SECTION XII
"Sanjaya said, 'O Kauravya, that which is heard about the islands in the
north, I will recount to thee, O Great king. Listen to me now. (Thither
in the north) is the ocean whose waters are clarified butter. Then is the
ocean whose waters are curds. Next cometh the ocean whose waters are
wine, and then is another ocean of water. The islands, O king, are double
in area of one another as they proceed further and further towards the
north. And they are surrounded, O king, by these oceans.[69] In the
island that is in the middle, there is a large mountain called Goura made
of red arsenic; on the western island, O king, is the mountain Krishna
that is the favourite (abode) of Narayana. There Kesava guardeth
celestial gems (in profusion), and thence, inclined to grace, he
bestoweth happiness on creatures. Along with the kingdoms there, O king,
the (celestial) clump of Kusa grass in Kusadwipa, and the Salmali tree in
the island of Salmalika, are adored. In the Krauncha island also, the
mountain called Maha-krauncha that is a mine of all kinds of gems is, O
king, always adored by all the four orders of men. (There), O monarch, is
the mountain called Gomanta that is huge and consists of all kinds of
metals, and whereon always resideth, mingling with those that have been
emancipated, the puissant Narayana, otherwise called Hari, graced with
prosperity and possessed of eyes like lotus leaves. In Kusadwipa, O king
of kings, there is another mountain variegated with corals and called
after the name of that island itself. This mountain is inaccessible and
made of gold. Possessed of great splendour, O Kauravya, there is a third
mountain there that is called Sumida. The sixth is called Harigiri. These
are the six principal mountains. The intervening spaces between one
another of these six mountains increaseth in the ratio of one to two as
they proceed further and further towards the north. The first Varsha is
called Audhido; the second is Venumandala; the third is called Suratha;
the fourth is known by the name of Kamvala; the fifth Varsha is called
Dhritimat; and the sixth is named Prabhakara; the seventh Varsha is
called Kapila. These are the seven successive Varshas. In these, gods and
Gandharvas, and other creatures of the universe, sport and take delight.
In these Varshas the inhabitants never die. There, O king, are no
robbers, nor any tribes of Mlecchas. All the residents are almost white
in complexion, and very delicate, O king.
"'As regards the rest of the islands, O ruler of men, I will recount all
that hath been heard by me. Listen, O monarch, with an attentive mind. In
the Krauncha island, O great king, there is a large mountain called
Krauncha. Next to Krauncha is Vamanaka; and next to Vamanaka is
Andhakara. And next to Andhakara,[70] O king, is that excellent of
mountains called Mainaka. After Mainaka, O monarch, is that best of
mountains called Govinda; and after Govinda, O king, is the mountain
called Nivida. O multiplier of your race, the intervening spaces between
one another of these mountains increaseth in the ratio of one to two. I
will now tell you the countries that lie there. Listen to me as I speak
of them. The region near Krauncha is called Kusala; that near Vamanaka is
Manonuga. The region next to Manonuga, O perpetuator of Kuru's race, is
called Ushna. After Ushna is Pravaraka; and after Pravaraka is
Andhakaraka. The country after Andhakaraka is named Munidesa. After
Munidesa the region is called Dundubhiswana teeming with Siddhas and
Charanas. The people are almost white in complexion, O king. All these
countries, O monarch, are the habitations of gods and Gandharvas. In (the
island of) Pushkara is a mountain called Pushkara that abounds with
jewels and gems. There always dwelleth the divine Prajapati himself. Him
all the gods and great Rishis always adore with gratifying words and
worship reverently, O king. Diverse gems from Jamvudwipa are used there.
In all these islands, O king, Brahmacharyya, truth, and self-control of
the dwellers, as also their health and periods of life, are in the ratio
of one to two as the islands are more and more remote (northwards). O
king, the land in those islands, O Bharata, comprises but one country,
for that is said to be one country in which one religion is met with. The
Supreme Prajapati himself, upraising the rod of chastisement, always
dwelleth there, protecting those islands. He, O monarch, is the king. He
is their source of bliss. He is the father, and he is the grand-father.
He it is, O best of men, that protecteth all creatures there, mobile or
immobile. Cooked food, O Kauravya, cometh there of itself and the
creatures eat it daily. O mighty-armed one. After these regions is seen a
habitation of the name of Sama. It is of a starry-shape having four
corners, and it hath, O king, thirty-three mandalas. There dwell, O
Kauravya, four princely elephants adored by all.[71] They are, O best of
the Bharatas, Vamana, and Airavata, and another, and also Supratika.[72]
O king, with rent cheeks and mouth, I do not venture to calculate the
proportions of these four elephants.[73] Their length, breadth and
thickness have for ever remained unascertained. There in those regions, O
king, winds blow irregularly from all directions.[74] These are seized by
those elephants with the tips of their trunks which are of the complexion
of the lotus and endued with great splendour and capable of drawing up
everything in their way. And soon enough after seizing them they then
always let them out. The winds, O king, thus let out by those respiring
elephants, come over the Earth and in consequence thereof creatures draw
breath and live.'
"Dhritarashtra said,--'Thou hast, O Sanjaya, told me everything about the
first subject very elaborately. Thou hast also indicated the positions of
the islands. 'Tell now, O Sanjaya, about what remains.'
"Sanjaya said,--'Indeed, O great king, the islands have all been
described to thee. Listen now to what I truly say about the heavenly
bodies and about Swarbhanu, O chief of the Kauravas, as regards its
dimensions. It is heard, O king, that the planet Swarbhanu is globular.
Its diameter is twelve thousand Yojanas, and its circumference, because
it is very large, is forty-two thousand Yojanas, O sinless one,[75] as
said by the learned of olden times. The diameter of the moon, O king, is
stated to be eleven thousand Yojanas. Its circumference, O chief of the
Kurus, is stated to be thirty-eight thousand nine hundred Yojanas of the
illustrious planet of cool rays. It hath been heard that the diameter of
the beneficent, fast going and light-giving Sun, O you of Kuru's race,
is ten thousand Yojanas, and his circumference, O king, is thirty-five
thousand eight hundred miles, in consequence of his largeness, O sinless
one. These are the dimensions reckoned here, O Bharata, of Arka. The
planet Rahu, in consequence of his greater bulk, envelops both the Sun
and the Moon in due times. I tell you this in brief. With the eye of
science, O great king, I have now told you all that you had asked.
Let peace be thine. I have now told you about the construction of the
universe as indicated in the Shastras. Therefore, O Kauravya, pacify thy
son Duryodhana.[76]'
"Having listened to this charming Bhumi Parva, O chief of the Bharatas, a
Kshatriya becometh endued with prosperity, obtaineth fruition of all his
desires, and winneth the approbation of the righteous.[77] The king who
listeneth to this on days of the full-moon or the new-moon, carefully
observing vows all the while, hath the period of his life, his fame and
energy, all enhanced. His (deceased) sires and grandsires become
gratified. Thou hast now heard of all the merits that flow from this
Varsha of Bharata where we now are!'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 12 ---------------------
