Sumeru is situated in the navel of this Varsha. This king of mountains
is gold all through. It is a laksha Yojanas high. If the Earth chain be
taken to be a lotus, this Meru is its pericarp. It is 32,000 Yojanas as
the top and 16,000 Yojanas at the foot and 16,000 Yojanas under the
ground.
(By saying 16000 Yojanas at the foot, 84000 Yojanas are left out. Thus
the Vishnu Purana says -- the Meru is 84000 Yojanas over the ground and
16000 under the ground, at the top 32000 and at the foot 16000.
_Sridhara_. 16000 + 84000=100000).
On the north of Ilavrita are the three mountain ranges Nila, Sveta and
Sringavan in order. They are respectively the boundary ranges of
Ramayak, Hiranmaya and Kuru. They spread east and west up to the salt
ocean. They are two thousand Yojanas wide. In length, each succeeding
one is a little over one tenth part shorter than the preceding one.
(There is no difference in height and in width. _Sridhara_).
So on the south of Ilavrita are the three ranges Nishadha, Hemakuta and
Himalaya spreading east and west like the preceding ones. They are
10,000 Yojanas in height. They are the boundary ranges respectively of
Harivarsha, Kinpurusha and Bharata. (This -- 10,000 Yojanas -- is also
the height of Nila, Sveta and Sringavna. The width of these ranges again
is that of Nila, and others. By Bharata we are to understand Nabhi.
On the west of Ilavrita is the Malyavat range and on the east lies the
Gandha Madana range, These ranges extend north up to the Nila range and
on the south up to the Nishadha range. They are two thousand Yojanas
wide. They are the boundary ranges of Ketumala and Bhadrasva
respectively. (East and west there is the Meru surrounded by Ilavrita,
then there are the two ranges Malyavat and Gandha Madana, and the two
varshas Bhadrasva and Ketumala and nothing besides).
North and south, there is the Meru then Ilavrita, 6 mountain ranges and
6 Varshas, 3 on each side and nothing else.
[Where do you then get a _laksha_ of Yojanas? It is said: -- Meru has a
diameter of 16,000. Ilavrita has 18,000. The 6 Varshas have 6 x 9,000 =
54,000. The 6 mountain ranges have together a width of 6 x 2,000 =
12,000. Thus north and south, we have 16,000 + 18,000 + 54,000 + 12,000
= 100,000.
East and west we have 34000 (9000 + 16000 + 9000) across Meru and
Ilavrita and the two mountain ranges 2 x 2000 = 4000.
The expanse of the two Varshas up to the ocean side is 62000. This gives
us 34000 + 4000 + 62000 = 100,000. Thus there is no conflict.
_Sridhara_.]
[This discussion of Sridhara throws immense light on the text. We find
that the area is measured by the diameter. We find that 16000 is the
diameter of Meru at the foot. We find that Ilavrita has 9000 from Meru
to Nila and 9000 from Meru to Nishadha. We understand also why Bhadrasva
and Ketumala were said to be exceptions, their expanse being 34,000. A
diagram will now best illustrate what we say.]
[Illustration: A diagram of Jambu-Dvipa.]
[Bharata as a Varsha must not be mistaken for India. For Bharata here
stands for Nabhi or the whole of our known earth.
Bharata Varsha extends from the base of the Earth opposite the Himalayas
on the side of America to the highest point of the Himalayas.]
Kinpurusha Varsha, so called from its dwellers, extends from the highest
point of the Himalayas as its base to the highest point of Hemakuta.
So with the other Varshas.
It will be seen, that we have no idea of any of the mountains, besides
the Himalayas.
Ilavrita stands on the same level with Ketumala and Bhadrasva. If these
three be taken as one, we get the number _7_. Five other Dvipas have _7_
Varshas only.]
On the four sides of Meru are the four mountains -- Mandara, Meru
Mandara, Suparsna and Kumua. They are ten thousand Yojanas in height and
expanse.
(There are two mountains east and west, their expanse being north and
south. There are other two north and south, their expanse being east and
west. Otherwise if these mountains were to encircle Meru, Ilavrita would
not be in existence. _Sridhara_).
On these four mountains respectively are four big trees of Mango,
Jamboland, Kadamba and the sacred Fig. They are the banners as it were
of the Mountains. They are 11000 Yojanas high and they also spread over
this area. Their width is one hundred Yojanas.
There is one lake below each of these trees: milk, sugarcane juice and
pure water respectively. The use of these fluids gives natural Yogic
powers to the Upadevas (lesser devas).
There are also four gardens of the Devas, _viz._ Nandana, Chaitraratha,
Vaibhrajoka and Sarvato-bhadra.
The Devas, adored by the Upadevas amuse themselves in those gardens.
Big fruits with nectar-like juice fall from the mango tree on Mandara.
(The Vayu Purana gives the measure of the fruit. The Rishis who perceive
truths give the measure of the fruits to be 108 cubits with the fist
closed (_aratvi_) and also 61 cubits more. _Sridhara_)
When these fruits drop down, they give out a very sweet, very fragrant,
profuse reddish juice which collects to form the river called Arunoda,
having water of the color of Aruna or the morning Sun. This river waters
the Eastern part of Ilavrita. The use of its water gives such a sweet
scent to the body of the female attendants of Durga that the wind
carries that scent to ten Yojanas around.
So the Jambu river is formed by the juice of the fruits that drop down
from the Jambolova tree in Meru Mandara. It waters the southern part of
Ilavrita.
The land on the banks of these rivers is soaked by their juice and
worked on by air and light and is thus converted into gold called
Jambunada, which gives ornaments to the Devas.
Aruna is the morning Sun, as well as the color of the morning Sun. The
river with Aruna water is also gold producing.
The Kadamba tree on Suparsva has cavities from which flow five streams
of honey, each 5 Vyamas wide (Vyama = the space between the tips of the
fingers of either hand when the arms are extended.) These streams water
the western part of Ilavrita. The fragrant breath of those that use them
spreads over one hundred Yojanas all round.
The fig tree (Vata) called Satavolsa on the summit of Kumuda has
branches which give rise to rivers that bring forth milk, curd, honey,
clarified butter, molasses, edibles, carpets, cloths, ornaments, in fact
all objects of desire. These rivers fall from Kumuda and water the
northern part of Ilavrita.
Those that use the waters of those rivers are free from all Infirmities,
diseases, secretions, old age and death. They live in absolute bliss all
their lives.
There are twenty more mountains on all sides of Meru, at its foot. They
are Kuranga, Kurara, Kusumbha Naikovka, Trikuta, Sisira, Patanga.
Ruchoka, Nishadha Sitivasa, Kapila Sankha, Vaidurya, Jarudhi, Housas,
Rishabha, Naga, Kalanjara, Nirada and others.
Two mountains, Jatharu and Devakuta, are situated on the east of Meru.
They are two thousand Yojanas in height and in width. To the north they
spread over 18,000 Yojanas.
So on the west there are the two mountains Pavana and Pariyatra.
On the south there are Kailasa and Karavira, which expand towards the
east. So on the north, there are Trisringa and Makara. (If different
measures are given in Vishnu and other Puranas, they are with reference
to different Kalpas. _Sridhara_).
The sages say that in the central portion of the top of Sumeru is the
abode of Brahma, made of gold, 10,000,000 Yojanas in area, and of four
equal sides.
Surrounding the abode of Brahma are the eight abodes of the eight
Lokapalas situated respectively in the directions presided over by these
Lokapalas. Each of these abodes has the color of its own Lokapala and
each extends over 2 1/2 thousand yojanas. (The names of these abodes are
given in other Puranas. Thus:
Manovati is the abode of Brahma.
Amaravati " " Indra.
Tejovati " " Agni.
Sanyavati " " Yama.
Krishnangana " " Nairita.
Sradhavati " " Varuna.
Gandhavati " " Vayu.
Mahodaya " " Kubera.
Yasovati " " Isa.