Bhagavata Purana — Skandha 5 — Chapter 16

SB 5 16.1

राजोवाच उक्तस् त्वया भू-मण्डलायाम-विशेषो यावद् आदित्यस् तपति यत्र चासौ ज्योतिषां गणैश् चन्द्रमा वा सह दृश्यते

rājovāca uktas tvayā bhū-maṇḍalāyāma-viśeṣo yāvad ādityas tapati yatra cāsau jyotiṣāṃ gaṇaiś candramā vā saha dṛśyate

The king said: You have described the particular extent of the sphere of the earth, as far as the sun shines and where that moon, together with the hosts of luminaries, is seen.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.2

_* तत्रापि प्रियव्रत-रथ-चरण-परिखातैः सप्तभिः सप्त सिन्धव उपकॢप्ता यत एतस्याः सप्त-द्वीप-विशेष-विकल्पस् त्वया भगवन् खलु सूचित एतद् एवाखिलम् अहं मानतो लक्षणतश् च सर्वं वि-जिज्ञासामि

_* tatrāpi priyavrata-ratha-caraṇa-parikhātaiḥ saptabhiḥ sapta sindhava upakḷptā yata etasyāḥ sapta-dvīpa-viśeṣa-vikalpas tvayā bhagavan khalu sūcita etad evākhilam ahaṃ mānato lakṣaṇataś ca sarvaṃ vi-jijñāsāmi

Therein too, by the seven trenches dug out by the wheel of Priyavrata's chariot, the seven oceans were formed, whence the division of this (earth) into seven distinct islands was indeed indicated by you, O lord. This very thing, all of it, I wish to know completely, by measure and by defining marks.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.3

_* भगवतो गुणमये स्थूल-रूप आवेशितं मनो ह्य् अगुणे ऽपि सूक्ष्मतम आत्म-ज्योतिषि परे ब्रह्मणि भगवति वासुदेवाख्ये क्षमम् आवेशितुं तद् उ हैतद् गुरो ऽर्हस्य् अनुवर्णयितुम् इति

_* bhagavato guṇamaye sthūla-rūpa āveśitaṃ mano hy aguṇe 'pi sūkṣmatama ātma-jyotiṣi pare brahmaṇi bhagavati vāsudevākhye kṣamam āveśituṃ tad u haitad guro 'rhasy anuvarṇayitum iti

For the mind that has been made to enter the Lord's gross form, composed of the qualities, is then fit to enter into the qualityless, most subtle, self-luminous supreme Brahman, the Lord named Vāsudeva. Therefore, O teacher, you ought to describe this.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.4

_* ऋषिर् उवाच न वै महाराज भगवतो माया-गुण-विभूतेः काष्ठां मनसा वचसा वाधिगन्तुम् अलं विबुधायुषापि पुरुषस् तस्मात् प्राधान्-येनैव भू-गोलक-विशेषं नाम-रूप-मान-लक्षणतो व्याख्यास्यामः

_* ṛṣir uvāca na vai mahārāja bhagavato māyā-guṇa-vibhūteḥ kāṣṭhāṃ manasā vacasā vādhigantum alaṃ vibudhāyuṣāpi puruṣas tasmāt prādhān-yenaiva bhū-golaka-viśeṣaṃ nāma-rūpa-māna-lakṣaṇato vyākhyāsyāmaḥ

The sage said: Indeed, O great king, a man is not able, by mind or by speech, to reach the limit of the display of the Lord's māyā and its qualities, not even with the lifespan of a god. Therefore we shall explain, in its main features only, the particular globe of the earth, in terms of names, forms, measures and marks.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.5

_* यो वायं द्वीपः कुवलय-कमल-कोशाभ्यन्तर-कोशो नियुत-योजन-विशालः समवर्तुलो यथा पुष्कर-पत्रम्

_* yo vāyaṃ dvīpaḥ kuvalaya-kamala-kośābhyantara-kośo niyuta-yojana-viśālaḥ samavartulo yathā puṣkara-patram

And this island (Jambūdvīpa) is the inner whorl within the whorl of the lotus that is the earth-circle; it is a hundred thousand yojanas broad, and evenly round like a lotus leaf.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.6

_* यस्मिन् नव वर्षाणि नव-योजन-सहस्रायामान्य् अष्टभिर् मर्यादा-गिरिभिः सुविभक्तानि भवन्ति

_* yasmin nava varṣāṇi nava-yojana-sahasrāyāmāny aṣṭabhir maryādā-giribhiḥ suvibhaktāni bhavanti

In it there are nine regions (varṣas), each nine thousand yojanas in extent, well divided off by eight boundary mountains.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.7

_* एषां मध्ये इलावृतं नामाभ्यन्तर-वर्षं यस्य नाभ्याम् अवस्थितः सर्वतः सौवर्णः कुल-गिरि-राजो मेरुर् द्वीपायाम-समुन्नाहः कर्णिका-भूतः कुवलय-कमलस्य मूर्धनि द्वा-त्रिंशत् सहस्र-योजन-विततो मूले षोडश-सहस्रं तावत् आन्तर्-भूम्यां प्रविष्टः

_* eṣāṃ madhye ilāvṛtaṃ nāmābhyantara-varṣaṃ yasya nābhyām avasthitaḥ sarvataḥ sauvarṇaḥ kula-giri-rājo merur dvīpāyāma-samunnāhaḥ karṇikā-bhūtaḥ kuvalaya-kamalasya mūrdhani dvā-triṃśat sahasra-yojana-vitato mūle ṣoḍaśa-sahasraṃ tāvat āntar-bhūmyāṃ praviṣṭaḥ

In the middle of these is the inner region named Ilāvṛta, in whose navel stands Meru, golden on all sides, the king of the principal mountains, its height equal to the island's breadth, being the pericarp of the lotus that is the earth-circle; it is spread over thirty-two thousand yojanas at its summit, sixteen thousand at its base, and it has entered that same distance into the earth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.8

_* उत्तरोत्तरेणेलावृतं नीलः श्वेतः शृङ्गवान् इति त्रयो रम्यक-हिरण्मय-कुरूणां वर्षाणां मर्यादा-गिरयः प्राग्-आयता उभयतः क्षारोदावधयो द्वि-सहस्र-पृथव एकैकशः पूर्वस्मात् पूर्वस्माद् उत्तर उत्तरो दशांशाधिकांशेन दैर्घ्य एव ह्रसन्ति

_* uttarottareṇelāvṛtaṃ nīlaḥ śvetaḥ śṛṅgavān iti trayo ramyaka-hiraṇmaya-kurūṇāṃ varṣāṇāṃ maryādā-girayaḥ prāg-āyatā ubhayataḥ kṣārodāvadhayo dvi-sahasra-pṛthava ekaikaśaḥ pūrvasmāt pūrvasmād uttara uttaro daśāṃśādhikāṃśena dairghya eva hrasanti

Further and further to the north of Ilāvṛta are three—Nīla, Śveta and Śṛṅgavān—the boundary mountains of the regions Ramyaka, Hiraṇmaya and Kuru; they extend eastward, are bounded on both sides by the salt ocean, and are two thousand yojanas broad each; and each successive northern one is shorter in length only, by a tenth part more (than the one before it).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

SB 5 16.9

_* एवं दक्षिणेनेलावृतं निषधो हेमकूटो हिमालय इति प्राग्-आयता यथा नीलादयो ऽयुत-योजनोत्सेधा हरि-वर्ष-किम्पुरुष-भारतानां यथा-सङ्ख्यम्

_* evaṃ dakṣiṇenelāvṛtaṃ niṣadho hemakūṭo himālaya iti prāg-āyatā yathā nīlādayo 'yuta-yojanotsedhā hari-varṣa-kimpuruṣa-bhāratānāṃ yathā-saṅkhyam

Likewise to the south of Ilāvṛta are Niṣadha, Hemakūṭa and Himālaya, extending eastward as Nīla and the rest do, ten thousand yojanas high, (the boundaries) of Hari-varṣa, Kimpuruṣa and Bhārata respectively.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.10

_* तथैवेलावृतम् अपरेण पूर्वेण च माल्यवद्-गन्धमादनाव् आनील-निषधायतौ द्वि-सहस्रं पप्रथतुः केतुमाल-भद्राश्वयोः सीमानं विदधाते

_* tathaivelāvṛtam apareṇa pūrveṇa ca mālyavad-gandhamādanāv ānīla-niṣadhāyatau dvi-sahasraṃ paprathatuḥ ketumāla-bhadrāśvayoḥ sīmānaṃ vidadhāte

Likewise, to the west and to the east of Ilāvṛta, Mālyavān and Gandhamādana extend as far as Nīla and Niṣadha (respectively); they spread two thousand (yojanas), and form the boundary of Ketumāla and Bhadrāśva.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.11

_* मन्दरो मेरुमन्दरः सुपार्श्वः कुमुद इत्य् अयुत-योजन-विस्तारोन्नाहा मेरोश् चतुर्-दिशम् अवष्टम्भ-गिरय उपकॢप्ताः

_* mandaro merumandaraḥ supārśvaḥ kumuda ity ayuta-yojana-vistāronnāhā meroś catur-diśam avaṣṭambha-giraya upakḷptāḥ

Mandara, Merumandara, Supārśva and Kumuda — these, ten thousand yojanas in breadth and height, are set up as buttressing mountains on the four sides of Meru.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.12

_* चतुर्ष्व् एतेषु चूत-जम्बू-कदम्ब-न्यग्रोधाश् चत्वारः पादप-प्रवराः पर्वत-केतव इवाधि-सहस्र-योजनोन्नाहास् तावद् विटप-विततयः शत-योजन-परिणाहाः

_* caturṣv eteṣu cūta-jambū-kadamba-nyagrodhāś catvāraḥ pādapa-pravarāḥ parvata-ketava ivādhi-sahasra-yojanonnāhās tāvad viṭapa-vitatayaḥ śata-yojana-pariṇāhāḥ

On these four (mountains stand) four foremost trees — a mango, a rose-apple, a kadamba and a banyan — like banners of the mountains, eleven hundred yojanas high, with their branches spread out just as far, and a hundred yojanas in girth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.13

_* ह्रदाश् चत्वारः पयो-मध्व्-इक्षुरस-मृष्ट-जला यद्-उपस्पर्शिन उपदेव-गणा योगैश्वर्याणि स्वाभाविकानि भरतर्षभ धारयन्ति

_* hradāś catvāraḥ payo-madhv-ikṣurasa-mṛṣṭa-jalā yad-upasparśina upadeva-gaṇā yogaiśvaryāṇi svābhāvikāni bharatarṣabha dhārayanti

(There are) four lakes, whose waters are milk, honey, sugar-cane juice, and pure water; by touching them the hosts of demigods hold powers of yoga that are natural to them, O best of the Bharatas.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.14

_* देवोद्यानानि च भवन्ति चत्वारि नन्दनं चैत्ररथं वैभ्राजकं सर्वतोभद्रम् इति

_* devodyānāni ca bhavanti catvāri nandanaṃ caitrarathaṃ vaibhrājakaṃ sarvatobhadram iti

And there are four gardens of the gods: Nandana, Caitraratha, Vaibhrājaka and Sarvatobhadra.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.15

_* येष्व् अमर-परिवृढाः सह सुर-ललना-ललाम-यूथ-पतय उपदेव-गणैर् उपगीयमान-महिमानः किल विहरन्ति

_* yeṣv amara-parivṛḍhāḥ saha sura-lalanā-lalāma-yūtha-pataya upadeva-gaṇair upagīyamāna-mahimānaḥ kila viharanti

In these, it is said, the chiefs of the immortals, lords of the throngs of the loveliest of divine women, sport, their glories being sung by the hosts of demigods.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.16

_* मन्दरोत्सङ्ग एकादश-शत-योजनोत्तुङ्ग-देवचूत-शिरसो गिरि-शिखर-स्थूलानि फलान्य् अमृत-कल्पानि पतन्ति

_* mandarotsaṅga ekādaśa-śata-yojanottuṅga-devacūta-śiraso giri-śikhara-sthūlāni phalāny amṛta-kalpāni patanti

On the lap of Mandara, from the top of the divine mango tree, eleven hundred yojanas high, fruits as huge as mountain peaks and like nectar fall down.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.17

_* तेषां विशीर्यमाणानाम् अति-मधुर-सुरभि-सुगन्धि-बहुलारुण-रसोदेनारुणोदा नाम नदी मन्दर-गिरि-शिखरान् निपतन्ती पूर्-वेणेलावृतम् उपप्लावयति

_* teṣāṃ viśīryamāṇānām ati-madhura-surabhi-sugandhi-bahulāruṇa-rasodenāruṇodā nāma nadī mandara-giri-śikharān nipatantī pūr-veṇelāvṛtam upaplāvayati

From the abundant reddish juice of these as they burst apart — extremely sweet, fragrant, sweet-smelling — the river named Arunodā, falling from the peak of Mount Mandara, floods Ilāvṛta on the east.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.18

_* यद्-उपजोषणाद् भवान्या अनुचरीणां पुण्य-जन-वधूनाम् अवयव-स्पर्श-सुगन्ध-वातो दश-योजनं समन्ताद् अनुवासयति

_* yad-upajoṣaṇād bhavānyā anucarīṇāṃ puṇya-jana-vadhūnām avayava-sparśa-sugandha-vāto daśa-yojanaṃ samantād anuvāsayati

From resorting to it, the wind, made fragrant by touching the limbs of the wives of the Yakṣas who attend Bhavānī, perfumes ten yojanas all around.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.19

_* एवं जम्बू-फलानाम् अत्युच्च-निपात-विशीर्णानाम् अनस्थि-प्रायाणाम् इभ-काय-निभानां रसेन जम्बू नाम नदी मेरु-मन्दर-शिखराद् अयुत-योजनाद् अवनि-तले निपतन्ती दक्षिणेनात्मानं यावद् इलावृतम् उपस्यन्दयति

_* evaṃ jambū-phalānām atyucca-nipāta-viśīrṇānām anasthi-prāyāṇām ibha-kāya-nibhānāṃ rasena jambū nāma nadī meru-mandara-śikharād ayuta-yojanād avani-tale nipatantī dakṣiṇenātmānaṃ yāvad ilāvṛtam upasyandayati

Likewise, from the juice of the rose-apple fruits — shattered by falling from a great height, almost without seeds, and resembling elephants' bodies — the river named Jambū, falling from the peak of Merumandara, ten thousand yojanas, onto the surface of the earth, flows over the whole of Ilāvṛta to the south of itself.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.20

_* तावद् उभयोर् अपि रोधसोर् या मृत्तिका तद्-रसेनानुविध्यमाना वाय्व्-अर्क-संयोग-विपाकेन सदामर-लोकाभरणं जाम्बू-नदं नाम सुवर्णं भवति

_* tāvad ubhayor api rodhasor yā mṛttikā tad-rasenānuvidhyamānā vāyv-arka-saṃyoga-vipākena sadāmara-lokābharaṇaṃ jāmbū-nadaṃ nāma suvarṇaṃ bhavati

And to that extent, on both banks, the earth, being saturated with that juice and ripened by contact with wind and sun, becomes the gold called Jāmbūnada, forever the ornament of the world of the immortals.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.21

_* यद् उ ह वाव विबुधादयः सह युवतिभिर् मुकुट-कटक-कटि-सूत्राद्य्-आभरण-रूपेण खलु धारयन्ति

_* yad u ha vāva vibudhādayaḥ saha yuvatibhir mukuṭa-kaṭaka-kaṭi-sūtrādy-ābharaṇa-rūpeṇa khalu dhārayanti

And indeed the gods and others, together with their young women, wear it in the form of ornaments — crowns, bracelets, waist-belts and so on.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.22

_* यस् तु महा-कदम्बः सुपार्श्व-निरूढो यास् तस्य कोटरेभ्यो विनिःसृताः पञ्चायाम-परिणाहाः पञ्च मधु-धाराः सुपार्श्व-शिखरात् पतन्त्यो ऽपरेणात्मानम् इलावृतम् अनुमोदयन्ति

_* yas tu mahā-kadambaḥ supārśva-nirūḍho yās tasya koṭarebhyo viniḥsṛtāḥ pañcāyāma-pariṇāhāḥ pañca madhu-dhārāḥ supārśva-śikharāt patantyo 'pareṇātmānam ilāvṛtam anumodayanti

And there is the great kadamba tree grown on Supārśva; five streams of honey, five vyāmas in girth, issue from its hollows, and falling from the peak of Supārśva, they gladden Ilāvṛta to the west of itself.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.23

_* या ह्य् उपयुञ्जानानां मुख-निर्वासितो वायुः समन्ताच् छत-योजनम् अनुवासयति

_* yā hy upayuñjānānāṃ mukha-nirvāsito vāyuḥ samantāc chata-yojanam anuvāsayati

For the air breathed from the mouths of those who drink it perfumes a hundred yojanas all around.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.24

_* एवं कुमुद-निरूढो यः शतवल्शो नाम वटस् तस्य स्कन्धेभ्यो नीचीनाः पयो-दधि-मधु-घृत-गुडान्नाद्य्-अम्बर-शय्यासनाभरणादयः सर्व एव काम-दुघा नदाः कुमुदाग्रात् पतन्तस् तम् उत्तरेणेलावृतम् उपयोजयन्ति

_* evaṃ kumuda-nirūḍho yaḥ śatavalśo nāma vaṭas tasya skandhebhyo nīcīnāḥ payo-dadhi-madhu-ghṛta-guḍānnādy-ambara-śayyāsanābharaṇādayaḥ sarva eva kāma-dughā nadāḥ kumudāgrāt patantas tam uttareṇelāvṛtam upayojayanti

Likewise the banyan named Śatavalśa, grown on Kumuda: flowing downward from its trunks, from the top of Kumuda, fall rivers of milk, curd, honey, ghee, molasses, food, clothes, beds, seats, ornaments and so on — all yielding whatever is desired — and they supply Ilāvṛta to the north of it.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.25

_* यान् उपजुषाणानां न कदाचिद् अपि प्रजानां वली-पलित-क्लम-स्वेद-दौर्गन्ध्य-जरामय-मृत्यु-शीतोष्ण-वैवर्ण्योपसर्गादयस् ताप-विशेषा भवन्ति यावज् जीवं सुखं निरतिशयम् एव

_* yān upajuṣāṇānāṃ na kadācid api prajānāṃ valī-palita-klama-sveda-daurgandhya-jarāmaya-mṛtyu-śītoṣṇa-vaivarṇyopasargādayas tāpa-viśeṣā bhavanti yāvaj jīvaṃ sukhaṃ niratiśayam eva

For the people who enjoy these, there never occur any particular afflictions — wrinkles, grey hair, fatigue, sweat, bad odour, old age, disease, death, cold, heat, pallor, calamities and the like — but rather unsurpassed happiness as long as they live.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.26

_* कुरङ्ग-कुरर-कुसुम्भ-वैकङ्क-त्रिकूट-शिशिर-पतङ्ग-रुचक-निषध-शिनीवास-कपिल-शङ्ख-वैदूर्य-जारुधि-हंस-ऋषभ-नाग-कालञ्जर-नारदादयो विंशति-गिरयो मेरोः कर्णिकाया इव केसर-भूता मूल-देशे परित उपकॢप्ताः

_* kuraṅga-kurara-kusumbha-vaikaṅka-trikūṭa-śiśira-pataṅga-rucaka-niṣadha-śinīvāsa-kapila-śaṅkha-vaidūrya-jārudhi-haṃsa-ṛṣabha-nāga-kālañjara-nāradādayo viṃśati-girayo meroḥ karṇikāyā iva kesara-bhūtā mūla-deśe parita upakḷptāḥ

Kuraṅga, Kurara, Kusumbha, Vaikaṅka, Trikūṭa, Śiśira, Pataṅga, Rucaka, Niṣadha, Śinīvāsa, Kapila, Śaṅkha, Vaidūrya, Jārudhi, Haṃsa, Ṛṣabha, Nāga, Kālañjara, Nārada and the rest — twenty mountains — are set around the base of Meru, like filaments around the pericarp (of a lotus).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.27

_* जठर-देवकूटौ मेरुं पूर्वेणाष्टादश-योजन-सहस्रम् उदगायतौ द्वि-सहस्रं पृथु-तुङ्गौ भवतः एवम् अपरेण पवन-पारियात्रौ दक्षिणेन कैलास-करवीरौ प्राग्-आयताव् एवम् उत्तरतस् त्रिशृङ्ग-मकराव् अष्टभिर् एतैः परिसृतो ऽग्निर् इव परितश् चकास्ति काञ्चन-गिरिः

_* jaṭhara-devakūṭau meruṃ pūrveṇāṣṭādaśa-yojana-sahasram udagāyatau dvi-sahasraṃ pṛthu-tuṅgau bhavataḥ evam apareṇa pavana-pāriyātrau dakṣiṇena kailāsa-karavīrau prāg-āyatāv evam uttaratas triśṛṅga-makarāv aṣṭabhir etaiḥ parisṛto 'gnir iva paritaś cakāsti kāñcana-giriḥ

To the east of Meru, Jaṭhara and Devakūṭa extend northward for eighteen thousand yojanas, and are two thousand in breadth and height. Likewise, to the west, Pavana and Pāriyātra; to the south, Kailāsa and Karavīra, extending eastward; and likewise to the north, Triśṛṅga and Makara. Surrounded by these eight, the golden mountain shines all around like fire.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.28

_* मेरोर् मूर्धनि भगवत आत्म-योनेर् मध्यत उपकॢप्तां पुरीम् अयुत-योजन-साहस्रीं सम-चतुरस्रां शातकौम्भीं वदन्ति

_* meror mūrdhani bhagavata ātma-yoner madhyata upakḷptāṃ purīm ayuta-yojana-sāhasrīṃ sama-caturasrāṃ śātakaumbhīṃ vadanti

On the summit of Meru they speak of the city of the Lord, the self-born (Brahmā), set up in the middle, ten million yojanas (in extent), an exact square, made of gold.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

SB 5 16.29

_* ताम् अनुपरितो लोक-पालानाम् अष्टानां यथा-दिशं यथा-रूपं तुरीय-मानेन पुरो ऽष्टाव् उपकॢप्ताः

_* tām anuparito loka-pālānām aṣṭānāṃ yathā-diśaṃ yathā-rūpaṃ turīya-mānena puro 'ṣṭāv upakḷptāḥ

Around it, eight cities of the eight guardians of the directions are set up, each in its own direction, each in its own form, of a quarter of that measure.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition