SECTION VI
"Dhritarashtra said.---"Thou are intelligent, O Sanjaya, and acquainted
with the truth (about everything). Thou hast duly given a description of
the island in brief. Tell us now of the island in detail. Tell us now of
the dimension of the expanse of land that lies in the portion looking
like a hare. Thou mayst then speak of the portion resembling peepul tree."
Vaisampayana said,--"Thus addressed by the king, Sanjaya began to say.
"Sanjaya said,--'Stretching from east to west, are these six mountains
that are equal[36] and that extend from the eastern to the western ocean.
They are Himavat, Hemakuta, that best of mountains called Nishadha, Nila
abounding with stones of lapis lazuli, Sweta white as the moon, and the
mountains called Sringavat composed of all kinds of metals.[37] These are
the six mountains, O king, which are always the resorts of Siddhas and
Charanas. The space lying between each of these measures a thousand
Yojanas, and thereon are many delightful kingdoms. And these divisions
are called Varshas, O Bharata. In all those kingdoms reside creatures of
diverse species. This (the land where we are) is in the Varsha that is
called after Bharata. Next to it (northwards) is the Varsha called after
Himavat. The land that is beyond Hemakuta is called Harivarsha, South of
the Nila range and on the north of the Nishadha is a mountain, O king,
called Malyavat that stretches from east to west. Beyond Malyavat
northwards is the mountain called Gandhamadana.[38] Between these two
(viz., Malyavat and Gandhamadana) is a globular mountain called Meru made
of gold. Effulgent as the morning sun, it is like fire without smoke.[39]
It is eighty-four thousand Yojanas high, and, O king, its depth also is
eighty-four Yojanas. It standeth bearing the worlds above, below and
transversely. Besides Meru are situated, O lord, these four islands,
viz., Bhadraswa, and Ketumala, and Jamvudwipa otherwise called Bharata,
and Uttar-Kuru which is the abode of persons who have achieved the merit
of righteousness. The bird Sumukha, the son of Suparna, beholding that
all the birds on Meru were of golden plumage, reflected that he should
leave that mountain inasmuch as there was no difference between the good,
middling, and bad birds. The foremost of luminaries, the sun, always
circumambulates Meru, as also the moon with (his) attendant
constellation, and the Wind-god too. The mountain, O king, is endued with
celestial fruits and flowers, and it is covered all over with mansions
made of furnished gold. There, on that mountain, O king, the celestials,
the Gandharvas, the Asuras, and the Rakshasas, accompanied by the tribes
of Apsaras, always sport. There Brahman, and Rudra, and also Sakra the
chief of the celestials, assembled together, performed diverse kinds of
sacrifices with plentiful gifts. Tumvuru, and Narada and Viswavasu, and
the Hahas and the Huhus, repairing thither, adored the foremost of the
celestials with diverse hymns. The high-souled seven Rishis, and Kasyapa
the lord of creatures, repair thither, blessed be thou, on every parva
day.[40] Upon the summit of that mountain, Usanas, otherwise called the
Poet, sporteth with the Daityas (his disciples).[41] The jewels and gems
(that we see) and all the mountains abounding in precious stones are of
Meru. Therefrom a fourth part is enjoyed by the holy Kuvera. Only a
sixteenth part of that wealth he giveth unto men. On the northern side of
Meru is a delightful and excellent forest of Karnikaras, covered with the
flowers of every season,[42] and occupying a range of hills. There the
illustrious Pasupati himself, the creator of all things, surrounded by
his celestial attendants and accompanied by Uma, sporteth bearing a chain
of Karnikara flowers (on his neck) reaching down to his feet, and blazing
with radiance with his three eyes resembling three risen suns. Him
Siddhas truthful in speech, of excellent vows and austere ascetic
penances, can behold. Indeed, Maheswara is incapable of being seen by
persons of wicked conduct. From the summit of that mountain, like a
stream of milk, O ruler of men, the sacred and auspicious Ganga,
otherwise called Bhagirathi, adored by the most righteous, of universal
form and immeasurable and issuing out with terrific noise, falleth with
impetuous force on the delightful lake of Chandramas.[43] Indeed that
sacred lake, like an ocean, hath been formed by Ganga herself. (While
leaping from the mountains), Ganga, incapable of being supported by even
the mountains, was held for a hundred thousand years by the bearer of
Pinaka on his head.[44] On the western side of Meru, O king, is
Ketumala.[45] And there also is Jamvukhanda. Both are great seats of
humanity, O king.[46] There, O Bharata, the measure of human life is ten
thousand years. The men are all of a golden complexion, and the women are
like Apsaras. And all the residents are without sickness, without sorrow,
and always cheerful. The men born there are of the effulgence of melted
gold. On the summits of Gandhamadana, Kuvera the lord of the Guhyakas,
with many Rakshasas and accompanied by tribes of Apsaras, passeth his
time in joy. Besides Gandhamadana there are many smaller mountains and
hills. The measure of human life there is eleven thousand years. There, O
king, the men are cheerful, and endued with great energy and great
strength and the women are all of the complexion of the lotus and highly
beautiful. Beyond Nila is (the Varsha called) Sweta, beyond Sweta is (the
Varsha called) Hiranyaka. Beyond Hiranyaka is (the Varsha called)
Airavata covered with provinces. The last Varsha in the (extreme) north
and Bharata's Varsha in the (extreme) south are both, O king, of the form
of a bow. These five Varshas (viz., Sweta, Hiranyaka, Elavrita,
Harivarsha, and Haimavat-varsha) are in the middle, of which Elavrita
exists in the very middle of all. Amongst these seven Varshas (the five
already mentioned and Airavata and Bharata) that which is further north
excels the one to its immediate south in respect of these attributes,
viz., the period of life, stature, health, righteousness, pleasure, and
profit. In these Varshas, O Bharata, creatures (though of diverse
species) yet, live together. Thus, O king, is Earth covered with
mountains. The huge mountains of Hemakuta are otherwise called Kailasa.
There, O king, Vaisravana passeth his time in joy with his Guhyakas.
Immediately to the north of Kailasa and near the mountains of Mainaka
there is a huge and beautiful mountain called Manimaya endued with golden
summits. Beside this mountain is a large, beautiful, crystal and
delightful lake called Vindusaras with golden sands (on its beach). There
king Bhagiratha, beholding Ganga (since) called after his own name,
resided for many years. There may be seen innumerable sacrificial stakes
made of gems, and Chaitya tree made of gold. It was there that he of a
thousand eyes and great fame won (ascetic) success by performing
sacrifices. There the Lord of all creatures, the eternal Creator of all
the worlds, endued with supreme energy surrounded by his ghostly
attendants, is adored. There Nara and Narayana, Brahman, and Manu, and
Sthanu as the fifth, are (ever present). And there the celestial stream
Ganga having three currents,[47] issuing out of the region of Brahman,
first showed herself, and then dividing herself into seven streams,
became Vaswokasara, Nalini, the sin-cleansing Saraswati, Jamvunadi, Sita,
Ganga and Sindhu as the seventh. The Supreme Lord hath (himself) made the
arrangement with reference to that inconceivable and celestial stream. It
is there that[48] sacrifices have been performed (by gods and Rishis) on
a thousand occasions after the end of the Yuga (when creation begins). As
regards the Saraswati, in some parts (of her course) she becometh visible
and in some parts not so. This celestial sevenfold Ganga is widely known
over the three worlds. Rakshasas reside on Himavat, Guhyakas on Hemakuta,
and serpents and Nagas on Nishadha, and ascetics on Gokarna. The Sweta
mountains are said to be the abode of the celestial and the Asuras. The
Gandharvas always reside on Nishadhas, and the regenerate Rishis on Nila.
The mountains of Sringavat also are regarded as the resort of the
celestials.
"'These then, O great king, are the seven Varshas of the world as they
are divided. Diverse creatures, mobile[49] and immobile, are placed in
them all. Diverse kinds of prosperity, both providential and human, are
noticeable in them. They are incapable of being counted. Those desirous,
however, of their own good believe (all this), I have now told you of
that delightful region (of land) of the form of a hare about which thou
hadst asked me. At the extremities of that region are the two Varshas,
viz., one on the north and the other on the south. Those two also have
now been told to thee. Then again the two islands Naga-dwipa and
Kasyapa-dwipa are the two ears of this region of the form of a hare. The
beautiful mountains of Maleya, O king, having rocks like plates of
copper, form another (prominent) part of Jamvudwipa that having its shape
resembling a hare.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 6 ---------------------
