Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 407

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a surrounding wall. At 500 yojanas from Bhadraśāla, on a terrace, is Nandana, 500 yojanas wide. At 62,500 yojanas on the second terrace, the grove Saumanasa is the same. At 36,000 yojanas above the grove Saumanasa is Sundara on the third terrace. On the peak of Meru is the garden Pāņdaka in the shape of a circle, 494 yojanas wide.
Jambūdvipa (566-618) Now, there are 7 zones here in Jambūdvipa : Bhārata, Haimavata, Harivarsa, Videha, Ramyaka, Hairanyavata, and Airāvata from south to north. Making the division between these there are 7 mountain-ranges, bounding the zones : Himavat, Mahāhimavat, Nişadha, Nila, Rukmin, and Sikharin with equal diameter at the base and top. Of these, the Himavat Mts., buried in the ground 25 yojanas, made of gold, are 100 yojanas high. The Mahāhimavat Mts. are twice that size, made of silver. Then, the Nişadha Mts., twice their size, made of gold; Nila Mts., equal to Nişadha, made of cat's eye; Rukmin Mts., equal to Mahāhimayat Mts., made of silver; Sikharin Mts., equal to Himavat Mts., made of gold. All abound in various jewels on their slopes.
On the Kșudrahimavat (=Himavat) mountain-range is a large lake named Padma, 1000 yojanas long and half as wide. On Mahāhimavat is a lake named Mahāpadma, twice the length and width of the lake Padma. The lake on Nişadha, Tigiñchi, is twice the size of Mahāpadma ; the lake Keśarin on Nila is equal to Tigiñchi, the lake Mahāpundarika on Rukmin is equal to Mahāpadma; the lake Pundarika on Mt. Śikarin is equal to Padma. In all the lakes, Padma, etc., there are full-blown lotuses buried 10 yojanas in the water. Moreover, here are (the goddesses) Śri, Hri, Dhști, Kirti, Buddhi, and Lakşmi respectively, with life-periods of a palya, together with Sāmānikas, gods of the councils, bodyguards, and armies.
In Bharatakşetra there are the great rivers, Gangā and Sindhu ; in the zone named Haimavata, Rohitā and