SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 5

The king [Parîkchit] said: 'You spoke already [in 5.1: 31-33] of the sphere of the seven places of refuge [Bhû-mandala]: that it stretches as far as the heat of the sun reaches and as far as the moon and myriad of stars can be seen.

King Parîkshit said to S'ukadeva Gosvâmî: O brâhmana, you have already informed me that the radius of Bhû-mandala extends as far as the sun spreads its light and heat and as far as the moon and all the stars can be seen. (Vedabase)

Text 2

Because of Priyavrata's circumambulating in his chariot [in 5.1: 30-31] were by the seven ditches the oceans created which separated the seven islands; this was all clearly by you described o great one and concerning this subject of study I certainly would like to know everything concerning the measurement and characteristics in question.

My dear Lord, the rolling wheels of Mahârâja Priyavrata's chariot created seven ditches, in which the seven oceans came into existence. Because of these seven oceans, Bhû-mandala is divided into seven islands. You have given a very general description of their measurement, names and characteristics. Now I wish to know of them in detail. Kindly fulfill my desire. (Vedabase)

Text 3

To the material qualities of the Supreme Lord in His assuming the gross form [of the universe] do we, notwithstanding indeed the mind over it, within the heart [as the paramâtmâ] find His smaller form as the light within the soul, as the supreme spiritual entity; o dear teacher, please tell me how He, known as the Great Lord Vâsudeva, thus as a matter of fact can be comprehended.

When the mind is fixed upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His external feature made of the material modes of nature--the gross universal form--it is brought to the platform of pure goodness. In that transcendental position, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vâsudeva, who in His subtler form is self-effulgent and beyond the modes of nature. O my lord, please describe vividly how that form, which covers the entire universe, is perceived. (Vedabase)

Text 4

The rishi said: 'O great King, there is no end to the transformations of the material qualities of the Supreme Lord; though not even a person living as long as Brahmâ is capable to put it into words or either fully understand, shall I nevertheless try to explain what in particular of the original source of the material universe its places of existence in one [Bhûloka] can be said in terms of names, forms and proportions.

The great rishi S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: My dear King, there is no limit to the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's material energy. This material world is a transformation of the material qualities [sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna], yet no one could possibly explain it perfectly, even in a lifetime as long as that of Brahmâ. No one in the material world is perfect, and an imperfect person could not describe this material universe accurately, even after continued speculation. O King, I shall nevertheless try to explain to you the principal regions, such as Bhû-goloka [Bhûloka], with their names, forms, measurements and various symptoms. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Whatever [one could say to the size] of this separated area ['island' or dvîpa], this inner whorl of the lotusflower unfolding at night which is as round as a lotus leaf, would be of a terrible number of yojanas [measures of distance, lightyears we say these days in relation to the galaxy].

The planetary system known as Bhû-mandala resembles a lotus flower, and its seven islands resemble the whorl of that flower. The length and breadth of the island known as Jambûdvîpa, which is situated in the middle of the whorl, are one million yojanas [eight million miles]. Jambûdvîpa is round like the leaf of a lotus flower. (Vedabase)

Text 6

Therein are nine subdivisions ['years' or 'lands separated by mountains'; varshas] found of nine times thousand yojanas neatly separated by eight boundaries of rock ['mountain-ranges', 'spiral arms' or giri].

In Jambûdvîpa there are nine divisions of land, each with a length of 9.000 yojanas [72.000 miles]. There are eight mountains that mark the boundaries of these divisions and separate them nicely. (Vedabase)

Text 7

Among these there is one division in the middle navel named Ilâvrita that is entirely golden and is known as the most renown of all mountains, Mount Meru, that stretches up as far as it, as an area, is wide and which of this lotuslike unfolded universe is the pericarp that measuring a thirty-two thousand yojanas at its base reaches a sixteen thousand yojanas to its top and below [according modern astronomy is our galaxy about seven thousand lightyears thick].

Amidst these divisions, or varshas, is the varsha named Ilâvrita, which is situated in the middle of the whorl of the lotus. Within Ilâvrita-varsha is Sumeru Mountain, which is made of gold. Sumeru Mountain is like the pericarp of the lotuslike Bhû-mandala planetary system. The mountain's height is the same as the width of Jambûdvîpa--or, in other words, 100.000 yojanas [800.000 miles]. Of that, 16.000 yojanas [128.000 miles] are within the earth, and therefore the mountain's height above the earth is 84.000 yojanas [672.000 miles]. The mountain's width is 32.000 yojanas [256.000 miles] at its summit and 16.000 yojanas at its base. (Vedabase)

Text 8

More and more stretching north of Ilâvrita [projected on the globe of the earth] there are the three ranges found of Nîla, S'veta and S'ringavân, which each by one tenth are flatter in their marking the varshas of Ramyaka, Hiranmaya and Kuru who, each [in proportion] two thousand yojanas wide, have to their east and west extending the Kshâroda ocean [the 'salty one'].

Just north of Ilâvrita-varsha--and going further northward, one after another--are three mountains named Nîla, S'veta and S'ringavân. These mark the borders of the three varshas named Ramyaka, Hiranmaya and Kuru and separate them from one another. The width of these mountains is 2.000 yojanas [16.000 miles]. Lengthwise, they extend east and west to the beaches of the ocean of salt water. Going from south to north, the length of each mountain is one tenth that of the previous mountain, but the height of them all is the same. (Vedabase)

Text 9

The same way are there to the south of Ilâvrita the Nishadha, Hemakûtha and Himâlaya ranges that stretch out with a body of thousands of yojanas to the east dividing a same number of varshas which are called Hari, Kimpurusha and Bhârata.

Similarly, south of Ilâvrita-varsha and extending from east to west are three great mountains named. (from north to south) Nishadha, Hemakûtha and Himâlaya. Each of them is 10.000 yojanas [80.000 miles] high. They mark the boundaries of the three varshas named Hari-varsha, Kimpurusha-varsha and Bhârata-varsha [India]. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Even so are there to the west of Ilâvrita as well as on the eastern side the demarcations of the western Mâlyavân and eastern Gandhamâdana ranges that for a [proportionate] two thousand yojanas stretch out to the north up to the Nîla mountain, and to the south up to the Nishadha mountain, in which they establish the borders of the varshas named Ketumâla and Bhadrâs'va.

In the same way, west and east of Ilâvrita-varsha are two great mountains named Mâlyavân and Gandhamâdana respectively. These two mountains, which are 2.000 yojanas [16.000 miles] high, extend as far as Nîla mountain in the north and Nishadha in the south. They indicate the borders of Ilâvrita-varsha and also the varshas known as Ketumâla and Bhadrâs'va. (Vedabase)

Text 11

The mountains named Mandara, Merumandara, Supârs'va and Kumuda at four sides form a belt around mount Meru massively spreading out for countless yojanas.

On the four sides of the great mountain known as Sumeru are four mountains--Mandara, Merumandara, Supârs'va and Kumuda--which are like its belts. The length and height of these mountains are calculated to be 10.000 yojanas [80.000 miles]. (Vedabase)

Text 12

On these four mountains standing like flagstaffs one finds, spread over as much as a thousand yojanas, four kinds of the very best of trees: the mango, the rose apple, the kadamba and the banyan, who with their branches cover hundreds of yojanas.

Standing like flagstaffs on the summits of these four mountains are a mango tree, a rose apple tree, a kadamba tree and a banyan tree. Those trees are calculated to have a width of 100 yojanas [800 miles] and a height of 1.100 yojanas [8.800 miles]. Their branches also spread to a radius of 1.100 yojanas. (Vedabase)

Text 13-14:

There are four lakes of the purest water, milk, honey and sugarcane juice as also the four gardens Nandana, Caitraratha, Vaibhrâjaka and Sarvatobhadra - the godlike attending there in enjoying these all, have a natural command of yoga, o best of the Bharata dynasty.

O Mahârâja Parîkshit, best of the Bharata dynasty, between these four mountains are four huge lakes. The water of the first tastes just like milk; the water of the second, like honey; and that of the third, like sugarcane juice. The fourth lake is filled with pure water. The celestial beings such as the Siddhas, Câranas and Gandharvas, who are also known as demigods, enjoy the facilities of those four lakes. Consequently they have the natural perfections of mystic yoga, such as the power to become smaller than the smallest or greater than the greatest. There are also four celestial gardens named Nandana, Caitraratha, Vaibhrâjaka and Sarvatobhadra. (Vedabase)

Text 15

In them do the enchanted and enchanting wives of the best of them, of the husbands indeed who are glorified in songs of praise by the lesser gods, enjoy themselves in their pastimes.

The best of the demigods, along with their wives, who are like ornaments of heavenly beauty, meet together and enjoy within those gardens, while their glories are sung by lesser demigods known as Gandharvas. (Vedabase)

Text 16

On the slopes of the Mandara do, at eleven-hundred [virtual] yojanas from the top, fall from the mango tree named Devacûta the fruits down sweet as nectar that are as big as mountain peaks.

On the lower slopes of Mandara Mountain is a mango tree named Devacûta. It is 1.100 yojanas high. Mangoes as big as mountain peaks and as sweet as nectar fall from the top of this tree for the enjoyment of the denizens of heaven. (Vedabase)

Text 17

Of all the mangoes broken open flows in large quantities the reddish juice that is very sweet and fragrant being mixed as it is with other aromas; it flows down east from the top of Mandara mountain in a river named Arunodâ.

When all those solid fruits fall from such a height, they break, and the sweet, fragrant juice within them flows out and becomes increasingly more fragrant as it mixes with other scents. That juice cascades from the mountain in waterfalls and becomes a river called Arunodâ, which flows pleasantly through the eastern side of Ilâvrita. (Ve d abase)

Text 18:

Of Bhavânî [the wife of S'iva], her maid servants and the chaste wives of the Yakshas [S'iva's followers] using this water, does the wind in contact with their limbs become fragrant for ten yojanas around.

The pious wives of the Yakshas act as personal maidservants to assist Bhavânî, the wife of Lord S'iva. Because they drink the water of the River Arunodâ, their bodies become fragrant, and as the air carries away that fragrance, it perfumes the entire atmosphere for eighty miles around. (Vedabase)

Text 19:

Similarly do the rose apple fruits that with their tiny seeds are broken to pieces of falling to the ground from a height of a ten-thousand yojanas from the top of Merumandara, flow down with their juice in a river named the Jambû-nadî through the whole southern region of Ilâvrita itself.

Similarly, the fruits of the jambu tree, which are full of pulp and have very small seeds, fall from a great height and break to pieces. Those fruits are the size of elephants, and the juice gliding from them becomes a river named Jambû-nadî. This river falls a distance of 10.000 yojanas, from the summit of Merumandara to the southern side of Ilâvrita, and floods the entire land of Ilâvrita with juice. (Vedabase)

Text 20-21:

The mud of both the banks entirely soaked with that juice does, dried under the influence of air and sun, continually deliver a kind of gold named Jâmbû-nada, which used by the denizens of heaven indeed provides the demigods, together with their ever youthful wives, the possession of all kinds of ornaments in the form of belts, helmets, bangles and so on.

The mud on both banks of the River Jambû-nadî, being moistened by the flowing juice and then dried by the air and the sunshine, produces huge quantities of gold called Jâmbû-nada. The denizens of heaven use this gold for various kinds of ornaments. Therefore all the inhabitants of the heavenly planets and their youthful wives are fully decorated with golden helmets, bangles and belts, and thus they enjoy life. (Vedabase)

Text 22:

But from the mahâkadamba standing on the side of the Supârs'va mountain flow from its hollows five streams of honey tens of feet wide [five vyâmas of about five to six feet each] that from the top of that mountain flow down to saturate the whole of the western side of Ilâvrita with their fragrance.

On the side of Supârs'va Mountain stands a big tree called Mahâkadamba, which is very celebrated. From the hollows of this tree flow five rivers of honey, each about five vyâmas wide. This flowing honey falls incessantly from the top of Supârs'va Mountain and flows all around Ilâvrita-varsha, beginning from the western side. Thus the whole land is saturated with the pleasing fragrance. (Vedabase)

Text 23:

That stream indeed does, by the breath of the mouths of those who drank therefrom, perfume the air sweet for a hundred yojanas wide.

The air carrying the scent from the mouths of those who drink that honey perfumes the land for a hundred yojanas around. (Vedabase)

Text 24:

Similarly do from the top of Kumuda mountain, on which the banyan tree grows that with its thick stems is named S'atavals'a ['a hundred trunks'], flow big rivers to the northern side of Ilâvrita, giving happiness in fulfilling all desires carrying in its wake an abundance of milk, yogurt, honey, clarified butter, molasses, food grains and so on, as well as a sure wealth of clothing, bedding, sitting places, ornaments and more of that all.

Similarly, on Kumuda Mountain there is a great banyan tree, which is called S'atavals'a because it has a hundred main branches. From those branches come many roots, from which many rivers are flowing. These rivers flow down from the top of the mountain to the northern side of Ilâvrita-varsha for the benefit of those who live there. Because of these flowing rivers, all the people have ample supplies of milk, yogurt, honey, clarified butter [ghee], molasses, food grains, clothes, bedding, sitting places and ornaments. All the objects they desire are sufficiently supplied for their prosperity, and therefore they are very happy. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

Of these benefits do the inhabitants, in the full use of them, for sure never ever get wrinkles, gray hair, fatigue, bad smelling perspiration, old of age, diseased, premature death, cold or heat, a waning luster or whatever variety of troubles and sufferings; for as long as they live they are of an unlimited happiness only.

The residents of the material world who enjoy the products of these flowing rivers have no wrinkles on their bodies and no gray hair. They never feel fatigue, and perspiration does not give their bodies a bad odor. They are not afflicted by old age, disease or untimely death, they do not suffer from chilly cold or scorching heat, nor do their bodies lose their luster. They all live very happily, without anxieties, until death. (Vedabase)

Text 26:

Like the filaments of the whorl of a lotus are all around the base of mount Meru arranged twenty or more peaks carrying names as the Kuranga, Kurara, Kusumbha, Vaikanka, Trikûtha, S'is'ira, Patanga, Rucaka, Nishadha, Sinîvâsa, Kapila, S'ankha, Vaidûrya, Jârudhi, Hamsa, Rishabha, Nâga, Kâlañjara and the Nârada.

There are other mountains beautifully arranged around the foot of Mount Meru like the filaments around the whorl of a lotus flower. Their names are Kuranga, Kurara, Kusumbha, Vaikanka, Trikûtha, S'is'ira, Patanga, Rucaka, Nishadha, Sinîvâsa, Kapila, S'ankha, Vaidûrya, Jârudhi, Hamsa, Rishabha, Nâga, Kâlañjara and Nârada. (Vedabase)

Text 27:

The Mountain of Meru with its golden brilliance like fire, is surrounded by eight mountains of which the two in the east are called Jathhara and Devakûtha, the two in the west Pavana and Pâriyâtra, the two in the south Kailâsa and Karavîra and the two in the north Tris'ringa and Makara. Each covering an eighteen thousand square yojanas, they stretch out for two thousand yojanas.

On the eastern side of Sumeru Mountain are two mountains named Jathhara and Devakûtha, which extend to the north and south for 18.000 yojanas [144.000 miles]. Similarly, on the western side of Sumeru are two mountains named Pavana and Pâriyâtra, which also extend north and south for the same distance. On the southern side of Sumeru are two mountains named Kailâsa and Karavîra, which extend east and west for 18.000 yojanas, and on the northern side of Sumeru, extending for the same distance east and west, are two mountains named Tris'ringa and Makara. The width and height of all these mountains is 2.000 yojanas [16.000 miles]. Sumeru, a mountain of solid gold shining as brilliantly as fire, is surrounded by these eight mountains. (Vedabase)

Text 28:

On top of mount Meru is in the middle the dwellingplace, the city of the most powerful self-born one [Lord Brahmâ] found, stretching to all sides for many thousands of yojanas [our galaxy does so for twenty-six-thousand lightyears to its pericarp and 40 to 60 thousand lights years in diameter, compare verse 7 ] and of which the sages say that it is entirely golden.

In the middle of the summit of Meru is the township of Lord Brahmâ. Each of its four sides is calculated to extend for ten million yojanas [eighty million miles]. It is made entirely of gold, and therefore learned scholars and sages call it S'âtakaumbhî. (Vedabase)

Text 29:

Around that center are to each direction the eight cities of the rulers over the planetary systems found. (*) which four times as small are of a likewise form.

Surrounding Brahmapurî in all directions are the residences of the eight principal governors of the planetary systems, beginning with King Indra. These abodes are similar to Brahmapurî but are one fourth the size. (Vedabase)

*: The place of Brahmâ is called Manovatî, and those of his assistants such as Indra and Agni are known as Amarâvatî, Tejovatî, Samyamanî, Krishnânganâ, S'raddhâvatî, Gandhavatî, Mahodayâ and Yas'ovatî.