Varaha Purana 87.1: Adhyaya 87, Shloka 1
Description of Krauñcadvīpa: its mountains, regions, rivers, and encircling ocean
Pūrva Bhāga · Cosmography of the Dvīpas and Oceans (Ancient Geography)
रुद्र उवाच । अथ क्रौञ्चं भवति चतुर्थं कुशद्वीपाद् द्विगुणमानतः समुद्रः क्रौञ्चेन द्विगुणेनावृतः । तस्मिंश्च सप्तैव प्रधानपर्वताः । प्रथमः कौञ्चो विद्युर्लतो रैवतो मानसः सैव पावकः । तथैवान्धकारः सैवाच्छोदकः । देवावृत्तो स च सुरापो भण्यते । ततो देविष्ठः स एव काञ्चनशृङ्गो भवति । देवनन्दात्परो गोविन्दः, द्विविन्द इति । ततः पुण्डरीकः सैव तोषाशयः । एते सप्त रत्नमयाः पर्वताः क्रौञ्चद्वीपे व्यवस्थिताः । सर्वे च परस्परेणोच्छ्रयाः । तत्र वर्षाणि तथा क्रौञ्चस्य कुशलो देशः सैव माधवः स्मृतः वामनस्य मनोऽनुगः सैव संवर्तकस्ततोऽष्णवान् सोमप्रकाशः । ततः पावकः सैव सुदर्शनः । तथा चान्धकारः सैव सम्मोहः । ततो मुनिदेशः स च प्रकाशः । ततो दुन्दुभिः सैवानर्थ उच्यते । तत्रापि सप्तैव नद्यः
rudra uvāca | atha krauñcaṃ bhavati caturthaṃ kuśadvīpād dviguṇamānataḥ samudraḥ krauñcena dviguṇenāvṛtaḥ | tasmiṃś ca saptaiva pradhānaparvatāḥ | prathamaḥ kauñco vidyullato raivato mānasaḥ saiva pāvakaḥ | tathaivāndhakāraḥ saivācchodakaḥ | devāvṛtto sa ca surāpo bhaṇyate | tato deviṣṭhaḥ sa eva kāñcanaśṛṅgo bhavati | devanandātparo govindaḥ, dvivinda iti | tataḥ puṇḍarīkaḥ saiva toṣāśayaḥ | ete sapta ratnamayāḥ parvatāḥ krauñcadvīpe vyavasthitāḥ | sarve ca paraspareṇocchrāyāḥ | tatra varṣāṇi tathā krauñcasya kuśalo deśaḥ saiva mādhavaḥ smṛtaḥ vāmanasya mano'nugaḥ saiva saṃvartakas tato'ṣṇavān somaprakāśaḥ | tataḥ pāvakaḥ saiva sudarśanaḥ | tathā cāndhakāraḥ saiva saṃmohaḥ | tato munideśaḥ sa ca prakāśaḥ | tato dundubhiḥ saivānartha ucyate | tatrāpi saptaiva nadyaḥ
rudra uvAcha | atha krau~nchaM bhavati chaturthaM kushadvIpAd dviguNamAnataH samudraH krau~nchena dviguNenAvRRitaH| tasmiMshcha saptaiva pradhAnaparvatAH| prathamaH kau~ncho vidyullato raivato mAnasaH saiva pAvakaH| tathaivAndhakAraH saivAchChodakaH| devAvRRitto sa cha surApo bhaNyate| tato deviShThaH sa eva kA~nchanashrRRi~Ngo bhavati| devanandAtparo govindaH, dvivinda iti| tataH puNDarIkaH saiva toShAshayaH| ete sapta ratnamayAH parvatAH krI~nchadvIpe vyavasthitAH| sarve cha paraspareNochChrayAH| tatra varShANi tathA krau~nchasya kushalo deshaH saiva mAdhavaH smRRitaH vAmanasya mano.anugaH saiva saMvartakastatoShNavAn somaprakAshaH| tataH pAvakaH saiva sudarshanaH| tathA chAndhakAraH saiva saMmohaH| tato munideshaH sa cha prakAshaH| tato dundubhiH saivAnartha uchyate| tatrApi saptaiva nadyaH
Rudra rzekł: "Teraz wyspa zwana Krauñcą staje się czwartą, będąc dwukrotnie większą od Kuśadvīpy; jest otoczona oceanem o dwukrotnej jej miarze, zwanym Krauñca. Są na niej siedem głównych gór: najpierw Kauñca, potem Vidyullatā, Raivata, Mānasa; podobnie Pāvaka, podobnie Andhakāra i podobnie Acchodaka. Wspomina się też Devāvṛttę, zwaną Surāpą. Następnie jest Devīṣṭha, która staje się Kāñcanaśṛṅgą. Poza Devanandą jest Govinda, zwany Dvivindą. Potem przychodzą Puṇḍarīka i podobnie Toṣāśaya. Te siedem gór podobnych klejnotom jest ustanowione na Krauñcadvīpie, wszystkie wznoszące się względem siebie. Tam regiony są również opisane: kraj Kuśala, Mādhava, Mano'nuga Vāmany, Saṃvartaka, Aṣṇavān, Somaprakāśa; potem Pāvaka, zwana też Sudarśaną; i Andhakāra, zwana też Saṃmohą; potem Munideśa i ten zwany Prakāśą; potem Dundubhi, zwany też Anarthą. Tam również są siedem rzek."
Sandhi Notes
- कुशद्वीपाद् → कुशद्वीपात्
- द्विगुणेनावृतः → द्विगुणेन + आवृतः
- तस्मिंश्च → तस्मिन् + च
- सैव → सा + एव
- सैवाच्छोदकः → सा + एव + अच्छोदकः
- देवावृत्तो → देव + आवृत्तः
- देवनन्दात्परो → देवनन्दात् + परः
- मनोऽनुगः → मनः + अनुगः
- संवर्तकस्ततोऽष्णवान् → संवर्तकः + ततः + अष्णवान्
- तत्रापि → तत्र + अपि
Rudra
Curious
The world is intelligible through layered correspondences—dvīpa, ocean, mountain, varṣa—revealed by divine testimony (Rudra).
Cultivate contemplative ‘cosmic orientation’ (lokasaṃsthā-jñāna) that supports dharma by situating human life within a larger ordered cosmos.
87.87.2 (seven rivers of Krauñcadvīpa); 88.88.2 (progression to later dvīpas and oceans)
FAQs
It is a dense cosmographic register of place-names (mountains and varṣas) and proportional measures, valuable for digital gazetteers and comparative Purāṇic geography.
Krauñcadvīpa (a Purāṇic dvīpa) with its named mountains and regions; these are mytho-geographic entities rather than securely modern-identifiable sites.
No explicit ethical instruction; the passage functions as cosmographic documentation and classification.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Varaha Purana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
