जम्बूखण्ड-विनिर्माण पर्व — माल्यवान् का वर्णन

Dhritarashtra said O Sanjaya, O greatly intelligent one, tell me in detail about the country on the north and the east of the Meru and also about the Malyavat mountain.

Sanjaya said O king, on the south of the Nila mountain and on the north of the Meru are the sacred Northern Kurus where dwell the Siddhas,

The trees there bear sweet fruits, and are always covered with flowers and fruits. All the flowers are of the sweetest fragrance and all the fruits are of the best taste.

O king, some of the trees produce fruits as one desires to cat. There are some trees that are called "Milk-yielding".

They always produce milk and the six different kinds of food with the taste of ambrosia. They also produce cloths, and their fruits are ornaments.

The whole ground is covered with gems and golden sands. A certain part of this region which is extremely delightful is seen to be as radiant as the ruby or the diamond or the Vaidurya gem or other jewels or of the hue of the lotus. O king, all the seasons there are charming, and no part of its ground ever for comes miry.

Its tanks are charming, delicious and full of pure water. The men born there have all come down from the land of the celestial.

All are of pure birth and all are exceedingly handsome. Husband and wife are born there and women there are like the Apsaras in beauty.

They drink the milk of these “Milkyielding” trees which is as sweet as the ambrosia. The pair grow up there equally.

O king, they, both possessing equal beauty, both possessing equal virtues, both wearing equal dresses, grow up in great love like a pair of Chakravakas (birds).

The dwellers of this region are free from diseases. They are ever happy. O king, they live ten thousand and ten hundred years and they never abandon one another. A kind of birds called Bharunda of sharp beaks and of great strength takes them up when dead and throws them into the mountain caves. O king, I have now described to you the northern Kuru.

I shall now describe to you the eastern side of the mountain Meru. O king, of all the regions there, one called Bhadrashva is the foremost.

There is a large forest of Bhadrashva and also a very big tree called Kalamra. O king, this Kalamra is always full of fruits and flowers.

It is a Yojana in height. It is adorned by the Siddhas and the Charanas. The men there are all while. They possess great energy and great strength.

The women possess the complexion like that of lillies. They are very beautiful and charming. They possess the radiance of the morn; they are as white as the morn. Their faces are like full moon.

Their bodies are as cool as the rays of the moon, They are all highly accomplished in singing and dancing. O foremost of the Bharata race the length of life here is ten thousand years.

They remain young for ever by drinking the juice of the Kalamra tree. On the north of the Nishadha.

There is a very large Jambu tree by name of Sudarshana which is eternal. When adorned by the Siddhas and Charanas, that sacred tree grants every desire.

This country has been named Jambudvipa after the name of this tree. O best of the Bharata race, O ruler of men, this tree is in height one thousand and one hundred Yojanas. It touches the very heavens. The circumference of a fruit of that free which bursts by itself when ripe is eleven thousand and five hundred cubits. In falling on the ground, they make a very loud noise.

O king, then they pour out a silvery juice on the ground. O king, that juice of the Jambu, becoming a river.

Passing round the Meru mountains comes to the country of the northern Kurus. If that juice is drunk, it gives peace of mind. No thirst is ever after felt. O king, old age never comes. A kind of gold called Jambunada is also produced there. They are used in making celestial weapons. They are very shining and look like the Indragopaka insccts. The men born there possess the complexion of the morning sun.

O best of the Bharata race on the summit of the Malyavan is always seen the fire called Samvartaka, the fire that blazes forth at the end of a Yoga to destroy the universe.

o summit of the Malyavat, small mountains. O king, the Malyavat measures eleven thousand Yojanas.

The men born there possess complexion like gold. They have all descendent from the abode of Brahma, and thcy are all utterers of the Vedas.

The undergo severe asceticism. They have their passions under complete control. They all enter the sun for the protection of creation.

They are sixty six thousand in number. They proceed in front of Aruna and surrounded the sun.

Having been heated with the sun's rays for sixty six thousand years, they then enter the solar disc.