Bhagavad-Yana Parva — words of Garuda

Suparna said This direction is the favorite one of king Varuna, the lord of the seas. In fact this has been the region of the birth of the king of the waters and even the region of his influence.

Here does the sun abandon his rays himself last of all ((Paschata) in the day; this is known as the western direction, O best among the twice born.

For ruling over aquatic animals and for the protection of the waters, the illustrious and divine sage Kashyapa anointed Varuna.

Here having drunk all the six juices of Varuna, the moon, the destroyer of darkness, becomes new again in the very beginning of the light half of the month.

Here were the Daityas vanquished by Vayu and then confined by him; and O twice born one, they slept here (the sleep that knows no waking) breathing hard and afflicted by a high wind.

Here does the mountain named Asta receive the sun as if in love owing to which the evening twilight vanishes away in the west.

From here at the end of the day do the night and sleep come and spread themselves as it were to steal away half the life of living creatures.

In this quarter seeing the goddess Diti, who bore a child, asleep, Shakra cut up the focus from which were born the group of Maruts.

In this direction the base of the Himavat mountain is extended to the eternal Mandara and no one can reach the end of this mountain even in a thousand years.

In this direction coming to the shore of the sea having golden mountains and golden lotuses, does Suravi yield her milk.

Here in the midst of this ocean is seen the hcadless truck of Svarabhanu, (Rahu) who is like the sun himself, lever bent on allowing the sun the moon.

Here is heard the loud sound of chanting (the Vedas) by Suvarnashiras who is ever youthful and who is immeasurable and invincible in energy.

Here the daughter of Harimedhas named Dhvajavati remained fixed to the sky by the command of the sun who said-Remain here, remain here.

Here wind and fire and water and earth, O Galava, remain dispossessed of the power of giving pain at their contact, day and night.

From this place forward the sun has recourse to a straight path and here do all the luminous bodies enter the sphere of Aditi (the solar sphere).

Having journeyed for twenty eight nights in company with the sun they come out again from the solar sphere, being united with the moon.

Here in this direction life the sources of rivers from which again rise the seas and here in the region of Varuna are the waters of all the three worlds.

Here is the residence, of Ananta, the king of snakes and here is the place of Vishnu, who has no beginning nor end and than whom nothing is better.

Here is also the residence of Pavana (wind) the friend of Anala (fire) and here is the residence of the great Rishi Kashyapa, the son of Maricha.

This western direction is described to you in the course of my description of the cardinal points; speak, O Galava, ( best among the twice born, in which direction you will go.