along the eastern limits are probably the uncivilized tribes of the forests and mountains with the Burmese type of features. The Yavanas in the west are Greeks originally and afterwards the Mohammedans. 

30-31. They are established there maintaining themselves by worship, warfare and business dealings (respectively). Mutual dealings in connection with the activities of the different castes are related only to virtue, wealth and love. They are interested in their own duties. The conception and pride in performing the duties of the various stages of life are maintained properly. 

32. It is only here that human beings endeavour for heavenly pleasures and salvation. O leading sages, only here they pursue the duties specified for each yuga,³²⁰ not elsewhere. 

320. Since Bhārata alone is Karma-Bhūmi (land for performing action), the yuga-dharmas (duties pertaining to yugas) prevail only here. Cf. Vişhnu cited in ST. 

33. In the sub-continent Kimpuruşha men live up to ten thousand years. Men are golden-complexioned, and women resemble the celestial damsels. 

34. They are devoid of ailments and sorrow. They are all purified by meditations on Shiva. They have Sattva qualities and the lustre of gold. They live on Plaksha fruits along with their wives. 

35-37a. Men in the sub-continent Harivarsha have complexion resembling gold. They are persons fallen from the world of Devas. They have divine forms and features in every respect. They worship lord Shiva. They imbibe the auspicious sugarcane juice. Hence old age does not afflict them, and they do not decay. They live upto ten thousand years. 

37b-38. In the sub-continent "Ilāvruta that was mentioned by me as situated in the middle of the Dvipa, the sun does not dlaze and men do not become old. There is no light in Ilāvruta, neither the sun nor the moon nor the stars. 

39. The people there have the lustre of lotuses. Their faces resemble the lotus. Their eyes are like the petals of the lotus. They have the fragrance of the petals of the lotus. They are purified by their meditation on Shiva. 

40. The juice of the Jambū fruits constitutes their diet. They are sweet-scented. They have no duties to perform.³²¹ They have come there from the world of Devas and have neither death nor old age.

321. agnispandáh. N.S. reads anişhpandáḥ (=dharmadiśhünyäh ST). 

41. In the divine sub-continent Ilāvruta, the excellent men live their full span of life which is thirteen thousand years. 

42. By drinking the juice of the Jambú fruits they are not afflicted by old age. They have neither hunger nor fatigue. They do not die a premature death. 

43. The gold found there is called Jāmbūnada. It is the divine metal. It shines and resembles a glow-worm. 

44. Thus the persons occupying the nine sub-continents have been recounted by me. Their colour, span of life, diet and other things have been succinctly mentioned and not in detail. 

43-46. It should be known that the Gandharvas. and celestial nymphs reside in Hemakūta. Shesha, Väsuki, Takshaka and all others live in Nişhadha. The very strong Brāhmaṇas called Yājñikas live on sacrifices. They number thirty-three thousand and they live happily on the mountain Nila, full of lapis lazuli, the Siddhas and Brahmarsis devoid of impurities. 

47-51. The mountain Shveta is the homeland of the Daityas and Dänavas. The mountain Shrungavān (Shrungi) is the abode of Pitrus. The Himavat is the abode of Yakshas, goblins and lord Shiva. The lord is seen in all the mountains and forests. He is accompanicd by Vishņu, Brahmä, Umā, Nandin and Ganas. In particular, lord Nilalohita is seen on the mountains Nila, Shveta, and Trisrunga³²² perpetually together with the Siddhas, Devas and Pitrus. 

322. Nila-Shveta-Trishrunge: i.e, on the mountains of Jambů, viz. Nila. and Trishrunga. 

The Nila is of the colour of lapis lazuli. The Shveta is white. The Hiranmaya has the colour of the feather of the peacock. The Trishrunga is golden in colour. All these lofty mountains are in the Jambūdvipa.