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338
Bhagavati Sūtra
6. Jambu-dvipa is 1,00,000 yojanas in length, and so also in breadth. It is encircled on all sides by the Salt Sea whose water is saline. It is 2,00,000 yojanas in length and so also in breadth. They are served by four suns and four moons. Jambū-dvīpa is round like a saucer and the Salt sea is round like a bangle. Thus the Salt Sea encircles Jambu-dvipa. The Salt Sea has a floor area which is 24 times that of Jambū-dvipa.
7. Encircling the Salt Sea, again like a bangle, is the isle (continent) called Dhātaki-khanda which is 4,00,000 yojanas square, and encircled by the Kāloda Sea. Encircling the Kāloda Sea is the isle (continent) named Puşkara which is 16,00,000 yojanas square, again bangle-shaped, which has. running through its middle all along a mountain called Mānuşottara, so that half the portion of the Puşkara isle is inside the mountain wall and half of it is outside. In other words, sheltered within this rocky rampart are, to start with and stated in order, Jambū-dvipa, Salt Sea, Dhätaki-khanda, Kāloda Sea and half of Puşkara called Puşkarārdha, in all two great seas and 24 isles (continents). The inner half of Puşkara is served by 72 suns and 72 moons. The mountain is called Mānuşottara because it sets the boundary for human habitation. Beyond this mountain, there are isles and seas, but no human being. In other words, the sphere of man consists. of 2 seas and 24 isles, the entire floor-space being 245 lakh yojanas square. The outer half of Puşkara shelters some low species of life, but no human being. Beyond Puşkara and encircling it is a Sea, encircled by an island, a sea again, and again an island, and so on, till the last sea is Svayambhūramaņa. Then, upto 12 yojanas all around Svayambhūramana there are hulls of viscous water, viscous wind light wind. Here space ends. The rest is non-space, aloka as it is called. In the 21 isles, there are in all 132 suns and 132 moons. All of them have movement, and so there are nights and days. Thus time or kāla is relevant of 27 isles only, and not of the entire space. There is no night and day beyond these 24 isles.
8. Three causes have been assigned for the blowing of
