Adhyaya 55: Description of Jambudvipa: The Four Forests, Lakes, and Mountain Ranges Around Mount Meru; Bharata as the Karma-Bhumi

Verse 1

इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे भुवनकोशस्थजम्बूद्वीपवर्णनं नाम चतुःपञ्चाशोऽध्यायः । पञ्चपञ्चाशोऽध्यायः । मार्कण्डेय उवाच । शैलेषु मन्दाराद्येषु चतुष्वपि द्विजोत्तम । वानानि यानि चत्वारि सरांसि च निबोध मे ॥

Thus ends, in the Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, the fifty-fourth chapter called “Description of Jambūdvīpa in the Bhuvanakośa.” Now begins the fifty-fifth chapter. Mārkaṇḍeya said: O best of the twice-born, learn from me the four forests and the lakes found on the four mountains beginning with Mandara.

Verse 2

पूर्वं चैत्ररथं नाम दक्षिणे नन्दनं वनम् । वैभ्राजं पश्चिमे शैले सावित्रं चोत्तराचले ॥

To the east is the forest named Caitraratha; to the south, the Nandana grove; on the western mountain is Vaibhrāja; and on the northern mountain, Sāvitra.

Verse 3

अरुणोदं सरः पूर्वं मानसं दक्षिणे तथा । शीतोदं पश्चिमे मेरोर् महाभद्रं तथोत्तरे ॥

To the east is the lake Aruṇoda; to the south likewise is Mānasā; to the west of Meru is Śītoda; and to the north likewise is Mahābhadra.

Verse 4

शीतार्तश्चक्रमुञ्जश्च कुलीरोऽथ सुकङ्कवान् । मणिशैलोऽथ वृषवान् महानीलो भवाचलः ॥

Śītārta, Cakramuñja, Kulīra, and Sukaṅkavān; Maṇiśaila, Vṛṣavān, Mahānīla, and Bhavācala—these are counted among the great mountains being enumerated.

Verse 5

सूबिन्दुर्मन्दरो वेणुस्तामसो निषधस्तथा । देवशैलश्च पूर्वेण मन्दरस्य महाचलः ॥

Sūbindu, Mandara, Veṇu, Tāmasa, and Niṣadha; and to the east of Mandara stands the great mountain Devaśaila.

Verse 6

त्रिकटशिखराद्रिश्च कलिङ्गोऽथ पतङ्गकः । रुचकः सानुमांश्चाद्रिस्ताम्रकोऽथ विशाखवान् ॥

Trikaṭaśikhara (the three-peaked mountain), Kaliṅga, Pataṅgaka, Rucaka, Sānumān, Tāmraka, and Viśākhavān—these too are counted among the mountains being described.

Verse 7

श्वेतोदरः समूलश्च वसुधारश्च रत्नवान् । एकशृङ्गो महाशैलो राजशालः पिपाठकः ॥

Śvetodara, Samūla, Vasudhāra, and Ratnavān; Ekaśṛṅga (the single-peaked), Mahāśaila, Rājaśāla, and Pipāṭhaka—these too are mountains in the enumeration.

Verse 8

पञ्चशैलोऽथ कैलासो हिमवांश्चाचलोत्तमः । इत्येते दक्षिणे पार्श्वे मेरोः प्रोक्ता महाचलाः ॥

Pañcaśaila, Kailāsa, and Himavān—the best of mountains. Thus, these great mountains are declared to lie on the southern side of Meru.

Verse 9

सुरक्षः शिशिराक्षश्च वैदूर्यः कपिलस्तथा । पिञ्जरोऽथ महाभद्रः सुरसः पिङ्गलो मधुः ॥

Surakṣa, Śiśirākṣa, Vaidūrya, and Kapila; Piñjara, Mahābhadra, Surasa, Piṅgala, and Madhu—these (among the mountains) are being enumerated.

Verse 10

अञ्जनः कुक्कुटः कृष्णः पाण्डरश्चालोत्तमः । सहस्रशिखरश्चाद्रिः पारियात्रः सशृङ्गवान् ॥

Añjana, Kukkuṭa, Kṛṣṇa, and Pāṇḍara, and also Acalottama; the mountain Sahasraśikhara; and Pāriyātra, possessing peaks—these are listed among the ranges.

Verse 11

पश्चिमेन तथा मेरोर् विस्कम्भात् पश्चिमाद्वहिः । एतेऽचलाः समाख्याताḥ शृणुष्वन्यांस्तथोत्तरान् ॥

Thus, to the west of Meru—outside, beyond its extent—these mountains have been named. Now hear of the others, those to the north as well.

Verse 12

शङ्खकूटोऽथ वृषभो हंसनाभस्तथाचलः । कपिलेन्द्रस्तथा शैलः सानुमान् नील एव च ॥

Śaṅkhakūṭa, Vṛṣabha, and Haṃsanābha; likewise another mountain; also Kapilendra; and Śaila; and Sānumān; and Nīla as well—these are the northern mountains, in this sequence.

Verse 13

स्वर्णशृङ्गी शातशृङ्गी पुष्पको मेघपर्वतः । विरजाक्षो वराहाद्रिर्मयूरो जारुधिस्तथा ॥

Svarṇaśṛṅgī, Śātaśṛṅgī, Puṣpaka, and Meghaparvata; Virajākṣa, Varāhādri, Mayūra, and Jārudhi likewise—these are the mountains being enumerated to the north.

Verse 14

इत्येते कथिता ब्रह्मन् । मेरोरुत्तरतो नगाः । एतेषां पर्वतानान्तु द्रौण्योऽतीव मनोहराः ॥

Thus, O Brāhmaṇa, these mountains to the north of Meru have been described. And the valleys (basins) of these mountains are exceedingly delightful.

Verse 15

वनैरमलपानीयैः सरोभिरुपशोभिताः । तासु पुण्यकृतां जन्म मनुष्याणां द्विजोत्तम ॥

They are adorned with forests and with lakes of pure water. In those regions, O best of the twice-born, humans are born who have performed meritorious deeds.

Verse 16

एते भौमा द्विजश्रेष्ठ । स्वर्गाः स्वर्गगुणाधिकाः । न तासु पुण्यपापानामपूर्वाणामुपार्जनम् ॥

These are earthly heavens, O best of brāhmaṇas—abounding in heavenly qualities. In them there is no acquisition of new merit or sin.

Verse 17

पुण्योपभोगा एवोक्ता देवानामपि तास्वपि । शीतान्ताद्येषु चैतषु शैलेषु द्विजसत्तम ॥

Even for the gods, those regions are said to be places for the enjoyment of merit. And so too in these mountains beginning with Śītānta, O best among the twice-born.

Verse 18

विद्याधराणां यक्षाणां किन्नरोगररक्षसाम् । देवानाञ्च महावासा गन्धर्वाणां च शोभनाः ॥

They are great abodes for Vidyādharas, Yakṣas, Kinnaras, Nāgas (serpent-beings), and Rākṣasas; and also splendid dwellings for the gods and for Gandharvas.

Verse 19

महापुण्या मनोज्ञैश्च सदैवोपवनैर्युताः । सरांसि च मनोज्ञानि सर्वर्तुसुखदोऽनिलः ॥

Those regions are exceedingly holy and are ever adorned with delightful groves. Their lakes are charming, and the breeze there brings comfort in every season.

Verse 20

न चैतषु मनुष्याणां वैमनस्यानि कुत्रचित् । तदेवं पार्थिवं पद्मं चतुष्पत्रं मयोदितम् ॥

And among these regions there is nowhere any dejection of mind for humans. Thus have I described this earthly lotus with four petals.

Verse 21

भद्राश्चभारताद्यानि पत्राण्यस्य चतुर्दिशम् । भारतं नाम यद्वर्षं दक्षिणेन मयोदितम् ॥

Its petals in the four directions are Bhadrā and those beginning with Bhārata. That region called Bhārata, I have described as lying to the south.

Verse 22

तत् कर्मभूमिर्नान्यत्र संप्राप्तिः पुण्यपापयोः । एतत् प्रधानं विज्ञेयं यत्र सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

That Bhārata is the land of action (karma); nowhere else is there the fresh acquisition of merit and sin. This should be understood as the principal region, upon which everything is established.

Verse 23

तस्मात् स्वर्गापवर्गौ च मानुष्यानारकावपि । तिर्यक्त्वमथवाप्यन्यत् नरः प्राप्नोति वै द्विज ॥

Therefore, O twice-born, a person attains heaven and also liberation; and also human rebirth and hellish states; or animality, or some other condition.