Brahma Purana — Chapter 19
BrP 19.1
उत्तरेण समुद्रस्य हिमाद्रेश् चैव दक्षिणे वर्षं तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र संततिः ॥
uttareṇa samudrasya himādreś caiva dakṣiṇe varṣaṃ tad bhārataṃ nāma bhāratī yatra saṃtatiḥ //
North of the ocean and south of the Himālaya mountain is that region named Bhārata, where the offspring of Bharata dwell.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.2
नवयोजनसाहस्रो विस्तारश् च द्विजोत्तमाः कर्मभूमिर् इयं स्वर्गम् अपवर्गं च पृच्छताम् ॥
navayojanasāhasro vistāraś ca dvijottamāḥ karmabhūmir iyaṃ svargam apavargaṃ ca pṛcchatām //
Its extent is nine thousand yojanas, O best of the twice-born; this is the land of action for those who seek heaven and final release.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.3
महेन्द्रो मलयः सह्यः शुक्तिमान् ऋक्षपर्वतः विन्ध्यश् च पारियात्रश् च सप्तात्र कुलपर्वताः ॥
mahendro malayaḥ sahyaḥ śuktimān ṛkṣaparvataḥ vindhyaś ca pāriyātraś ca saptātra kulaparvatāḥ //
Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Śuktimat, the Ṛkṣa mountain, Vindhya and Pāriyātra—these are the seven principal mountains here.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.4
अतः संप्राप्यते स्वर्गो मुक्तिम् अस्मात् प्रयाति वै तिर्यक्त्वं नरकं चापि यान्त्य् अतः पुरुषा द्विजाः ॥
ataḥ saṃprāpyate svargo muktim asmāt prayāti vai tiryaktvaṃ narakaṃ cāpi yānty ataḥ puruṣā dvijāḥ //
From here heaven is attained, from here one goes to liberation; and from here, too, men go to the animal state and to hell, O twice-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.5
इतः स्वर्गश् च मोक्षश् च मध्यं चान्ते च गच्छति न खल्व् अन्यत्र मर्त्यानां कर्म भूमौ विधीयते ॥
itaḥ svargaś ca mokṣaś ca madhyaṃ cānte ca gacchati na khalv anyatra martyānāṃ karma bhūmau vidhīyate //
From here come heaven and release, and the middle state, and (that which comes) at the end; nowhere else indeed is action prescribed for mortals on earth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 19.6
भारतस्यास्य वर्षस्य नव भेदान् निशामय इन्द्रद्वीपः कसेतुमांस् ताम्रपर्णो गभस्तिमान् ॥
bhāratasyāsya varṣasya nava bhedān niśāmaya indradvīpaḥ kasetumāṃs tāmraparṇo gabhastimān //
Hear the nine divisions of this region of Bhārata: Indradvīpa, Kaserumat, Tāmraparṇa, Gabhastimat,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.7
नागद्वीपस् तथा सौम्यो गन्धर्वस् त्व् अथ वारुणः अयं तु नवमस् तेषां द्वीपः सागरसंवृतः ॥
nāgadvīpas tathā saumyo gandharvas tv atha vāruṇaḥ ayaṃ tu navamas teṣāṃ dvīpaḥ sāgarasaṃvṛtaḥ //
Nāgadvīpa, likewise Saumya, Gandharva, and then Vāruṇa; and this one, the ninth of them, is the island surrounded by the sea.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.8
योजनानां सहस्रं च द्वीपो ऽयं दक्षिणोत्तरात् पूर्वे किरातास् तिष्ठन्ति पश्चिमे यवनाः स्थिताः ॥
yojanānāṃ sahasraṃ ca dvīpo 'yaṃ dakṣiṇottarāt pūrve kirātās tiṣṭhanti paścime yavanāḥ sthitāḥ //
And this island is a thousand yojanas from south to north; in the east dwell the Kirātas, in the west are settled the Yavanas.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.9
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्या मध्ये शूद्राश् च भागशः इज्यायुद्धवणिज्याद्यवृत्तिमन्तो व्यवस्थिताः ॥
brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyā madhye śūdrāś ca bhāgaśaḥ ijyāyuddhavaṇijyādyavṛttimanto vyavasthitāḥ //
In the middle, brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras are established in their several portions, having as their livelihoods sacrifice, war, trade and the rest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.10
शतद्रुचन्द्रभागाद्या हिमवत्पादनिःसृताः वेदस्मृतिमुखाश् चान्याः पारियात्रोद्भवा मुने ॥
śatadrucandrabhāgādyā himavatpādaniḥsṛtāḥ vedasmṛtimukhāś cānyāḥ pāriyātrodbhavā mune //
The Śatadru, Candrabhāgā and others flow out from the foot of the Himālaya; others, headed by the Vedasmṛti, arise from the Pāriyātra, O sage.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.11
नर्मदासुरमाद्याश् च नद्यो विन्ध्यविनिःसृताः तापीपयोष्णीनिर्विन्ध्याकावेरीप्रमुखा नदीः ॥
narmadāsuramādyāś ca nadyo vindhyaviniḥsṛtāḥ tāpīpayoṣṇīnirvindhyākāverīpramukhā nadīḥ //
The Narmadā, Suramā and other rivers issue from the Vindhya; the rivers headed by Tāpī, Payoṣṇī, Nirvindhyā and Kāverī—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.12
ऋक्षपादोद्भवा ह्य् एताः श्रुताः पापं हरन्ति याः गोदावरीभीमरथीकृष्णवेण्यादिकास् तथा ॥
ṛkṣapādodbhavā hy etāḥ śrutāḥ pāpaṃ haranti yāḥ godāvarībhīmarathīkṛṣṇaveṇyādikās tathā //
—these are heard to arise from the foot of the Ṛkṣa, and they take away sin; and likewise the Godāvarī, Bhīmarathī, Kṛṣṇaveṇī and the rest,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.13
सह्यपादोद्भवा नद्यः स्मृताः पापभयापहाः कृतमालाताम्रपर्णीप्रमुखा मलयोद्भवाः ॥
sahyapādodbhavā nadyaḥ smṛtāḥ pāpabhayāpahāḥ kṛtamālātāmraparṇīpramukhā malayodbhavāḥ //
rivers arisen from the foot of the Sahya, are remembered as removing sin and fear; those headed by the Kṛtamālā and Tāmraparṇī arise from the Malaya.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.14
त्रिसांध्यर्षिकुल्याद्यामहेन्द्रप्रभवाः स्मृताः ऋषिकुल्याकुमाराद्याः शुक्तिमत्पादसंभवाः ॥
trisāṃdhyarṣikulyādyāmahendraprabhavāḥ smṛtāḥ ṛṣikulyākumārādyāḥ śuktimatpādasaṃbhavāḥ //
The Trisāṃdhyā, Ṛṣikulyā and the rest are remembered as springing from Mahendra; the Ṛṣikulyā, Kumārī and others arise from the foot of Śuktimat.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.15
आसां नद्युपनद्यश् च सन्त्य् अन्यास् तु सहस्रशः तास्व् इमे कुरुपञ्चालमध्यदेशादयो जनाः ॥
āsāṃ nadyupanadyaś ca santy anyās tu sahasraśaḥ tāsv ime kurupañcālamadhyadeśādayo janāḥ //
Of these there are other rivers and tributary streams too, by the thousands; among them (dwell) these peoples — the Kurus, Pañcālas, those of the middle country, and the rest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.16
पूर्वदेशादिकाश् चैव कामरूपनिवासिनः पौण्ड्राः कलिङ्गा मगधा दाक्षिणात्याश् च सर्वशः ॥
pūrvadeśādikāś caiva kāmarūpanivāsinaḥ pauṇḍrāḥ kaliṅgā magadhā dākṣiṇātyāś ca sarvaśaḥ //
And those of the eastern regions and the rest, the dwellers in Kāmarūpa, the Pauṇḍras, Kaliṅgas, Magadhas, and the southerners in every direction;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.17
तथा परान्त्याः सौराष्ट्राः शूद्राभीरास् तथार्बुदाः मारुका मालवाश् चैव पारियात्रनिवासिनः ॥
tathā parāntyāḥ saurāṣṭrāḥ śūdrābhīrās tathārbudāḥ mārukā mālavāś caiva pāriyātranivāsinaḥ //
likewise the Parāntyas, Saurāṣṭras, Śūdras, Ābhīras, and the Arbudas, the Mārukas and the Mālavas, and the dwellers on the Pāriyātra;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.18
सौवीराः सैन्धवापन्नाः शाल्वाः शाकलवासिनः मद्रारामास् तथाम्बष्ठाः पारसीकादयस् तथा ॥
sauvīrāḥ saindhavāpannāḥ śālvāḥ śākalavāsinaḥ madrārāmās tathāmbaṣṭhāḥ pārasīkādayas tathā //
the Sauvīras, those settled by the Sindhu, the Śālvas, the dwellers in Śākala, the Madras and Ārāmas, likewise the Ambaṣṭhas, and the Pārasīkas and the rest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 19.19
आसां पिबन्ति सलिलं वसन्ति सरितां सदा समोपेता महाभाग हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलाः ॥
āsāṃ pibanti salilaṃ vasanti saritāṃ sadā samopetā mahābhāga hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulāḥ //
They drink the water of these rivers and dwell (there) always, well provided, O greatly fortunate one, thronged with glad and thriving folk.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.20
वसन्ति भारते वर्षे युगान्य् अत्र महामुने कृतं त्रेता द्वापरं च कलिश् चान्यत्र न क्वचित् ॥
vasanti bhārate varṣe yugāny atra mahāmune kṛtaṃ tretā dvāparaṃ ca kaliś cānyatra na kvacit //
They dwell in the land of Bharata; here, O great sage, are the ages — Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali — nowhere else.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.21
तपस् तप्यन्ति यतयो जुह्वते चात्र यज्विनः दानानि चात्र दीयन्ते परलोकार्थम् आदरात् ॥
tapas tapyanti yatayo juhvate cātra yajvinaḥ dānāni cātra dīyante paralokārtham ādarāt //
Here ascetics practise austerity, and here sacrificers make offerings, and here gifts are given with reverence for the sake of the next world.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.22
पुरुषैर् यज्ञपुरुषो जम्बूद्वीपे सदेज्यते यज्ञैर् यज्ञमयो विष्णुर् अन्यद्वीपेषु चान्यथा ॥
puruṣair yajñapuruṣo jambūdvīpe sadejyate yajñair yajñamayo viṣṇur anyadvīpeṣu cānyathā //
In Jambūdvīpa the Puruṣa of sacrifice, Viṣṇu who consists of sacrifice, is always worshipped by men with sacrifices; in the other continents it is otherwise.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.23
अत्रापि भारतं श्रेष्ठं जम्बूद्वीपे महामुने यतो हि कर्मभूर् एषा यतो ऽन्या भोगभूमयः ॥
atrāpi bhārataṃ śreṣṭhaṃ jambūdvīpe mahāmune yato hi karmabhūr eṣā yato 'nyā bhogabhūmayaḥ //
Even here, in Jambūdvīpa, Bharata is the best, O great sage, because this is the land of (ritual) action, while the others are lands of enjoyment.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.24
अत्र जन्मसहस्राणां सहस्रैर् अपि सत्तम कदाचिल् लभते जन्तुर् मानुष्यं पुण्यसंचयन् ॥
atra janmasahasrāṇāṃ sahasrair api sattama kadācil labhate jantur mānuṣyaṃ puṇyasaṃcayan //
Here, O best one, only after thousands upon thousands of births does a creature, accumulating merit, sometimes obtain human birth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.25
गायन्ति देवाः किल गीतकानि धन्यास् तु ये भारतभूमिभागे स्वर्गापवर्गास्पदहेतुभूते भवन्ति भूयः पुरुषा मनुष्याः
gāyanti devāḥ kila gītakāni dhanyās tu ye bhāratabhūmibhāge svargāpavargāspadahetubhūte bhavanti bhūyaḥ puruṣā manuṣyāḥ
The gods, it is said, sing songs: "Fortunate are those men who are born again as human beings in the region of the land of Bharata, which is the ground and cause of heaven and of release."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.26
कर्माण्य् असंकल्पिततत्फलानि संन्यस्य विष्णौ परमात्मरूपे अवाप्य तां कर्ममहीम् अनन्ते तस्मिंल् लयं ये त्व् अमलाः प्रयान्ति
karmāṇy asaṃkalpitatatphalāni saṃnyasya viṣṇau paramātmarūpe avāpya tāṃ karmamahīm anante tasmiṃl layaṃ ye tv amalāḥ prayānti
"And those who, without willing their fruits, renounce their acts in Viṣṇu, whose form is the supreme Self, and having reached that land of action, go, pure, to dissolution in him, the endless one —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.27
जानीम नो तत्कूवयं विलीने स्वर्गप्रदे कर्मणि देहबन्धम् प्राप्स्यन्ति धन्याः खलु ते मनुष्या ये भारतेनेन्द्रियविप्रहीनाः
jānīma no tatkūvayaṃ vilīne svargaprade karmaṇi dehabandham prāpsyanti dhanyāḥ khalu te manuṣyā ye bhāratenendriyaviprahīnāḥ
we do not know [that] ... when the act that bestows heaven has dissolved, (whether) they will attain bondage in a body. Fortunate indeed are those men who, through Bharata, are freed from the senses."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 19.28
नववर्षं च भो विप्रा जम्बूद्वीपम् इदं मया लक्षयोजनविस्तारं संक्षेपात् कथितं द्विजाः ॥
navavarṣaṃ ca bho viprā jambūdvīpam idaṃ mayā lakṣayojanavistāraṃ saṃkṣepāt kathitaṃ dvijāḥ //
And so, O brahmins, this Jambūdvīpa with its nine regions, a hundred thousand yojanas in extent, has been described by me in brief, O twice-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 19.29
जम्बूद्वीपं समावृत्य लक्षयोजनविस्तरः भो द्विजा वलयाकारः स्थितः क्षीरोदधिर् बहिः ॥
jambūdvīpaṃ samāvṛtya lakṣayojanavistaraḥ bho dvijā valayākāraḥ sthitaḥ kṣīrodadhir bahiḥ //
Encircling Jambūdvīpa, a hundred thousand yojanas in breadth, O twice-born, the ocean of milk stands outside in the form of a ring.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition