Harivamsha MahA PurANam - bhaviShya Parva
    atha pa~nchatriMsho.adhyAyaH
    mahIvarNanam
    harivamsha in the mahAbharata - bhaviShyaparva
    Chapter 35 - description of the Earth
vaishampAyana uvAcha
tasyopari jalaughasya mahatI nauriva sthitA |
vitatatvAttu dehasya na yayau saMplavaM mahI ||3-35-1
vaishampAyana said:
(O janamejaya!) The earth which was installed on the top surface of the water body, did not sink, like a huge ship, due to its vast body.
tataH sa chintayAmAsa pravibhAgaM kShitervibhuH |
samuchChrayaM cha sarveShAM parvatAnAM nadIShu cha ||3-35-2
vilekhanaM pramANaM cha gatiM prasravameva cha |
mAhAtmyaM cha visheShaM cha nadInAmanvachintayat ||3-35-3
The lord then thought about dividing the earth into portions, such as height for all the mountains. The lord also thought about lines showing the pathways, the length of flow, the water flow, greatness and specialty for the rivers.
chaturantAM dharAM kR^itvA tathA chaiva mahArNavam |
madhye pR^ithivyAH sauvarNamakaronmeruparvatam ||3-35-4
Containing the earth within four boundaries, the Lord created the great ocean. At the centre of the earth, the golden mountain, meru was installed.
prAchIM dishamatho gatvA chakArodayaparvatam |
shatayojanavistAraM sahasraM cha samuchChrayam ||3-35-5
Afterwards, on the eastern direction, the great rising mountain, one hundred yojana (1 yojana = 9 miles) wide and one thousand yojana high was installed,
jAtarUpamayaiH shR^i~NgaistarUNAdityasannibhaiH |
AtmatejoguNamayairvedikAbhogakalpitam ||3-35-6
along with golden peaks shining like the young sun, having splendorous qualities of the soul. The mountain was created looking like a huge altar.
vividhAMshcha mahAskandhAnkA~nchanAnpuShkarekShaNaH |
nityapuShpaphalAnvR^ikShAnkR^itavAMstatra parvate ||3-35-7
On the mountain, the Lord, with eyes as beautiful as the lotus flower, created a group of trees with huge golden trunks bearing flowers and fruits eternally.
shatayojanavistAraM tatastriguNamAyatam |
chakAra sa mahAdevaH punaH saumanasaM girim ||3-35-8
Then the great lord again created the mountain, pleasing to feelings (saumanasa) one hundred yojana (1 yojana = 9 miles) wide and thrice as high.
nAnAratnasahasrANAM kR^itvA tatra susa~nchayam |
vedikAM bahuvarNAM cha saMdhyAbhrAbhAmakalpayat ||3-35-9
The Lord then created a multi-coloured stage, shining with the colours of evening clouds, endowed with thousands of jewels.
sahasrashR^i~NgaM cha giriM nAnAmaNishilAtalam |
kR^itavAnvR^ikShagahanaM SaShTiyojanamuchChritam ||3-35-10
He created a mountain, with thousand peaks, having different jewels, dense with trees, sixty yojana (1 yojana = 9 miles) tall.
AsanaM tatra paramaM sarvabhUtanamaskR^itaM |
kR^itavAnAtmanaH sthAnaM vishvakarmA prajApatiH ||3-35-11
The Lord of beings, the creator of the universe, created a place for the soul, a high seat worshipped by all beings.
shishiraM cha mahAshailaM tuShArachayasaMnibham |
chakAra durgagahanaM kandarAntaramaNDitam ||3-35-12
The lord created a great cold mountain, like dew, dense with impassable paths full of caves and gorges.
shishiraprabhavAM chaiva nadIM dvijagaNAyutAm |
chakAra pulinopetAM vasudhArAmiti shrutiH ||3-35-13
The traditional knowledge says that the Lord created the river vasundhara, flowing from snow, blessed with groups of the twice-born, living along the sandbanks.
sA nadI nikhilAM prAchIM puNyAM mukhashataishchitAm |
shobhayatyamR^itaprakhyairmuktAsha~NkhavibhUShitaiH ||3-35-14
That river with its hundred sacred faces adorns the entire eastern direction. Decorated by pearls and conches, it beautifies the east like nectar.
nityapuShaphalopetaishChAdayadbhiH susaMvR^itaiH |
bhUShitAbhyadhikaiH kAntaiH sA nadI tIrajairdrumaiH ||3-35-15
Decorated and covered by the trees, endowed eternally with flowers, fruits and shadow on its bank, that river is beautified.
kR^itvA prAchIvibhAgaM cha dakShiNAyAmatho dishi |
chakAra parvataM divyaM sarvakA~nchanarAjatam ||3-35-16
After dividing the east, the Lord divided the southern direction likewise and installed a divine mountain, decorated with gold and silver.
ekataH sUryasa~NkAshamekataH shashisannibham |
sa bibhracChushubhe.atIva dvau varNau parvatottamaH ||3-35-17
The best among mountains, one place shining like gold and the other shining like silver, dazzled most with two colours.
tejasA yugapadvyAptaM suryAchandramasAviva |
vapuShmantamatho tatra bhAnumantaM mahAgirim ||3-35-18
The splendor of the sun and the moon filled up the great mountains, vapuShmanta as well as bhAnumanta.
sarvakAmaphalairvR^ikShairvR^itaM ramyairmanoramaiH |
chakAra ku~njaraM chaiva ku~njarapratimAkR^itim ||3-35-19
The mountains, covered by beautiful trees, pleasing the mind, fulfilled all desires of the mind. Then the Lord created the mountain ku~njara as well in the form of an elephant.
sarvataH kA~nchanaguhaM bahuyojanavistR^itam |
R^iShabhapratimaM chaiva R^iShabhaM nAma parvatam ||3-35-20
The Lord created a mountain named R^iShabha (bull), having the form of a bull, many yojana wide and endowed with golden caves.
hemakA~nchanavR^ikShADhyaM puShpahAsaM sa sR^iShTavAn |
mahendramatha shailendraM shatayojanamuchChritam ||3-35-21
The Lord also created the mountain puShpahAsa, which was endowed with gold as well as trees and also the king of mountains, mahendra, one hundred yojana high.
jAtarUpamayaiH shR^i~NgaiH sapuShpitamahAdrumam |
medinyAM kR^itavAndevaH pratikShobhamivAchalam ||3-35-22
The mountain had golden peaks and great flowering trees. On the earth, that mountain made by the Lord, looked like pratikShobha in body form.
nAnAratnasamAkIrNaM sUryendusadR^ishaprabham |
chakAra malayaM chAdriM chitrapuShpitapAdapam ||3-35-23
The Lord created the mountain, malaya, full of varieties of jewels, dazzling like the sun and the moon, filled with wonderful trees with beautiful flowers.
mainAkaM cha mahAshailaM shilAjAlasamAvR^itam |
dakShiNasyAM dishi shubhaM chakArAchalamAyatam ||3-35-24
In the southern direction, the Lord created an extended, auspicious, great mountain named mainAka, covered by groups of rocks.
sahasrashirasaM vindhyaM nAnAdrumalatAkulam |
The Lord created the mountain vindhya, full of varieties of trees and creepers, having one thousand peaks.
nadIM cha vipulAvartAM pulinashroNibhUShitAm ||3-35-25
kShIrasa~NkAshasalilAM payodhArAmiti shrutiH |
The Lord also created a river having wide whirlpools, decorated by the thighs of sandbanks, famed as payodhara, since its water is similar to milk.
surabhyAM toyakalilAM vihitAM dakShiNAM disham ||3-35-26
divyAM tIrthashatopetAM plAvayantIM shubhAmbhasA |
The river with fragrant water was created by the Lord in the southern direction. The river is divine, having hundreds of places of pilgrimage, providing ample amount of auspicious water.
dishaM yAmyAM pratiShThApya pratIchIM dishamAgamat ||3-35-27
Installing the river in the southern direction, the Lord came to the western direction.
akarottatra shailendraM shatayojanamuchChritam |
shobhitaM shikharairashchitraiH supravR^iddhairhiraNmayaiH ||3-35-28
The Lord created a king of mountains, one hundred yojana (= 9 miles) high, shining with wonderful peaks, full of gold,
kA~nchanIbhiH shilAbhishcha guhAbhishcha vibhUShitam |
samAkulaM sUryanibhaiH shAlaistAlaishcha bhAsvaraiH ||3-25-29
decorated by golden rocks and many caves and shining with the Sal (Vatica Robusta) and Palmyra trees sparkling like the sun.
shushubhe jAtarUpashcha shrImadbhishchitravedikaiH |
ShaShTiM girisahasrANi tatrAsau saMnyaveshayat ||3-35-30
The Lord created sixty mountains, shining like gold and having auspicious picture galleries there,
merupratimarUpANi vapuShA prabhayA saha |
competing with the mountain meru with their body and splendor.
sahasrajaladhAraM cha parvataM merusannibham ||3-35-31
puNyatIrthaguNopetaM bhagavAntsaMnyaveshayat |
The Lord installed a mountain, similar to the mountain meru with one thousand streams of water, having auspicious places of pilgrimage.
ShaShTiyojanavistAraM tAvadeva samuchChritam ||3-35-32
AtmarUpopamaM tatra vArAhaM nAma nAmataH |
That mountain is sixty yojana (= 9 miles) wide and equally high, comparable to the form of his soul, having the name vArAha (mountain).
niveshayAmAsa giriM divyaM vaiDUryaparvatam ||3-35-33
rAjatAH kA~nchanAshchaiva yatra divyAH shilochchayAH |
The lord installed the divine mountain, full of cat's eye gems. There are divine hills of silver and gold on that mountain.
tatraiva chakrasadR^ishaM chakravantaM mahAbalam ||3-35-34
sahasrakUTaM vipulaM bhagavAntsaMnyaveshayat |
There, the Lord installed a wide mountain named chakravanta, similar to a wheel, highly powerful, having one thousand summits.
sha~NkhapratimarUpaM cha rAjataM parvatottamam ||3-35-35
sitadrumasamAkIrNaM sha~NkhaM nAma nyaveshayat |
The Lord installed a silvery mountain, full of white trees, the best among mountains, named sha~NkhaM, competing with the form of conch.
suvarNaM ratnasaMbhUtaM pArijAtaM mahAdrumam ||3-35-36
mahataH parvatasyAgre puShpahAsaM nyaveshayat |
The Lord installed the great tree, pArijata, giving golden jewels, smiling with full of flowers on top of the largest mountain.
shubhAmatirasAM chaiva ghR^itadhArAmiti shrutiH ||3-35-37
varAhaH saritaM puNyAM pratIchyAmakarotprabhuH |
Lord varAha (viShNu) installed a holy auspicious river, having tasty water, famous as the stream of butter, in the western direction.
pratIchyAM saMvidhiM kR^itvA parvatAnkA~nchanojjvalAn ||3-35-38
In the western direction, the Lord installed mountains, sparkling with gold.
guNottarAnuttarasyAM saMnyaveshayadagrataH |
tataH saumyagiriM saumyamantarikShapramANataH ||3-35-39
In the northern direction, the Lord installed mountains having best quality in the front. The Lord installed the gentle mountain, saumya, having the size of the sky.
rukmadhAtupraticchChannamakarodbhAskaropamam |
sa tu desho visUryo.api tasya bhAsA prakAshate ||3-35-40
The Lord created golden minerals, shining like the sun. Due to the brightness, that place shines, even without the sun.
tasya lakShmyAdhikaM bhAti tapasA raviNA yathA |
sUkShmalakShaNavij~neyastapatIva divAkaraH ||3-35-41
As the moon loses its splendor, near the sun at noon, the Lord of the day (sun) loses its splendor and appears minute, compared to this mountain.
sahasrashikharaM chaiva nAnAtIrthasamAkulam |
chakAra ratnasa~NkIrNaM bhUyo.astaM nAma parvatam ||3-35-42
Afterwards, the Lord again created a mountain named asta endowed with one thousand peaks full of jewels, along with many places of pilgrimage.
manoharaguNopetaM mandaraM chAchalottamam |
uddAmapuShpagandhaM cha parvataM gandhamAdanam ||3-35-43
Then the Lord created the best among mountains, mountain mandaraM, endowed with qualities stealing the mind and mountain gandhamAdana, full of unlimited amount of fragrant flowers.
chakAra tasya shR^i~NgeShu suvarNarasasaMbhavam |
jambuM jAmbUnadamayImanantAdbhutadarshanAm ||3-35-44
The Lord created the rose apple tree (Eugenia Jambolana), full of gold (in appearance), having no end and appearing wonderful, having golden fruit juice, on the peaks of mountain gandhamAdana.
giriM cha shikharaM chaiva tathA puShkaraparvatam |
shubhraM pANDurameghAbhaM kailAsaM cha nagottamam ||3-35-45
Afterwards, the Lord created the mountain and the peaks of puShkara and also the best among mountains, the white mountain kailAsa, with the beauty of white clouds.
himavantaM cha shailendraM divyadhAtuvibhUShitam |
niveshayAmAsa harirvArAhIM tanumAsthitaH ||3-35-46
Taking up the body of the varAha, hari (viShNu) installed the best among mountains, mountain himavanta, decorated by divine minerals.
nadIM sarvaguNopetAMuttarasyAM dishi prabhuH |
madhudhArAM sa kR^itavAndivyAmR^iShishatAkulAm ||3-35-47
Then the Lord (viShNu) made a divine river named stream of honey (madhudhAra) with all good qualities in the northern direction, with hundreds of sages (living on its banks).
sarve chaiva kShitidharAH sapakShAH kAmarUpiNaH |
tadA kR^itA bhagavatA vichitrAH parameShThiNA ||3-35-48
The supreme Lord (viShNu) created all those who bear the earth (mountains), beautiful, having wings and with the ability to take up any form they desire.
sa kR^itvA pravibhAgaM tu pR^ithivyA lokabhAvanah |
devAsurANAmutpattau kR^itavAnbuddhimakShaYAm ||3-35-49
Dividing the earth in this way, the Lord who desires the welfare of the world, used his intellect having no decline, for the creation of deva-s and asura-s.
sarvAsu dikShu kShatajopamAkSha-
shchakAra shailAnvividhAbhidhAnAn |
hitAya lokasya sa lokanAthaH
puNyAshcha nadyaH salilopagUDhAH ||3-35-50
The Lord of the world, Lord viShNu having blood red eyes created mountains with many names and divine rivers full of water in all the directions for the welfare of the entire world.
iti shrImAHAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe bhaviShyaparvaNi vArAhe pa~nchatriMsho.adhyAyaH
Thus this is the thirtyfifth chapter of bhaviShyaparava, varAhaprAdurbhAva, harivaMsha, knila of mahabhArata, description of the Earth.
    nIlakaNTha commentary
iti shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe bhaviShyaparvaNi TIkAyAM pa~nchatriMsho.adhyAyaH ||
Itranslated by G. Schaufelberger, schaufel @ wanadoo.fr October 2, 2008
Proof-read by K S Rmachandran, ramachandran_ksr @ yahoo.ca.
If you find any errors compared to Chitrashala Press edition, send corrections to A. Harindranath harindranath_a @ yahoo.com
Translated to English by A. Purushothaman [purushothaman_avaroth @ yahoo.com] and A. Harindranath
April 10, 2012 ##