Sūta said:
1. I shall now describe the valleys of the southern quarter, frequented by the Siddhas. Listen to them in due order.
2-3. In the midst of the leading mountain Shishira and Patanga, there is the charming forest of Udumbara.2 Its ground is gloriously smooth and polished. The creepers there embrace (twine round) the trees. It shines with huge trees with lofty tops. It is resorted to by the flocks of birds.
2. Shishira and Patanga-mountains to the south of the Mänasa Lake- CGEIL p. 45.
4. The glittering forest shines with ripe fruits as big as great pitchers. They are ripe, coral-coloured, charming and full of honey.
5. Siddhas, Yakşhas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Serpents and jolly Vidyadharas subsist themselves perpetually on them.
6. There, the rivers contain ample water, clear and sweet. There are lakes all round with tasty pure water,
7. There is a charming hermitage of the holy lord Kardama Prajāpati, where Devas live. All around, it is surrounded by forests of variegated colours. It is circular extending to hundred Yojanas.
8-11. Between the mountains Tämravarna and Patanga there is a highly sacred lake, a hundred Yojanas wide and two hundred Yojanas long. It is beautified with white lotuses as refulgent as the midday sun and full-blown red big lotuses with thousand petals. The water therein shines with sweet-smelling blooming, red and blue lilies with the honey bees resting within. The lake is resorted to by Devas, Dānavas and great serpents. It is decorated with clusters of blue lotus flowers.
12. There is a country within, a hundred Yojanas long and thirty Yojanas wide. It is embellished with red minerals,
13-15. There is a flourishing city with beautiful ramparts and high archways. It is teeming with men and women. The houses have turrets with stable sloping roofs studded diversely and separately with jewels. The grounds are paved with gem slabs of various colours. There are bed-coverings smooth and variegated. There are rows of mansions excellent and lofty. Such a beautiful city of Vidyadharas splendidly shines there.
16. The famous lord of Vidyadharas, Puloman, is there. His dress and features are variegated. He wears garlands. His lustre resembles the splendour of Lord Indra.
17. He is the emperor of thousands of resplendent Vidyadharas having the splendour comparable to the sun, wearing variegated dresses.
18-19. Between the great mountain Vishakha and Patanga, on the eastern bank of the lake Tamravarna is the famous mango grove. It is hit by the five arrows of the Cupid. The trees have splendid boughs. They shine in various colours, bearing fruits in all seasons. The grove is flourishing and prosperous.
20. The fruits are golden in colour and very tasty. They are sweet-smelling and of the size of big pitchers. They spread their branches on all sides thickly.
21. Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Yakşhas, Nägas and Vidyadharas drink the sweet ambrosial juice of the mango fruits.
22. The exhilarations of those who drink the mango juice merrily and are thus delighted and nourished, are heard in the great forest.
23-24. O Brāhmaṇas, between the lordly mountain Sumula and Vasudhāra, there is a Bilvasthali, fifty Yojanas long and thirty Yojanas wide. It is a level land sweet-smelling and flourishing. It is lovely due to the presence of birds. It is pure. The trees bear fruits which are hanging very low.
25. The soil on the ground is wet and damp with the shattering and shattered sweet Bilva fruits resembling coral (in colour) and comparatively large.
26. Yakshas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Siddhas and Nagas mostly eating only the Bilva fruits, live in that natural region.
27-28. In between Vasudhāra and Ratnadhára is the beautiful fragrant forest of Kimśhuka (Butea frondosa) a hundred Yojanas long and thirty Yojanas wide, where the trees always bloom. ‘With the rich growth of flowers, it seems to be blazing all round.
29. By its divine fragrance the whole region is sweetened up to a hundred Yojanas in the forests all round.
30. That beautiful forest of Kimshuka trees is resorted to by Siddhas, Charañas and Apsaras-s. It is bedecked with various water-sheds.
31. There is a great brilliant abode of lord Aditya there. Every month Prajāpati Sūrya descends there.
32. There, multitudes of Siddhas bow to the thousand-rayed excellent lord Sun who is honoured by all the worlds and who is the creator of Time.
33-34. In between the mountains of Pañchakūta and Kailāsa is an impassable land, a hundred Yojanas long and thirty-six Yojanas wide. Small animals cannot live there. It is as white as a swan all round. No animal can cross it. It is awe-inspiring.
35. Thus the valleys in the southern tract have been enumerated in due order, wholly. They are resorted to by the groups of Siddhas.
36. O excellent Brāhmaṇas! Now listen to the description of the valleys which are located on the west.
37. In the central part between Suvaksha and Shikhishaila mountains, is a rocky and stony stretch of land extending to one hundred Yojanas on all sides.1
1. Verses 37-44: This is the Kulyab region in Tajikistan (USSR). Near Kulyab two mountains Devāpi (Hoja Sartis) and Gaya are the biggest salt cupolas and as such have sub-terranean gas. "Scientific investigation has shown that the Kulyab district is one of the biggest gas bearing districts in Tajikistan", States P. Luknitsky in Soviet Tajikistan, p. 209. The Aśhrama of Bruhaspati is probably modern Kulyab-AGP 93-95.
The subterranean gas explains the phenomenon in vv. 38-41 attributed to Samvartaka fire by the purana writer.
38. It is always hot. People are afraid of touching that surface. It produces horripilation. It is inaccessible to creatures. It is terrible even to gods.
39. In the central part of that rocky surface, the zone of which is thirty Yojanas, there is a terrible abode of the Fire-god where thousands of fames are thrown out.
40. There the Fire-god is always burning without any fuel. He blazes there perpetually.
41. That Samvartaka (the fire that ultimately destroys the world) blazes there eternally. As tutelary deity it receives its share in the sacrifice.
42. Between the two great mountains there is an auspicious pond of Devas (Deva-vāpi1?). There is a tract (of land) of ten Yojanas known as Mātulinga.
1. The text Devā vāpi is obscure. Deva-vapi which also suits the metre and meaning, is a conjectural emendation,
43. That great region is wholly splendid with ripe fruits of golden lustre and juice sweet as honey.
44. The holy hermitage of Bruhaspati is there. It is resorted to by saints. It gives pleasure and fulfils desires.
45. There is the valley between two great mountains Kumuda and Añjana. It is called Kesara2 and it covers several Yojanas and is abounding in Bakula trees.
2. Verses 45-48: This valley between mountains Kumuda and Anjana. (i.e. modern Rangan Tau Range and the southern longitudinal spurs of the Hissar Range) was famous for the production of saffron (Kesara). In the Middle Ages the two areas—Shuman (mod. Dushambe) and Veshagird (mod. Foyzabad on the Illaq) in this valley were famous for production of saffron. M. Ali suggests that the Vişhnu temple (in v. 48) is the Anzob peak of the Hissar Range--AGP 95.
46-47. The forest shines with spotted and brindled flowers blooming in every season. These flowers are two Hastas (cubits) in length and three Hastas in girth. They have the colours of lunar rays. They are full-blown. They are resonant with the humming sounds of inebriated bees. They are charming and fragrant with honey, ghee and pollen-powder.
48. The great resplendent temple of Vişhnu, the leader of the Devas, is there. It is well-known in three worlds and respected by all.
49-50. In the middle of the excellent mountains Krişhna and Pandura, there is a single tract of smooth rocky land ninety Yojanas in length and thirty Yojanas in width.1 It is devoid of trees and creepers. There walking is easy and pleasurable because the surface is nowhere uneven.
1. Verses 49-59 describes the basin of the lower Surkhan. The Ananta-Sadas (the home of Ananta) in v.59 is somewhere near modern Termez (AGP 95).
51. In the middle there is a charming grove of land-lotuses. It is decorated with full-blown lotuses of thousand petals of the size of huge umbrellas.
52-54. That extensive grove of land-lotuses is frequented by Yakşhas, Gandharvas, and resorted to by Siddhas and Chăraņas. Hovering round these flowers, the inebriated honey bees hum and buzz. Kinnaras with voices of sweet and choked throats sing the glory of the flowers. There are white lotuses of charming appearance, fragrant hundred-petalled lilies and full blown flowers with blue petals.
55-57, In the midst of that lotus-grove, there is a Nyagrodha tree extending over an area of five Yojanas. It has stout trunk and various steps of ascent (several branches). There, the glorious moon-lustred lord Visnu is worshipped by Yakşhas, Gandharvas and Vidyadharas. The lord has a thousand faces. He is the destroyer of the enemies of Devas. He wears blue clothes. His face resembles the full moon. He wears the garland of lotuses. He is blessed and ever victorious.
58. In that abode the immortal Vişhnu himself is worshipped by Siddhas and Chärañas with different lotuses as presents.
59. That place is known in all the world as the home of Ananta (Ananta-Sadas). It is brightened with garlands of lotuses and other flowers suspended there-in.
60-61. In the central part of Sahasra-śhikhara and Kumuda2 there is a peak, an arrow’s range high, fifty Yojanas long and thirty Yojanas wide. It is resorted to by various birds. It abounds in tall trees all round, dripping with honey and bearing fruits as big as an elephant. They are sweet-smelling and most delicious.
2. This peak is the snow covered peak Bazzengi (16456 feet) at the meeting place of the Hissar and Zarafshan ranges (Kumuda and Sahasra Shikhara)—AGP 96.
62. The highly meritorious and well-known hermitage of Shukra of holy rites is there. It is resplendent and resorted to by multitudes of sages and gods.
63. Between mountains Shankukūta and Vrushabha, there is a beautiful region of Parūşhaka (Grewia Asiatica ?) which extends to many Yojanas.
64. The ground is moistened with the fruits of Parūshas fallen from their stalks. They are as big as Bilvas. They are auspicious, sweet and fragrant.
65. Kinnaras, serpents and Saints live in that region. They are elated by the juice of Parūşhaka. The Chäraņas thereof are highly honoured.
66-67. In the middle of Kapiñjala and Nāga mountains, there is a beautiful region two hundred Yojanas long and a hundred Yojanas wide. It is decorated with various forests and endowed with various flowers and fruits. It is resorted to by Kinnaras and Uragas (serpents).
68-70. There are charming groves of grapes, Nāga-leaves, Kharjūras, blue Ashoka groves, tasty pomegranates, Akshotaka (walnuts), Atasi (linseed), Tilaka, gingelly seeds and plantain groves. There are small plots of tasty Badari fruits. They are auspicious regions brightened by rivers full of tasty, cool water.
71. The ground between the mountains Puşhpaka and Mahamegha is a hundred Yojanas long and sixty Yojanas wide.
72. That is a level land like the palm of the hand, firm, thick and white. It is devoid of trees, hedges, creepers and grass.
73. It is devoid of animals too. It is a forest region, terrible and horripilating.
74. There are great lakes, great trees, great forests all round,
75. This region of lakes and forests is the abode of Prajāpati. There is no end to the number of minor lakes there.
76. The lakes, chasms, forests and regions are of various sizes—ten, twelve, seven, eight, twenty or thirty Yojanas.
77. Some of them are dark and terrible. The caves of the mountains are never touched by the rays of the sun. They are always cold and inaccessible.
78. O Excellent Brāhmaṇas, there are lakes with hot water within the mountains, hundreds and thousands in number.