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Caturdiśaḥ Śailendrāḥ Sarasāṃś ca Nāmāni (Rudroktā Bhūgolīya-Vistṛtiḥ)
Ancient-Geography
Rudra ne char dishaon ke baare mein bataya. Purab mein Caitraratha parvat hai aur uski jheel Arunoda hai. Dakshin mein Gandhamadan parvat hai aur Manas jheel hai. Paschim mein Asitoda jheel hai aur uttar mein Mahabhadra jheel hai. Wahan pakshi gaate hain, hawa khushbu wali aati hai. Jheelon mein kamal khile hain aur deviyan aati hain. Har disha mein aur bhi chote parvat hain. Ye sab dharti ka paani aur sansar ko bachata hai.
Verse 1
रुद्र उवाच । तथा चतुर्णां वक्ष्यामि शैलेन्द्राणां यथाक्रमम् । अनुविध्यानि रम्याणि विहङ्गैः कूजितानि च ॥ ७८.१ ॥
Rudra bole - Main tumhe chaar bade pahadon ke baare mein batata hoon, ek-ek karke. Yeh pahad achhe hain, pakshi wahan gaate hain.
Verse 2
अनेकपक्षियुक्तात्मशृङ्गाणि सुबाहूनि च । देवानां दिव्यनारीभिः समं क्रीडामयानि च ॥ ७८.२ ॥
Wahan bahut saare pakshi hain, pahad unchi hain aur achhi lagti hain. Devta aur unki striyan wahan khelte rehte hain.
Verse 3
किन्नरोद्गीतघुष्टानि शीतमन्दसुगन्धिभिः । पवनैः सेव्यमानानि रमणीयतराणि च ॥ ७८.३ ॥
Kinnar wahan gaate hain. Hawa thandi aur mehakti hui chalti hai. Wahan bahut achha lagta hai.
Verse 4
चतुर्द्दिक्षु विराजन्ते नामतः शृणुतानघाः । पूर्वे चैत्ररथं नाम दक्षिणे गन्धमादनम् । प्रभावेण सुतोयानि नवखण्डयुतानि च ॥ ७८.४ ॥
Charo taraf yeh pahad hain, suno unke naam. Poorv mein Chaitraratha hai, dakshin mein Gandhamadan. Wahan paani achha hai aur nau hisson mein bata hua ilaaka hai.
Verse 5
वनषण्डांस्तथाक्रम्य देवता ललनायुताः । यत्र क्रीडन्ति चोद्देशे मुदा परमया युताः ॥ ७८.५ ॥
Jab devata jungle ke hisson se guzar gaye, woh wahan ruke. Unke saath ladkiyan thi. Woh sab khushi se khel rahe the. Bahut masti thi wahan.
Verse 6
अनुबन्धानि रम्याणि विहगैः कूजितानि च । रत्नोपकीर्णतीर्थानि महापुण्यजलानि च ॥ ७८.६ ॥
Wahan achi jagah thi, pedon par pakshi ga rahe the. Tirth the jahan ratne bikhri hui thi. Paani bada punya wala tha.
Verse 7
अनेकजलयन्त्रैश्च नादितानि महान्ति च । शाखाभिर्लम्बमानाभी रुवत्पक्षिकुलालिभिः ॥ ७८.७ ॥
Wahan paani uthane ke bade bade yantra the, awaz kar rahe the. Ped ki daliyan latki hui thi. Pakshi aur madhumakkhi ud rahe the, awaz kar rahe the.
Verse 8
कमलोत्पलकह्लारशोभितानि सरांसि च । चतुर्षु तेषु गिरिषु नानागुणयुतेषु च ॥ ७८.८ ॥
Talab the jahan kamal aur neele kamal khile the. Safed kamal bhi tha. Char pahad the wahan, alag alag gun wale.
Verse 9
अरुणोदं तु पूर्वेण दक्षिणे मानसṃ स्मृतम् । असितोदं पश्चिमे च महाभद्रं तथोत्तरे । कुमुदैः श्वेतकपिलैः कहलारैर्भूषितानि च ॥ ७८.९ ॥
Purab mein Arunoda tha. Dakshin mein Manasa tha. Paschim mein Asitoda tha. Uttar mein Mahabhadr tha. In sab mein kamal aur safed kamal the, jo bahut acche lag rahe the.
Verse 10
अरुणोदयस्य ये शैलाः प्राच्याः वै नामतः स्मृताः । तान् कीर्त्यमानांस्तत्त्वेन शृणुध्वं गदतो मम ॥ ७८.१० ॥
Ab main tumhe un pahadiyon ke baare mein batata hoon jo poorab mein hain. Inka naam Arunodaya ke liye yaad kiya jaata hai. Dhyan se suno, main inka sach bata raha hoon.
Verse 11
विकङ्को मणिशृङ्गश्च सुपात्रश्चोपलो महान् । महानीलोऽथ कुम्भश्च सुबिन्दुर्मदनस्तथा ॥ ७८.११ ॥
Pehle pahadi ka naam Vikanko hai. Phir Manishringa hai, Supatra hai, aur bada Upala hai. Uske baad Mahanila hai, Kumbha hai, Subindu hai, aur Madana bhi hai.
Verse 12
वेणुनद्धः सुमेदाश्च निषधो देवपर्वतः । इत्येते पर्वतवराः पुण्याश्च गिरयोऽपरे ॥ ७८.१२ ॥
Phir Venunaddha hai, Sumeda hai, Nishadha hai, aur Devaparvat hai. Yeh sab badi khaas pahadiyan hain. Aur iske alava bhi kai aur pahadiyan hain jo acchi maani jaati hain.
Verse 13
पूर्वेण मन्दरात् सिद्धाः पर्वताश्च मदायुताः । सरसो मानसस्येह दक्षिणेन महाचलाः ॥ ७८.१३ ॥
Mandar pahadi ke poorab mein Siddh log rehte hain aur wahan haathi bhi hain. Aur yahan Maansarovar jheel ke dakshin mein badi pahadiyan hain.
Verse 14
ये कीर्तिता मया तुभ्यं नामतस्तान्निबोधत । शैलस्त्रिशिराश्चैव शिशिरश्चाचलोत्तमः ॥ ७८.१४ ॥
Ab main tumhe un pahadiyon ke naam bata raha hoon, dhyan se suno. Shaila hai, Trishira hai, aur Shishira bhi hai. Yeh sab badi unchi aur acchi pahadiyan hain.
Verse 15
कपिश्च शतमक्षश्च तुरगश्चैव सानुमान् । ताम्राहश्च विषश्चैव तथा श्वेतोदनो गिरिः ॥ ७८.१५ ॥
Kapi parvat hai, Shatamaksh hai, Turag hai, aur Sanuman bhi hai. Tamraha hai, Vish hai, aur Shwetodan naam ka parvat bhi hai.
Verse 16
समूलश्चैव सरलॊ रत्नकेतुश्च पर्वतः । एकमूलो महाशृङ्गो गजमूलोऽपि शावकः ॥ ७८.१६ ॥
Samool naam ka Saral parvat hai, aur Ratnaketu parvat bhi hai. Ekamool naam ka Mahashring hai, aur Gajamool naam ka Shavak bhi hai.
Verse 17
पञ्चशैलश्च कैलासो हिमवानचलोत्तमः । उत्तराः ये महाशैलास्तान् वक्ष्यामि निबोधत ॥ ७८.१७ ॥
Panchashail hai, Kailas hai, aur Himavan bada parvat hai. Ab main uttar disha ke bade-bade parvat batata hoon, dhyan se suno.
Verse 18
कपिलः पिङ्गलो भद्रः सरसश्च महाचलः । कुमुदो मधुमांश्चैव गर्जनो मर्कटस्तथा ॥ ७८.१८ ॥
Kapila hai, Pingal hai, Bhadra hai, aur Saras hai. Mahachal hai, Kumud hai, Madhuman hai, Garjan hai, aur Markat bhi hai.
Verse 19
कृष्णश्च पाण्डवश्चैव सहस्रशिरसस्तथा । पारियात्रश्च शैलेन्द्रः शृङ्गवानचलोत्तमः । इत्येते पर्वतवराः श्रीमन्तः पश्चिमे स्मृताः ॥ ७८.१९ ॥
Krishna hai, Pandav hai, aur Sahasrashiras bhi hai. Pariyatra bada parvat hai, aur Shringavan sabse accha hai. Ye sab paschim disha ke bade aur dhani parvat hain.
Verse 20
महाभद्रस्य सरस उत्तरॆण द्विजोत्तमाः । ये पर्वताः स्थिताः विप्रास्तान् वक्ष्यामि निबोधत ॥ ७८.२० ॥
Mahabhadra naam ki jheel hai, uske north side mein kuch pahad khade hain. Main un sabka naam bata raha hoon, dhyaan se suno.
Verse 21
हंसकूटो महाशैलो वृषहंसश्च पर्वतः । कपिञ्जलश्च शैलेन्द्र इन्द्रशैलश्च सानुमान् ॥ ७८.२१ ॥
Hansakoot bada pahad hai. Vrishahansa bhi pahad hai. Kapinjal aur Indrashaila, yeh sab bhi wahan hain.
Verse 22
नीलः कनकशृङ्गश्च शतशृङ्गश्च पर्वतः । पुष्करो मेघशैलोऽथ विरजाश्चाचलोत्तमः । जारुचिश्चैव शैलेन्द्र इत्येते उत्तराः स्मृताः ॥ ७८.२२ ॥
Neel, Kanakshringa, Shatashringa, yeh teen pahad hain. Pushkar, Meghashaila, Viraja, Jaruchi, yeh bhi hain. Yeh sab north ki taraf hain.
Verse 23
इत्येतॆषां तु मुख्यानामुत्तरेषु यथाक्रमम् । स्थलीरन्तरद्रोण्यश्च सरांसि च निबोधत ॥ ७८.२३ ॥
Ab in bade pahadon ke baare mein main batata hoon. North side mein kaun kaun se ilaake hain, kaun si ghaatiyan hain, kaun si jheelain hain, yeh sab suno.
Within the Varāha–Pṛthivī instructional frame, Rudra begins a didactic ‘map’ of sacred terrestrial order, introducing the four quarters as structured by eminent śailendras (mountain-kings) and their sustaining waters.
Rudra enumerates the cardinal-direction mountain-lords and their principal lakes—Caitraratha with Aruṇoda (east), Gandhamādana with Mānasa (south), the western quarter with Asitoda, and the northern quarter with Mahābhadra—then expands into long lists of subsidiary mountains in each direction, presenting a mnemonic geography of Earth’s hydrological and forested supports.
The catalogue culminates in a complete four-directional grid: each quarter is ‘sealed’ by its lake and ringed by named peaks, while sensory ecology (cool fragrant winds, lotus-lakes, bird-calls, divine sport in groves) underscores that sanctity and stability arise from intact water–mountain–forest networks.
Cardinal-direction mountain realms and lakes are named: Caitraratha (east), Gandhamādana (south), Aruṇoda-saras (east), Mānasa-saras (south), Asitoda-saras (west), Mahābhadra-saras (north). Numerous mountains are listed by name across directions, including (east/Aruṇoda region): Vikaṅka, Maṇiśṛṅga, Supātra, Upala, Mahānīla, Kumbha, Subindu, Madana, Veṇunaddha, Sumedā, Niṣadha, Devaparvata; (south/Mānasa vicinity): Triśiras, Śiśira, Kapi, Śatamakṣa, Turaga, Sānumān, Tāmraha, Viṣa, Śvetodana, Samūla, Sarala, Ratnaketu, Ekamūla, Mahāśṛṅga, Gajamūla, Śāvaka, Kailāsa, Himavān; (west/Asitoda region): Kapila, Piṅgala, Bhadra, Sarasa, Kumuda, Madhumāṃs, Garjana, Markaṭa, Kṛṣṇa, Pāṇḍava, Sahasraśiras, Pāriyātra, Śṛṅgavān; (north/Mahābhadra vicinity): Haṃsakūṭa, Vṛṣahaṃsa, Kapiñjala, Indraśaila, Nīla, Kanakaśṛṅga, Śataśṛṅga, Puṣkara, Meghaśaila, Viraja, Jāruci.
Rather than prescribing a direct social rule, the text frames Earth’s stability through ordered geography: named mountains and lakes function as a schematic of terrestrial structure. The implicit instruction is that maintaining the integrity of waters (saras, tīrthas) and forested habitats sustains a balanced world, aligning sacred order with environmental continuity.
No explicit tithi, lunar phase, vrata timing, or seasonal ritual calendar is given in the cited passage. The chapter instead uses ecological descriptors—cool, fragrant breezes and blooming lotus-lakes—as atmospheric markers of a flourishing landscape rather than a dated ritual schedule.
Environmental balance is conveyed through hydrological and habitat imagery: lakes filled with lotuses (kamala, utpala, kahlāra), bird-rich groves, and clean, meritorious waters. By cataloguing lakes and mountains as interlinked systems across the four directions, the narrative presents Earth (Pṛthivī) as upheld by coherent water–forest–mountain networks, a model readily interpretable as early ecological ethics.
The principal cultural figure explicitly speaking is Rudra, who delivers the geographic enumeration. No royal dynasties, administrative lineages, or named human sages are foregrounded in this excerpt beyond the generic address to dvijottamas/vipras; the emphasis remains on place-names and landscape taxonomy.
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