Bhumi Parva — Description of Shakadvipa

Dhritarashtra said O Sanjaya, you have described to me. Jambukhanda. Tell me now its dimensions and extent.

O Sanjaya, tell me also of the extent of the oceans, of Shakadvipa, and of Kushadvipa.

Of Shalmalidvipa and of Kraunchadvipa. O son of Gavalgani, tell me also of Rahu, Soma and Surya.

Sanjaya said O king, there are many islands in this earth. But I shall describe to you only seven islands and also the moon, and the sun and the planets.

O king, the Jambu mountain extends for full eighteen thousand and six hundred Yojanas.

The extent of the salt sea is said to be double of it. this sea is covered with many kingdoms. It is adorned with gems and corals.

It is adorned with many mountains that are variegated with metals of various kinds. It is circular in form like a sea, and is thickly peopled by the Siddhas and the Charanas.

O descendant of Bharata. O scion of the Kuru race, I shall now speak to you in detail of Shakadvipa. Hear as I describe it.

O that island is twice as large as the Jambudvipa. O king of kings, the ocean also is twice as large as that island.

O best of the Bharata race, Shakadvipa is surrounded on all sides by the sea of milk. Its kingdoms are full of righteousness and its men never die.

There is no famine there. The people all possess forgiveness and great prowess. O best of the Bharata race, I have briefly spoken to you about Shakadvipa. What else. O king, do you desire to hear.

Dhritarashtra said You have briefly told me of Shakadvipa. O greatly wise one, tell me now everything in detail.

O king there are seven mountains in that island. They are decked with jewels and there are mines of gems and precious stones. There are many rivers in that island. Hear, as I tell you their names. O king, every thing there is charming and delightful. The first of those mountains is called Meru. It is the abode of the celestials, the Rishis and the Gandharvas.

O king, the next mountains stretching castward is called the Malaya. It is there that the clouds are born, and it is from that place that they disperse on all sides.

O descendant of Kuru, the next is the large mountain, called Jaladhara. From it, Indra daily takes water of the best quality.

O ruler of men, it is from that water that we get showers in the rains. Next is the great mountain, called Raivataka over which has been permanently placed in the sky of constellation Rohini. This arrangement has been made by the Grandsire (Brahma) himself. O great king, on the north of this mountains is one called Syama.

It is as bright as the newly risen clouds. It is high beautiful and bright. O king, as the colour of that mountain is black, all the people that live there are dark.

Dhritarashtra said O Sanjaya, a great doubt has arisen in my mind. Why, O son of Suta, people of that country are dark?

Sanjaya said O great king, O descendant of Kuru in all islands men may be found who are fair and those who are dark and those also who are born by the mixture of the white and the black races.

But because the people are all dark there, that mountain is called the Dark mountain. O chief of the Kurus, next to this is the great mountain, called Durgashaila.

Then is the mountain, called Kesari. The breezes, that blow from the mountain, are all charged with effluvia. The height of this mountain is double of the one just mentioned.

O descendant of Kuru it is said by the learned that there are seven Varshas in that island. The Varsha of Meru is called Mahakasha, that of the water-giver (Malaya) is called Kumudottara. That of Jaladhara is called that of Shyama, called Manikanchana.

That of Kesara is called Modaki and that of the next mountain is called Mahapuman. In the midst of that island is a large tree called Shaka. In height and breadth that tree is equal to that of the Jambu tree in Jambudvipa. The people always worship that tree.

In that island there are many charming countries in which Shiva is worshipped. The Siddhas, the Charanas and the celestial go there.

O king, the people there are all virtuous, O descendant of Bharata, all the four orders of men there are engaged in their respective duties. There occurs not a case of theft.

O king, being free from old age and death, and possessing long life, the people there grow like rivers in the rains.

The rivers there are all full of sacred water. Ganga herself, distributed as she is in various countries, is also there. Sukumari, Kumari, Shitashi and Venika.

Mahanadi, the Manijala, Chakshuas, and the river Vardhanika, O descendant of Kuru, O best of the Bharata race.

These and many other rivers by hundreds and thousands all full of sacred water are there. O perpetuator of the Kuru race, Vasava (Indra) draws water from them to shower as rain.

It is impossible to mention the names and lengths of these rivers. All of them are the foremost of all rivers, and they are all sincleansing.

As every body has heard in the island of Shaka there are four sacred countries. They are the Mrigas, the Mashakas, the Manasas and the Mandagas.

The Mrigas are generally Brahmanas engaged in the duties of their own. Many virtuous Kshatriyas are among the Mashakas who grant every wish of the Brahmanas.

O king, the Manasas follow the duties of the Vaishyas. Having all their desires gratified, they are brave and firmly devoted to Dharma and Artha.

The Mandagas are all brave Shudras and they are all virtuous. O king, in these countries, there is no king, no punishment, and no person who deserves to be punished.

They are all engaged in the practice of their respective duties and they all protect one another. So much can be said of the Shaka island and so much only could be heard of that greatly powerful isiand.