Vishnu Purana
by Horace Hayman Wilson | 1840 | 287,946 words | ISBN-10: 8171102127
The English translation of the Vishnu Purana. This is a primary sacred text of the Vaishnava branch of Hinduism. It is one of the eighteen greater Puranas, a branch of sacred Vedic literature which was first committed to writing during the first millennium of the common era. Like most of the other Puranas, this is a complete narrative from the cr...
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Chapter II - Description of the earth (the seven Dvipas and seven seas)
Description of the earth. The seven 顿惫墨辫补蝉 and seven seas. 闯补尘产耻-诲惫墨辫补. Mount Meru: its extent and boundaries. Extent of Il膩vrita. Groves, lakes, and branches of Meru. Cities of the gods. Rivers. The forms of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 worshipped in different 痴补谤峁蝉.
Maitreya said:鈥�
You have related to me, Brahman, the creation of 厂惫腻测补尘产丑耻惫补; I am now desirous to hear from you a description of the earth: how many are its oceans and islands, its kingdoms and its mountains, its forests and rivers and the cities of the gods, its dimensions, its contents, its nature, and its form.
Par膩艣ara said:鈥�
You shall hear, Maitreya, a brief account of the earth from me: a full detail I could not give you in a century.
The seven great insular continents are Jambu, 笔濒补办峁, S膩lmali, 碍耻艣补, Krauncha, 艢腻办补, and 笔耻峁补谤补: and they are surrounded severally by seven great seas; the sea of salt water (尝补惫补峁嘺), of sugar-cane juice (滨办峁), of wine (厂耻谤腻), of clarified butter (Sarpi), of curds (Dadhi), of milk (Dugdha), and of fresh water (Jala)[1].
Jambu-诲惫墨辫补 is in the centre of all these: and in the centre of this continent is the golden mountain Meru. The height of Meru is eighty-four thousand Yojanas; and its depth below the surface of the earth is sixteen thousand. Its diameter at the summit is thirty-two thousand Yojanas; and at its base, sixteen thousand: so that this mountain is like the seed-cup of the lotus of the earth[2].
The boundary mountains (of the earth) are 贬颈尘补惫腻苍, 贬别尘补办奴峁璦, and 狈颈峁诲丑补, which lie south of Meru; and 狈墨濒补, 艢惫别迟补, and 艢ri峁単墨, which are situated to the north of it. The two central ranges (those next to Meru, or 狈颈峁诲丑补 and 狈墨濒补) extend for a hundred thousand (Yojanas, running east and west). Each of the others diminishes ten thousand Yojanas, as it lies more remote from the centre. They are two thousand Yojanas in height, and as many in breadth[3]. The 痴补谤峁蝉 or countries between these ranges are 叠丑腻谤补迟补 (India), south of the 贬颈尘补惫腻苍 mountains; next 碍颈尘辫耻谤耻峁, between 贬颈尘补惫腻苍 and 贬别尘补办奴峁璦; north of the latter, and south of 狈颈峁诲丑补, is Hariversha; north of Meru is Ramyaka, extending from the 狈墨濒补 or blue mountains to the 艢惫别迟补 (or white) mountains; 贬颈谤补峁噈补测补 lies between the 艢惫别迟补 and 艢ri峁単墨 ranges; and Uttarakuru is beyond the latter, following the same direction as 叠丑腻谤补迟补[4]. Each of these is nine thousand Yojanas in extent. Il膩vrita is of similar dimensions, but in the centre of it is the golden mountain Meru, and the country extends nine thousand Yojanas in each direction from the four sides of the mountain[5]. There are four mountains in this 痴补谤峁, formed as buttresses to Meru, each ten thousand Yojanas in elevation: that on the east is called Mandara; that on the south, 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补; that on the west, Vipula; and that on the north, 厂耻辫腻谤艣惫补[6]: on each of these stands severally a Kadamba-tree, a Jambu-tree, a P墨pal, and a 痴补峁璦[7]; each spreading over eleven hundred Yojanas, and towering aloft like banners on the mountains. From the Jambu-tree the insular continent 闯补尘产耻-诲惫墨辫补 derives its appellations. The apples of that tree are as large as elephants: when they are rotten, they fall upon the crest of the mountain, and from their expressed juice is formed the Jambu river, the waters of which are drunk by the inhabitants; and in consequence of drinking of that stream, they pass their days in content and health, being subject neither to perspiration, to foul odours, to decrepitude, nor organic decay. The soil on the banks of the river, absorbing the Jambu juice, and being dried by gentle breezes, becomes the gold termed J膩mbunada, of which the ornaments of the Siddhas are fabricated.
The country of 叠丑补诲谤腻艣惫补 lies on the east of Meru, and 碍别迟耻尘腻濒补 on the west; and between these two is the region of Il膩vrita. On the east of the same is the forest Caitraratha; the 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 wood is on the south; the forest of 痴补颈产丑谤腻箩补 is on the west; and the grove of Indra, or Nandana, is on the north. There are also four great lakes, the waters of which are partaken of by the gods, called 础谤耻峁噊诲补, 惭补丑腻产丑补诲谤补, 艢墨迟辞诲补, and Ma峁嘺sa[8].
The principal mountain ridges which project from the base of Meru, like filaments from the root of the lotus, are, on the east, 艢墨迟腻苍迟补, Mukunda, 碍耻谤补谤墨, 惭腻濒测补惫腻苍, and Vaikanka; on the south, 罢谤颈办奴峁璦, 艢颈艣颈谤补, Patanga, Rucaka, and 狈颈峁诲丑补; on the west, 艢颈办丑颈惫腻蝉补蝉, 痴补颈诲奴谤测补, Kapila, 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补, and J膩rudhi; and on the north, 艢补峁卥丑补办奴峁璦, Ri峁bha, 狈腻驳补, Hansa, and 碍腻濒补帽箩补谤补. These and others extend from between the intervals in the body, or from the heart, of Meru[9].
On the summit of Meru is the vast city of 叠谤补丑尘腻, extending fourteen thousand leagues, and renowned in heaven; and around it, in the cardinal points and the intermediate quarters, are situated the stately cities of Indra and the other regents of the spheres[10]. The capital of 叠谤补丑尘腻
is enclosed by the river Ganges, which, issuing from the foot of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻, and washing the lunar orb, falls here from the skies[11], and, after encircling the city, divides into four mighty rivers, flowing in opposite directions. These rivers are the 艢墨t膩, the 础濒补办补苍补苍诲腻, the 颁补办峁, and the 叠丑补诲谤腻. The first, falling upon the tops of the inferior mountains, on the east side of Meru, flows over their crests, and passes through the country of 叠丑补诲谤腻艣惫补 to the ocean: the 础濒补办补苍补苍诲腻 flows south, to the country of 叠丑腻谤补迟补, and, dividing into seven rivers on the way, falls into the sea: the 颁补办峁 falls into the sea, after traversing all the western mountains, and passing through the country of 碍别迟耻尘腻濒补: and the 叠丑补诲谤腻 washes the country of the Uttara kurus, and empties itself into the northern ocean[12].
Meru, then, is confined between the mountains 狈墨濒补 and 狈颈峁诲丑补 (on the north and south), and between 惭腻濒测补惫腻苍 and 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 (on the west and east[13]): it lies between them like the pericarp of a lotus. The countries of 叠丑腻谤补迟补, 碍别迟耻尘腻濒补, 叠丑补诲谤腻艣惫补, and Uttarakuru lie, like leaves of the lotus of the world, exterior to the boundary mountains. 闯补峁环补谤补 and 顿别惫补办奴峁璦 are two mountain ranges, running north and south, and connecting the two chains of 狈颈峁诲丑补 and 狈墨濒补. 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 and 碍补颈濒腻蝉补 extend, east and west, eighty Yojanas in breadth, from sea to sea. 狈颈峁诲丑补 and 笔腻谤颈测腻迟谤补 are the limitative mountains on the west, stretching, like those on the east, between the 狈墨濒补 and 狈颈峁诲丑补 ranges: and the mountains Tri艣ri峁単a and J膩rudhi are the northern limits of Meru, extending, east and west, between the two seas[14]. Thus I have repeated to you the mountains described by great sages as the boundary mountains, situated in pairs, on each of the four sides of Meru. Those also, which have been mentioned as the filament mountains (or spurs), 艢墨迟腻苍迟补 and the rest, are exceedingly delightful. The vallies embosomed amongst them are the favourite resorts of the Siddhas and 颁腻谤补峁嘺蝉: and there are situated upon them agreeable forests, and pleasant cities, embellished with the palaces of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻, 尝补办峁墨, Agni, 厂奴谤测补, and other deities, and peopled by celestial spirits; whilst the 驰补办峁蝉, 搁腻办峁蝉补蝉, Daityas, and 顿腻苍补惫补蝉 pursue their pastimes in the vales. These, in short, are the regions of Paradise, or Svarga, the seats of the righteous, and where the wicked do not arrive even after a hundred births.
In the country of 叠丑补诲谤腻艣惫补, 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 resides as Hayas墨r膩 (the horse-headed); in 碍别迟耻尘腻濒补, as 痴补谤腻丑补 (the boar); in 叠丑腻谤补迟补, as the tortoise (碍奴谤尘补); in Kuru, as the fish (Matsya); in his universal form, every where; for Hari pervades all places: he, Maitreya, is the supporter of all things; he is all things. In the eight realms of 碍颈尘辫耻谤耻峁 and the rest (or all exclusive of 叠丑腻谤补迟补) there is no sorrow, nor weariness, nor anxiety, nor hunger, nor apprehension; their inhabitants are exempt from all infirmity and pain, and live in uninterrupted enjoyment for ten or twelve thousand years. Indra never sends rain upon them, for the earth abounds with water. In those places there is no distinction of Krita, Treta, or any succession of ages. In each of these 痴补谤峁蝉 there are respectively seven principal ranges of mountains, from which, oh best of Brahmans, hundreds of rivers take their rise[15].
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
The geography of the Pur膩峁嘺s occurs in most of these works; and in all the main features, the seven 顿惫墨辫补蝉, seven seas, the divisions of 闯补尘产耻-诲惫墨辫补, the situation and extent of Meru, and the subdivisions of 叠丑腻谤补迟补, is the same. The Agni and Br膩hma are word for word the same with our text; and the 碍奴谤尘补, Li峁単a, Matsya, M膩rka峁囜笉eya, and V膩yu present many passages common to them and the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻, or to one another. The V膩yu, as usual, enters most fully into particulars. The Bh膩gavata differs in its nomenclature of the subordinate details from all, and is followed by the Padma. The others either omit the subject, or advert to it but briefly. The Mah膩bh膩rata, Bh墨峁a Parva, has an account essentially the same, and many of the stanzas are common to it and different Pur膩峁嘺s. It does not follow the same order, and has some peculiarities; one of which is calling 闯补尘产耻-诲惫墨辫补, Sudar艣ana, such being the name of the Jambu-tree: it is said also to consist of two portions, called Pippala and 艢a艣a, which are reflected in the lunar orb, as in a mirror.
[2]:
The shape of Meru, according to this description, is that of an inverted cone; and by the comparison to the seed-cup its form should be circular: but there seems to be some uncertainty upon this subject amongst the Paur膩峁噄cs. The Padma compares its form to the bell-shaped flower of the Dhatura. The V膩yu represents it as having four sides of different colours; or, white on the east, yellow on the south, black on the west, and red on the north; but notices also various opinions of the outline of the mountain, which, according to Atri, had a hundred angles; to Bhrigu, a thousand: S膩varni calls it octangular; Bh膩guri, quadrangular; and Var峁Ｄ亂ani says it has a thousand angles: G膩lava makes it saucer-shaped; Garga, twisted, like braided hair; and others maintain that it is circular. The Li峁単a makes its eastern face of the colour of the ruby; its southern, that of the lotus; its western, golden; and its northern, coral. The Matsya has the same colours as the V膩yu, and both contain this line: 鈥楩our-coloured, golden, four-cornered lofty:鈥� but the V膩yu compares its summit, in one place, to a saucer; and observes that its circumference must be thrice its diameter. The Matsya also, rather incompatibly, says the measurement is that of a circular form, but it is considered quadrangular. According to the Buddhists of Ceylon, Meru is said to be of the same diameter throughout. Those of Nepal conceive it to be shaped like a drum. A translation of the description of Meru and its surrounding mountains, contained in the 叠谤补丑尘腻峁囜笉a, which is the same exactly as that in the V膩yu, occurs in the As. Researches, VIII. 343. There are some differences in Col. Wilford's version from that which my MSS. would authorize, but they are not in general of much importance. Some, no doubt, depend upon variations in the readings of the different copies: of others, I must question the accuracy.
[3]:
This diminution is the necessary consequence of the diminished radius of the circle of 闯补尘产耻-诲惫墨辫补, as the mountain ranges recede from the centre.
[4]:
These, being the two outer 痴补谤峁蝉, are said to take the form of a bow; that is, they are exteriorly convex, being segments of the circle.
[5]:
The whole diameter of 闯补尘产耻-诲惫墨辫补 has been said to be 100,000 Yojanas. This is thus divided from north to south: Il膩vrita, in the centre, extends each way 9000, making 18000: Meru itself; at the base, is 16000: the six 痴补谤峁蝉, at 9000 each, are equal to 54000: and the six ranges, at 2000 each, are 12000: and 18 + 16 + 54 + 12 = 100. From east to west the 痴补谤峁蝉 are of the extent necessary to occupy the space of the circle.
[6]:
The Bh膩gavata and Padma call these Mandara, Merumandara, 厂耻辫腻谤艣惫补, and Kumuda.
[7]:
Nauclea Kadamba, Eugenia Jambu, Ficus religiosa, and F. Indica. The Bh膩gavata substitutes a mango-tree for the P墨pal; placing it on Mandara, the Jambu on Merumandara, the Kadamba on 厂耻辫腻谤艣惫补, and the 痴补峁璦 on Kumuda.
[8]:
The Bh膩gavata substitutes Sarvatobhadra for the 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 forest; and calls the lakes, lakes of milk, honey, treacle, and sweet water.
[9]:
The V膩yu gives these names, and many more; and describes at great length forests, lakes, and cities of gods and demigods upon these fabulous mountains, or in the valleys between them. (As. Res. VIII. 354.)
[10]:
The Lokap膩las, or eight deities in that character, Indra, Yama, Varu峁嘺, Kuvera, Vivaswat, Soma, Agni, and V膩yu. Other cities of the gods are placed upon the spurs, or filament mountains, by the V膩yu; or that of 叠谤补丑尘腻 on Hema艣ri峁単a, of 艢a峁卥ara on 碍腻濒补帽箩补谤补, of Garu岣峚 on Vaikanka, and of Kuvera on 碍补颈濒腻蝉补. Himavat is also specified by the same work as the scene of 艢iva's penance, and marriage with Um膩; of his assuming the form of a Kir膩ta, or forester: of the birth of K膩rtikeya, in the 艢ara forest; and of his dividing the mountain Krauncha with his spear. This latter legend, having been somewhat misunderstood by Col. Wilford, is made the theme of one of his fanciful verifications. 鈥淗ere, he (the author of the V膩yu) says, in the forest of 艢a峁卥ha, was born 峁岣嵞乶ana or K膩rtikeya, Mars with six faces. Here he wished or formed the resolution of going to the mountains of Crauncha, Germany, part of Poland, &c. to rest and recreate himself after his fatigues in the wars of the gods with the giants. There, in the skirts of the mountains p. 170 of Crauncha, he flung his sword; the very same which Attila, in the fifth century, asserted he had found under a clod of earth. It was placed in his tomb, where it is probably to be found." As. Res. VIII. 364. The text of which this is in part a representation is, ###. The legend here alluded to is told at length in the V膩mana Pur膩峁嘺. Mahi峁Ｄ乻ura, flying from the battle, in which T膩raka had been slain by K膩rtikeya, took refuge in a cave in the Krauncha mountain. A dispute arising between K膩rtikeya and Indra, as to their respective prowess, they determined to decide the question by circumambulating the mountain; the palm to be given to him who should first go round it. Disagreeing about the result, they appealed to the mountain, who untruly decided in favour of Indra. K膩rtikeya, to punish his injustice, hurled his lance at the mountain Krauncha, and pierced at once it and the demon Mahi峁. Another division of Krauncha is ascribed to Para艣ur膩ma. Megha D奴ta, v.59. Krauncha is also sometimes considered to be the name of an Asura, killed by K膩rtikeya; but this is perhaps some misapprehension of the Paur膩峁噄c legend by the grammarians, springing out of the synonymes of K膩rtikeya, Krau帽c膩ri, Krauncad膩ra峁嘺, &c., implying the foe or destroyer of Krauncha, occurring in the Amara, and other Ko峁s.
[11]:
The Bh膩gavata is more circumstantial. The river flowed over the great toe of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻's left foot, which had previously, as he lifted it up, made a fissure in the shell of the mundane egg, and thus gave entrance to the heavenly stream. The V膩yu merely brings it from the lunar orb, and takes no notice of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻's interposition. In a different passage it describes the detention of Ga峁単膩 amidst the tresses of 艢iva, in order to correct her arrogance, until the divinity was moved by the penance and prayers of king Bhag墨ratha to set her free. The Mah膩bh膩rata represents 艢iva's bearing the river for a hundred years on his head, merely to prevent its falling too suddenly on the mountains.
[12]:
Although the V膩yu has this account, it subsequently inserts another, which is that also of the Matsya and Padma. In this the Ganges, after escaping from 艢iva, is said to have formed seven streams; the Nalin墨, Hl膩din墨, and Pavan墨 going to the east; the 颁补办峁, 艢墨t膩, and Sindhu to the wrest; and the Bh膩girath墨 to the south. The Mah膩bh膩rata calls them Vaswaukas膩ra, Nalin墨, Pavan墨, Ga峁単膩, 艢墨t膩, Sindhu, and Jambunad墨. The more usual legend, however, is the first, and it offers some trace of actual geography. Mr. Faber, indeed, thinks that Meru, with the surrounding 痴补谤峁 of Il膩vrita, and its four rivers, is a representation of the garden of Eden. (Pagan Idolatry, I. 315.) However this may he, it seems not unlikely to have originated in some imperfect account of four great rivers flowing from the Him膩laya, and the high lands north of that range, towards the cardinal points: the 叠丑补诲谤腻, to the north, representing the Oby of Siberia; and the 艢墨t膩, the river of China, or Hoa峁単ho. The 础濒补办补苍补苍诲腻 is well known as a main branch of the Ganges, near its source; and the 颁补办峁s is very possibly, as Major Wilford supposed, the Oxus. (As. Res. VIII. 309.) The printed copy of the Bh膩gavata, and the MS. Padma, read Bank峁; but the former is the more usual reading. It is said, in the V膩yu, of 碍别迟耻尘腻濒补, through which this river runs, that it is peopled by various races of barbarians.
[13]:
The text applies the latter name so variously as to cause confusion: it is given to one of the four buttresses of Meru, that on the south; to one of the filament mountains, on the west; to a range of boundary mountains, on the south; and to the 痴补谤峁 of 碍别迟耻尘腻濒补: here another mountain range is intended, or a chain running north and south, upon the east of Il膩vrita, connecting the 狈墨濒补 and 狈颈峁诲丑补 ranges. Accordingly the V膩yu states it to be 34000 Yojanas in extent; that is, the diameter of Meru 16000, and the breadth of Il膩vrita on each side of it, or together 18000. A similar range, that of 惭腻濒测补惫腻苍, bounds Il膩vrita on the west. It was probably to avoid the confusion arising from similarity of. nomenclature, that the author of the Bh膩gavata substituted different names for 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 in the other instances, calling the buttress, as we have seen, Merumandara; the southern forest, Sarvatobhadra; and the filament mountain, Hansa; restricting the term 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 to the eastern range: a correction, it may be remarked, corroborative of a subsequent date.
[14]:
These eight mountains are similarly enumerated in the Bh膩gavata and V膩yu, but no mention is made in them of any seas, and it is clear that the eastern and western oceans cannot be intended, as the mountains M膩lyavat and 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 intervene. The commentator would seem to understand 鈥楢r峁嘺va鈥� as signifying 鈥榤ountain,鈥� as he says between the seas means within M膩lyavat and 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补; The Bh膩gavata describes these eight mountains as circling Meru for 18000 Yojanas in each direction, leaving, according to the commentator, an interval of a thousand Yojanas between them and the base of the central mountain, and being 2000 high, and as many broad: they may be understood to be the exterior barriers of Meru, separating it from Il膩vritta. The names of these mountains, according to the Bh膩gavata, are 闯补峁环补谤补 and 顿别惫补办奴峁璦 on the east, Pavana and Par墨p膩tra on the west, Tri艣ri峁単a and Makara on the north, and 碍补颈濒腻蝉补 and Karav墨ra on the south. Without believing it possible to verify the position of these different creations of the legendary geography of the Hindus, it can scarcely admit of doubt that the scheme was suggested by imperfect acquaintance with the actual character of the country, by the four great ranges, the Altai, Muztag or Thian-shan, Ku-en-nun, and Him膩laya, which traverse central Asia in a direction from east to west, with a greater or less inclination from north to south, which are connected or divided by many lofty transverse ridges, which enclose several large lakes, and which give rise to the great rivers that water Siberia, China, Tartary, and Hindustan. (Humboldt on the mountains of Central Asia, and Ritter. Geogr. Asia.)
[15]:
More ample details of the 痴补谤峁蝉 are given in the Mah膩bh膩rata, Bh膩gavata, Padma, V膩yu, 碍奴谤尘补, Li峁単a, Matsya, and M膩rka峁囜笉eya Pur膩峁嘺s; but they are of an entirely fanciful nature. Thus of the 碍别迟耻尘腻濒补-var峁 it is said, in the V膩yu, the men are black, the women of the complexion of the lotus; the people subsist upon the fruit of the Panasa or jack-tree, and live for ten thousand years, exempt from sorrow or sickness: seven Kula or main ranges of mountains in it are named, and a long list of countries and rivers is added, none of which can be identified with any actually existing, except perhaps the greats river the Sucak峁s, the Amu or Oxus. According to the Bh膩gavata, 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 is worshipped as K膩madeva in 碍别迟耻尘腻濒补. The V膩yu says the object of adoration there is 莫艣vara, the son of 叠谤补丑尘腻. Similar circumstances are asserted of the other 痴补谤峁蝉. See also As. Res. VIII. 352.