Suta said:
1. The mountain Kailasa1 is on the left of Himavat. Here lives the prosperous Kubera along with the Rakshasas. The ruler of Alaka rejoices in the company of Apsaras-s.
1. The description of Kailasa here, though poetic, shows that the Purana writer was conversant with the topographical features of the Manasa Sarovar basin-AGP 55-58.
2-3. Splendid, auspicious, cool water flows from the foot of Kailasa into a lake called Manda. It is full of lilies and is sparkling like autumnal clouds. From that (lake) proceeds the auspicious, heavenly river Mandakini.2 On its bank stands a great celestial forest called Nandana.
2. Probably this is the river Uma and the Zhong Chhu which flows through Gauri Kunda on the eastern flank of mount Kailasa into the Rakshasa Tal (the twin lake of the Manasa Sarovar)-AGP 65.
4-5. To the north-east of Kailasa, there is a mountain called Chandraprabha near mount Suvarna which abounds in celestial animals, medicinal herbs and minerals for the use of Devas. The mountain Chandraprabha3 is like a pure jewel. There is a divine lake Acchoda at its foot.
3. Probably the Surange La, the NE range of Kailasa from which water flows into Lake Kongys Tso or Lake Gounche-AGP 65.
6. From that lake rises the divine river Acchoda. On its banks there is a great, sacred forest Chaitraratha.
7. Manibhadra, a general of Yakshas, lives on that mountain along with his attendants. He is surrounded by his retinue of fierce Guhyakas.
8. The holy river Mandakini and the river Acchoda flow into the great ocean through this zone of the earth.
9-11. South-east of Kailasa, there is the great mountain Lohita. It is brilliant like the sun and has peaks of gold. It is adjacent to the heavenly mountain Pishanga that abounds in red arsenic. It is full of auspicious animals and medicinal herbs. At the foot of the mountain (Lohita), there is a great divine lake called Lohita, from which flows the great auspicious water (river) called Lauhitya.1 On its bank there is a great divine forest of gods, called Vishoka.
1. This is the Brahmaputra. From a small lake at the foot of the mountain, the Brahmaputra enters Tamchok Khambah, the headwater of the Brahmaputra—AGP 66.
12. On that excellent mountain there lives the self-control led Manivara Yaksha, along with his retinue of righteous Guhyakas.
13-14. The great mountain Vaidyuta2 consisting of variegated minerals and metals lies near the Anjana mountain born of the body of the demon Vrutra. It has three peaks and it abounds in ferocious animals and medicinal herbs. It is on the southern side of Kailasa. At the foot of the mountain Vaidyuta, there is the holy lake Manasa where Siddhas live.
2. This is the peak Gurla Mandhata, since lake Manasa Sarovar lies below its northern face and the river Karnali (Map Chhu of Tibetans), a major tributary of the Sarayu, rises here AGP 66.
15. From that lake rises the sacred Sarayu that sanctifies the worlds. The divine forest on its bank is very famous by the name Vaibhraja.
16. The Rakshasa Brahmapata, an attendant of Kubera and son of Prahetru lives there. He has infinite valour (yet) he is self-controlled. He is surrounded by hundreds of Yatudhanas capable of traversing aerial regions.
17-19. To the west of Kailasa, there is the excellent mountain Aruna3 It is full of important animals, medicinal herbs, gold and other minerals. Nearby is the mountain Munjavat, a glorious mountain resembling clouds. This is a favourite haunt of the great Lord Shankara. It is surrounded by clusters of rocks, pure and golden. It appears (as if) to brush the heaven with its hundreds of golden peaks. This great divine mountain is snow-capped and inaccessible.
3. This is the Ladakh or Leh range (Ibid).
20-21. On this mountain lives Lord Dhumra-Lohita,4 the king of mountains. At its foot there is the lake Shailoda5 from which flows the heavenly river Shailoda. Between the rivers Cakshus and Shita (Sita), it enters the sea.
4. According to M. Ali, it is the Nanga Parbat (for details vide AGP 66-67).
5. M. Ali identifies lake Shailoda with the Wular lake which once occupied the whole of Kashmir-AGP 67.
22-23. The famous divine forest Surabhi lies on its banks North of Kailasa there lies a mountain Gaura by name, which is the resort of auspicious beings and abounds in medicinal herbs and yellow orpiment. It is a splendid bejewelled mountain having golden peaks.
24. At the foot of the mountain, there is a splendid lake called Bindusaras.1 Even its sands are of gold. It was to this lake that Bhagiratha came.
1. The name is explained in two ways:
(i) A collection of drops of water. The basin between mountain Aling Kangri and Kailasa Tanglha is dotted with innumerable small and large lakes.
(ii) A lake of frozen particles of snow. In the past the basin Aling Kangri and Kailasa Tanglha was an extensive snowfield.
25. For the sake of the river Ganga, that saintly king lived there for many years (thinking to himself:) “My ancestors will go to heaven, if they are bathed in the waters of the Ganga.”
26. The goddess Ganga (lit. a river flowing through three paths, viz, the heaven, the earth and the nether-world)2 was first initiated there. Rising from the foot of Soma mountain, she divides herself in seven streams.
2. Verses 26-40 describe the natural phenomenon called descent of the Ganga. The term Tripathaga indicates the three stages in the descent of the Ganga, viz. (i) the Milky Way in the sky, (ii) Snowy or Glacial Ganga and (iii) the Fluvial Ganga. Out of these Akasha-Ganga is a poetic name for the Milky Way (v. 28). The confinement of the Ganga in the matted hair of god Shiva (vv. 29-33) is the glacial stage and the release of Ganga (v. 36) indicates the melting of the snowfields and glaciers. M. Ali depicts the whole process graphically (op.cit. pp. 63-64) but he does not explain the role of Bhagiratha in this descent. Did he manage through his engineers to divert that river to India in the south?
27. There the sacrificial posts are made of precious stones. The citis (oblong quadrilateral sacrificial pits) are golden. It was after performing a sacrifice there that Indra along with attending Devas attained to Shiva.
28. The innumerable stars of the milky way in the clear sky, which look very close to each other and glitter brightly at night are nothing but the goddess Ganga.
29. Having flowed through the sky and the heaven, the Ganga came down upon the earth. When she fell down on the head of Shiva, he held (up) her with his Yogic Maya power.
30. As the river became furious, some drops (of her water) fell on the earth and created a lake of drops and hence came to be known as Bindusaras.
31-33. It is reported that when (the flow of) the goddess Ganga was checked by Shiva smilingly, she planned in her mind of sweeping away god Siva: “I will cut my way (to Patala) and carry off Shankara along with my current”. On coming to know the wicked design Lord Shiva intended to keep her in obscurity in his body (head). Realizing the cruel intention of the river, he confined her on his head, as she fell down with force on the earth.
34-35. At the same time Lord Shiva saw before him King Bhagiratha who had grown emaciated, and a veritable network of (visible) veins and whose sense-organs were not functioning well due to hunger. The Lord thought to himself, “I have been propitiated by him (this king) earlier for this river.” Becoming aware of the boon granted to him earlier, he controlled his anger (against the river).
36. On hearing the request of God Brahma to keep up his promise, the Lord released the river held up by him by his prowess, for the sake of Bhagiratha by whose severe penance he felt satisfied.
37-39. As the river was being released, the flow of the river started in seven currents. Three of them flowed to the east and three to the west. The entire course of the river Ganga was divided into seven parts. Nalini, Hradini and Pavani1 flowed to the east. Sita, Cakshu and Sindhu flowed to the west. The seventh current led by Bhagiratha flowed to the south.
1. M. Ali (op. cit. p. 69) identifies Nalini, Hradini and Pavani-the east-flowing rivers with Yangtse, Mekong and Salween, the rivers flowing to the west, viz. Sita, Cakshus and Sindhu with Yarkand, Shyok and Indus while the southern river Bhagirathi is the Ganga. De, however, identifies Sita with Jaxartes (p. 181) and Cakshus with Oxus or Amudariya (p.43).
40. Hence it is known as the Bhagirathi. That river entered the salt ocean. All these (seven currents) offer devotion to the Varsha called Hima.
41-43. These seven streams issuing from the Bindu lake sanctify several countries mainly occupied by Mlecchas and approach a place where Indra showers the rain. They are as follows: Sirindhras, Kuntalas, Chinas, Barbaras, Yavasas, Druhas, Rushanas, Kunindas and Angalokavaras, the river Sita divides the desert of Sindhu into two and flows into the western ocean.
44. The river Cakshu flows through these countries: Chinamarus (Chinese desert?), Nanganas, Sarvamulikas, Sadhras, Tusharas, Tampakas, Pahlavas, Daradas, and Shakas. It then falls into the ocean.
45-49. The Ganga sanctifies the auspicious Aryan countries: Daradas, Kashmiras, Gandharas, Varapas, Hradas, Shivapauras, Indrahasas, Vedatis, Visarjayas, Saindhavas, Randhrakarakas, Bhramaras, Abhiras, Rohakas, Sunamukhas, Urdhvamanus, the places frequented by Siddhas and Charanas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Vidyadharas and Uragas (Serpents), Kalapa-gramakas, Paradas, Siganas, Khasas, Kiratas, Pulindas, Kurus, Bharatas, Panchalas, Kashi, Matsyas, Magadhas, Angas, Brahmottaras, Vangas and Tam (r) aliptas.
50. Obstructed by the Vindhya mountain, it falls into the southern sea. The holy river Ahladini (one of its eastern branches) flows to the east.
51-55. It inundates the habitations of the Nishadas, Dhivaras, Rushikas, Nilamukhas, Keralas, Ushtrakarnas, Kiratas, Kalodaras, Vivarnas. Then it vanishes into the expanse of the sea towards the east. The branch Pavani also flows to the east sanctifying Apathas, Indradyumna lake, Kharapathas, Indrashankupathas, the middle of the garden Maskara and Kuthapravarana. Near Indradvipa, it enters the salt ocean.
56-58. The branch Nalini flows to the east sanctifying the Tomaras, Hamsamargas and Huhukas. Rising in the eastern lands and piercing through mountains in several places, it reaches Karnapravaranas and Ashvamukhas. After passing through the desert mountains, it reaches Vidyadharas. It flows into the great ocean at the Nemimandala Koshtha.
59. The branches and tributaries of these rivers are hundreds and thousands. They fall into the ocean as the water is showered by Indra.
60. On the banks of the river Vasvokasa, on the peak Harishrunga famous for its fragrant waters, lives the scholar Kauberaka of self-control.
61. Yajnopeta, Sumahan, Amitaujas and Suvikrama are his attendants. They are on par with him. Kauberaka is surrounded by scholarly Brahma-Rakshasas of the family of Agastya.
62. The prosperity of the inhabitants of mountains should be known thus. Through mutual cooperation their prosperity arising from Dharma (Virtue), Artha (Wealth) and Kama (Love) becomes doubled.
63. Behind Hemakuta there is the lake Sayana.1 The rivers Manasvini and Jyotishmati emerge from this lake.
1. This lake known as Naga in other Puranas is the Lake ‘Naktso’ which with Pangong Tso forms an extensive water sheet-AGP 71.
64. They flow into the eastern and western oceans respectively. On the excellent mountain Nishadha is the lake Vishnupada.2
2. Now known as Lake Chakmaktin, the source of the Wakhan river which flows west in the land of Gandharvas. It is in the Wakhan region that mounts Meru and Nishadha come closer to each other-AGP 71.
65. The two rivers, Gandharvi and Nanvali rise from it. There is a great eddy called Chandraprabha rising to the west of Meru.
66. The holy river of Jambu juice, the source of the splendid gold (called Jambunada) flows from here. The lake Payoda,3 as splendid as the white lotus, is on the mount Nila.
3. M. Ali identifies this with the Kara Kul of northern Pamirs. It is a twin lake mentioned as Payoda and Pundarika. (like lakes Marasa Sarovar and Rakshasa Tal in the South Kailasa region). Hence this twin lake Kara Kul is aptly called Uttara Manasa.
67. It is from this lake that the rivers Pundarika and Payoda have their source. The holy lake Uttara-manasa rises from mount Shveta.
68-69. The two rivers Jyotsna and Mrugakanta rise from this (lake). The holy lake known as Rudrakanta is4 full of honey and lotuses and is agitated by fishes and birds. It abounds in wish-yielding trees. It is pleasant and sweet like honey. It is reported that it is created by Shiva.
4. M. Ali believes that the lakes in v. 68-70 were in Siberia-AGP 72.
70. There are twelve famous lakes full of lotuses, fishes and birds. They are named as Rudrajayas and they are (big) like seas.
71. From these lakes there emerge the rivers Shanta and Madhvi. There is no rainfall in the Kimpurusha continent.
72-73. Excellent rivers flow here with waters from the sub terranean regions. These blessed rivers flow through the mountains Rushabha, Dundubhi, Dhumra and Mahagiri, to the east and fall into the briny sea. Others flow to the north over the mountains Chandrakanka, Prana, Mahan and Agni and merge into the great ocean.
74. The mountains Somaka, Varaha and Narada extend to the west upto the briny sea.
75-76. The great mountains Chakra, Balahaka and Mainaka extend to the Southern Ocean. In between Chandra and Mainaka, to the south, there is the great fire Samvartaka which consumes the waters of the ocean. It is known as Aurva and Vadavamukha.
77-78. The twelve mountains entered the ocean because they feared Mahendra who would have cut off their wings. What is seen reflected in the form of a black hare on the white (orb of the) moon is the replica of Bharatavarsha divided into nine regions. It is seen in the moon that rises here and not elsewhere.
79-80. These countries become more and more flourishing in respect of good qualities, health, longevity and magnitude based on virtue, love and wealth. Different kinds and castes of people and other living beings endowed with good qualities live in the different countries. Thus, the Earth holds the entire universe.