Meru. The height of Meru is eighty-four thousand Yojanas; and its depth below (the surface of the earth) regular alternation; each Dwipa lying, it is said, between two of these seas. "To the north of Lanká lies the Himagiri [mountain], and, beyond that, the Hemakúťa [mountain], and, beyond that, again, the Nishadha [mountain]. These [three mountains] stretch from sea to sea. In like manner, to the north of Siddha-[pura] lie, in succession, the Śŕingavat, Śukla, and Nila [mountains]. To the valleys lying between these mountains the wise have given the name of Varshas. "This valley [which we inhabit] is called Bharatavarsha. To the north of it lies Kimnaravarsha, and, beyond it, again, Harivarsha. And know that to the north of Siddhapura in like manner are situated the Kuru, Hiraúmaya, and Ramyaka Varshas. "To the north of Yamakoti-pattana lies the Mályavat [mountain], and, to the north of Romaka-[pattana], the Gandhamádana [mountain]. These two mountains are terminated by the Nila and Nishadha mountains; and the space between these two is called Ilávŕita-[varsha]. "The country lying between the Malyavat [mountain] and the sea is called Bhadraturaga by the learned; and geographers have denominated the country between the Gandha mountain and the sea, Ketumálaka. “Ilávŕita, which is bounded by the Nishadha, Níla, Sugandha, and Sumályaka [mountains], is distinguished by a peculiar splendour. It is a land rendered brilliant by its shining gold, and thickly covered with the bowers of the immortals. "In the middle [of Ilávŕita] stands the mountain Meru, which is composed of gold and of precious stones, the abode of the gods. Expounders of the Puránas have further described this [Meru] to be the pericarp of the earth-lotos, whence Brahma had his birth. "The four mountains, Mandara, Sugandha, Vipula, and Supárśwa, serve as buttresses to support this [Meru]; and upon these four hills grow, severally, the Kadamba, Jambú, Vaťa, and Pippala trees, which are as banners on those four hills. "From the clear juice which flows from the fruit of the Jambú springs the Jambúnadi. From contact with this juice, earth becomes gold; and it is from this fact that gold is called jámbúnada. [This juice is of so exquisite a flavour that] the multitude of the Suras and Siddhas, turning with distaste from nectar, delight to quaff this delicious beverage. "And it is well known that upon those four hills [the buttresses of Meru,] are four gardens: Chaitraratha, of varied brilliancy [sacred to is sixteen (thousand). Its diameter, at the summit, is thirty-two (thousand Yojanas), and, at its base, sixteen Kubera], Nandana, which is the delight of the Apsarasas, Dhŕiti, which gives refreshment to the gods, and the resplendent Vaibhrája. "And in these gardens are beautified four reservoirs, viz., the Aruńa, the Mánasa, the Maháhrada, and the Śwetajala, in due order: and these are the lakes in the waters of which the celestial spirits, when fatigued with their dalliance with the fair goddesses, love to disport themselves. "Meru divided itself into three peaks, upon which are situated the three cities sacred to Murári, Ka, and Purári [denominated Vaikuntha, Brahmapura, and Kailása]; and beneath them are the eight cities sacred to Śatamakha, Iwalana, Antaka, Rakshas, Ambupá, Anila, Śaśin, and ĺśa [i. e., the regents of the eight dises (or directions), viz., the east, sacred to Indra, the south-east, sacred to Agni, the south, sacred to Yama, the south-west, sacred to Nairŕita, the west, sacred to Varuúa, the northwest, sacred to Váyu, the north, sacred to Kubera, and the north-east, sacred to Śiva]. "The sacred Ganges, springing from the foot of Vishnu, falls upon [mount] Meru, and, thence separating itself into four streams, descends, through the heavens, down upon the four vishkambhas [or buttress-hills], and thus falls into the four reservoirs [above described]. "[Of the four streams above mentioned], the first, called Sítá, went to Bhadráśwa, the second, called Alakananda, to Bharatavarsha, the third, called Chakshu, to Ketumála, and the fourth, called Bhadrá, to Uttarakuru [or North Kuru]. "And this sacred river has so rare an efficacy, that, if her name be listened to, if she be sought to be seen, if seen, touched, or bathed in, if her waters be tasted, if her name be uttered, or brought to mind, and her virtues be celebrated, she purifies, in many ways, thousands of sinful men [from their sins]. “And if a man makes a pilgrimage to this sacred stream, the whole line of his progenitors, bursting the bands [imposed on them by Yama], bound away in liberty, and dance with joy; nay, even by a man's approach to its banks, they repulse the slaves of Antaka, [who keep guard over them], and, escaping from Niraya [the infernal regions], secure an abode in the happy regions of Heaven. "Here in this Bháratavarsha are embraced the following nine khandas [portions], viz., Aindra, Kaśeru, Támraparna, Gabhastimat, Kumáriká, Nága, Saumya, Váruńa, and, lastly, Gándharva. "In the Kumáriká alone is found the subdivision of men into castes. In the remaining khańdas are found all the tribes of antyajas [or outcaste tribes of men]. In this region [Bharatavarsha] are also seven thousand; so that this mountain is like the seed-cup of the lotos of the earth.1 1 The shape of Meru, according to this description, is that of an inverted cone; and, by the comparison to the seed-cup, its form should be circular. But there seems to be some uncertainty, upon this subject, amongst the Pauráńiks. The Padma compares its form to the bell-shaped flower of the Datura. The Váyu represents it as having four sides of different colours, or, white on the east, yellow on the south, black on the west, and red on the north; but notices, also, various opinions of the outline of the mountain, which, according to Atri, had a hundred angles; to Bhrigu, a thousand. Sávarni calls it octangular; Bháguri, quadrangular; and Varsháyani says it has a thousand angles. Gálava makes it saucer-shaped; Garga, twisted, like braided hair; and others maintain that it is circular. The Linga makes its eastern face of the colour of the ruby; its southern, that of the lotos; its western, golden; and its northern, coral. The Matsya has the same colours as the Váyu, and both contain this line; चतुर्वर्णस्तु सुवर्णश्चतुरस्रः समुच्छ्रितः । 'Four-coloured, golden, four-cornered, lofty!' But the Váyu kuláchalas, viz., the Mahendra, Śukti, Malaya, Rikshaka, Páriyátra, Sahya, and Vindhya hills. "The country to the south of the equator is called the bhúr-loka, that to the north, the bhuva-[loka]; and Meru [the third] is called the swar[loka]. Next is the mahar-[loka]: in the heavens beyond this is the jana-[loka]; then, the tapo-[loka], and, last of all, the satya-[loka]. These lokas are gradually attained by increasing religious merits. "When it is sunrise at Lankápura, it is midday at Yamakótipuri [90° east of Lanká], sunset at Siddhapura, and midnight at Romaka[pattana]." Bibliotheca Indica, Translation of the Goládhyaya of the Siddhántasiromani, III., 21-44. I have introduced some alterations. The Gomeda continent, in place of the Plaksha, is mentioned in the Matsya-purána also. See Dr. Aufrecht's Catalog. Cod. Manuscript., &c., P. 41. See, further, the editor's last note on the fourth chapter of the present book. The boundary mountains (of the earth) are Himavat, Hemakúta, and Nishadha, which lie south (of Meru); and Níla, Śweta, and Śringin, which are situated to the north (of it). The two central ranges (those next to Meru, or Nishadha and Níla) extend for a hundred thousand (Yojanas, running east and west). Each of the others diminishes ten thousand (Yojanas, as it lies more remote from the centre). They are two thousand (Yojanas) in height, and as many in breadth. The Varshas (or countries between these ranges) are: Bhárata (India), south of the Himavat mountains; next, Kimpurusha, between Himavat and Hemakúta; north of the latter, and south of Nishadha, is Harivarsha; north of Meru is Ramyaka, extending from the Níla compares its summit, in one place, to a saucer, and observes that its circumference must be thrice its diameter: विस्तारात्रिगुणस्यास्य परिणाहः समन्ततः । The Matsya, also, rather incompatibly, says the measurement is that of a circular form, but it is considered quadrangular: वृत्ताकृतिप्रमाणश्च चतुरस्रः समाहितः । According to the Buddhists of Ceylon, Meru is said to be of the same diameter throughout. Those of Nepal conceive it to be shaped like a drum. A translation of the description of Meru and its surrounding mountains, contained in the Brahmánda, which is the same, exactly, as that in the Váyu, occurs in the As. Researches, Vol. VIII., pp. 343, et seq. There are some differences in Colonel Wilford's version from that which my MSS. would authorize; but they are not, in general, of much importance. Some, no doubt, depend upon variations in the readings of the different copies; of others I must question the accuracy. 1 This diminution is the necessary consequence of the diminished radius of the circle of Jambu-dwipa; as the mountain ranges recede from the centre. or blue mountains to the Sweta (or white) mountains; Hiranmaya lies between the Sweta and Śringin ranges; and Uttarakuru is beyond the latter, following the same direction as Bhárata. 1* Each of these is nine 2 Ilávŕita is of similar thousand (Yojanas) in extent. dimensions; but in the centre of it is the golden mountain Meru: and the country extends nine thousand (Yojanas) in each direction from the four sides of the mountain. There are four mountains in this Varsha, formed as buttresses to Meru, each ten thousand Yojanas in elevation. That on the east is called Mandara; that on the south, Gandhamádana; that on the west, Vipula; and that on the north, Supárśwa.3 On each of These, being the two outer Varshas, are said to take the form of a bow; that is, they are, exteriorly, convex, being segments of the circle. The whole diameter of Jambu-dwipa has been said to be 100000 Yojanas. This is thus divided from north to south: Ilávŕita, in the centre, extends, each way, 9000, making 18000; Meru itself, at the base, is 16000; the six Varshas, at 9000 each, are equal to 54000; and the six ranges, at 2000 each, are 12000: and 18 + 16 + 54 + 12 = 100. From east to west, the Varshas are of the extent necessary to occupy the space of the circle. 3 The Bhagavata† and Padma call these Mandara, Merumandara, Supárśwa, and Kumuda. As the translation here contains several explanatory interpolations, the original is added: भारतं प्रथमं वर्षं ततः किंपुरुषं स्मृतम् । † V., 16, 12. |