16-Bhuvan Kosh, Description of Universe, and Seven Islands

Pareekshit asked - "Hey Muni, You have told me the description of the Prithvi Mandal till Soorya's light reaches and Moon and stars can be seen. Then you told me that seven seas were formed by seven grooves of Priyavrat's chariot and consequently seven Dweep (islands) were also formed. Now I want to hear the measurement and extent of this universe."  Shuk Dev Jee said - "Hey Pareekshit, The extent of Bhagavaan's Maayaa is so much that it cannot be understood even if somebody gets the age of Devtaa. That is why I will tell you  about their names, form, measurement and characteristics of this Universe only. Now is the description of seven islands which were created by Priyavrat's chariot.

This Jamboo Dweep in which we live, is like the innermost part of the seven-part Earth lotus. It is 100,000 Yojan (1 Yojan = 9 miles) large and this is round like a lotus leaf. There are nine Varsh (division) of this Dweep and each Varsh is 9,000 plus Yojan large. These Varsh are divided by eight mountains. In the center of this there is the tenth Varsh named Ilaavrit. In the middle of this Ilaavrit Varsh, there is Meru Parvat. This is made of gold and is 100,000 Yojan high. It is 32,000 Yojan wide at the top and 16,000 Yojan wide at the bottom. It is 16,000 Yojan inside the Earth. It means that its height upon the Earth is 84,000 Yojan.

In the North of Ilaavrit Varsh there are three mountains - Neel, Shwet, and Shringvaan which are the boundaries of three Varsh - Ramyak, Hiranmaya and Kuru. They are spread from East to West up to the sea of Kshaar (salty) water. Each of them is 2,000 Yojan wide, while length of the previous one is a little more than 1/10th less of the next one. Breadth and depth are all same for each one. In the South of Ilaavrit Varsh also, there are three mountains - Nishadh, Hemkoot, and Himaalaya. They are also spread East-West and are 10,000 Yojan high each. They are the boundaries of Hari Varsh, Kimpurush Varsh and Bhaarat Varsh. In the east and west of Ilaavrit there are two mountains - up to north is Gandhmaadan and up to south is Maalyavaan. Their breadth is 2,000 Yojan each and they make the boundaries of two Varsh - Bhadraashwa and Ketumaal. 

Besides these, there are Mandar, Merumandar, Supaarshwa, and Kumud mountains, 10,000 Yojan high and wide each, as the base of Meru Parvvat. There are four trees of mango, Jaamun (Rose Apple gtree), Kadamb and Vat (banyan) on their peaks - each of them is 1,100 Yojan high and wide at top. The thickness of their trunks is 100 Yojan each. There are four ponds also of milk, honey, sugarcane juice and sweet water and four Divine gardens Nandan Van, Chaitrarath Van, Vaibhraajak Van and Sarvatobhadra Van. These are the recreation places of Devtaa and their beautiful wives.

In the midst of Mandaraachal Parvat is situated the mango tree of Devtaa which is 1,100 Yojan high. When its huge (like the peaks of a hill) fruits fall, they burst and their red sweet and sweet smelling juice turns into Arunodaa river. This river falls from Mandaraachal peak and waters the Eastern part of Ilaavrit Varsh. Maid-servants of Paarvatee Jee, Yaksh's wives, drink this water and their body's fragrance goes up to 10 Yojan around the country. In the same way when huge (of an elephant size) seedless Jaamun fruits fall, their juice is converted into Jamboo river which falls from Merumandar Peak and waters the Southern part of Ilaavrit. The Sun and air dries the soil of its both banks, that soils becomes Jamboonad gold for Dev Lok. Devtaa and Gandharv wear the ornaments of this gold along with their women.

On Supaarshwa Parvat, five streams of honey come out from the five holes of Kadamb tree to water the Western part of Ilaavrit Varsh. Who drink that honey their mouths' smell goes up to 100 Yojan.  In the same way, there is Shatvalsh named Vat (banyan) tree on Kumud Parvat. Many rivers flow from the sub-branches of that Vat tree. They provide all kinds of things like milk, yogurt, Ghee, jaggery, clothes, jewelry etc. which make the people young, healthy, and beautiful. They water the northern part of Ilaavrit. Who consume the materials given by these rivers they never suffer from any kind of disease, old age, pain etc through out their life.

As there is Paraag around the core of of the lotus flower, there are twenty Parvat more in the root of Meru Parvat - Kurang, Kurar, Kusumbh, Vaikank, Trikoot, Shishir, Patang, Ruchak, Nishadh, Kapil, Shankh, Vaidoorya, Hans, Rishabh, Naag, Kaalanjar, Naarad etc. Besides, there are two Parvat more - Jathar and Devkoot in the East of Meru. They are 18,000 Yojan long and 2,000 Yojan high and wide. In the West there are Pavan and Paariyaatra, in the South there are Kailash and Karveer and in the North there are Trishrang and Makar mountains. It is said that in the center of Meru Parvat there is Brahmaa Jee's Puree which is spread up to 10 million (1 Crore) Yojan. Below it are eight Puree of Indra etc eight Lok-Paal. They all are 1/4th of Brahmaa Jee's Puree in size."

17-Gangaa River and Shankar Jee's Prayer to Sankarshan Bhagavaan

Shuk Dev Jee said - "When Bhagavaan Vishnu put His foot to measure Tri-Lok in Raajaa Bali's Yagyashaalaa, His left foot's big toe's nail made a cut in Brahmaand's upper part, so the water from outside Brahmaand sipped through that hole. Its color became red because it came through touching His Kesar-covered nail. That water washes the sins of the whole world. That stream was named as Bhagvatpadee. After traveling for thousands of Yug, it came to Dhruv Lok which is on the uppermost part of the Swarg and which is called Vishnupad also. In Dhruv Lok lives Manu's grandson, Uttaanpaad's son Shree Dhruv Jee. From there it falls on Meru Peak in Brahm Puree flowing through sky and Chandramaa.

Here it divides itself into four streams - Seetaa, Alaknandaa, Chakshu, and Bhadraa - and flows into all four directions, then falls into sea in the end. Among them, Seetaa falls on Gandhmaadan Peaks flowing through Kesaraachal Parvat Peak. It flows through Bhadraashwa Varsh and then joins the salty sea in East. Chakshu flows through Maalyavaan Mountain to Ketumaal Varsh and joins Kshaar Samudra towards West. Bhadraa flows through Shringvaan Parvat to North in Uttarkuru country and then falls into the sea. Alaknanda flows to Southern side, arrives on Hemkoot Mountain, and then comes to Bhaarat Varsh flowing through Himaalaya peaks. Every Varsh has many rivers coming from Meru Parvat.

Among all these Varsh, only Bhaarat Varsh is Karm Bhoomi, rest of the eight Varsh are the places to enjoy the remaining Punya after the dead people have enjoyed the Swarg pleasures. There people's age is 10,000 human years. They have 10,000 elephants' strength and their healthy bodies can enjoy life for long time. In the end, when only one year remains of their enjoyment period then their wives get pregnant. Thus there is always Tretaa Yug-like period.

In all these nine Varsh, Bhagavaan Naaraayan is still present in His various forms. Bhagavaan Shankar is the only male in Ilaavrit Varsh. Whosoever knows the curse of Shree Paarvatee Jee, he does not dare to enter that Varsh, because as he enters, he becomes a female. [see the whole story in 6/6, see also 9/1] He meditates Sankarshan Bhagavaan, his own cause, among the four forms of Paramaatmaa - Vaasudev, Aniruddha, Pradyumn and Sankarshan, with this Mantra."

18-Other Varsh

Shuk Dev Jee said - "In Bhadraashwa Varsh, the son of Dharm, Bhadrashravaa and his chief servants, pray to Vaasudev Jee's Hayagreev form with this Mantra (Om Namo Bhagavatey Dharmaayaatm Vishodhanaaya Nam Iti). In Hari Varsh, Bhaagvaan lives in Narasinh form (see 7/4 for the whole story). In Ketumaal Varsh, Bhagavaan lives in Kaamdev form to please Lakshmee Jee and sons and daughters of Samvatsar Prajaapati. Shree Lakshmee Jee meditates in day time with Samvatsar's sons and in night time with his daughters. Those sons' and daughters' age is 100 celetial years, i.e. equal to 36,000 human years, and they are the Lords of that Varsh. Those girls are so much afraid of the shine of the Sudarshan Chakra (Divine disc) of Naaraayan that they have miscarriages in the end of every year.

In Ramyak Varsh, Bhagavaan showed His Matsya form to the Swaamee of that Varsh - Manu. So Manu Jee, still meditates the same form. In Hiranyamaya Varsh, Bhagavaan lives in Kashchap (Tortoise incarnation) form. Pitar Raaj Aryamaa meditates the same form with all his people. In Uttar Kuru Varsh Bhagavaan lives in the form of Varaah (boar incarnation). Prithvi meditates Him in that form with all her people. [All worship Him with their special Mantra. These Mantra are given in this Adhyaaya]

19-Kimpurush and Bhaarat Varsh

In Kimpurush Varsh, Hanumaan Jee, with other Kinnar, meditate the elder brother of Lakshman - Shree Raam. In Bhaarat Varsh, Bhagavaan lives in the form of Nar-Naaraayan who do Tap up to the end of the Kalp. There Naarad Jee himself, along with its people, meditates on Him with this Mantra (see this Adhyaaya for the Mantra) to preach Saankhya and Paanchraatra to Saavarni Muni. There are many mountains and rivers here, such as Malaya, Mangalprasth, Mainaak, Trikoot, Rishabh, Kootak, Sahya, Devagiri, Rishyamook, Venkat, Mahendra, Chitrakoot, Govardhan, Raivatak, Neel, Gokaamukh, Indrakeel, Kaamgiri etc. Bhaarat people take bath in these rivers - Chandrvasaa, Taamraparnee, Kritmaalaa, Kaaveree, , Venee, Payaswinee, Tungbhadraa, Krishnaa, Bheemrathee, Godaavaree, Taapee, Revaa, Surasaa, Narmadaa, Charmanvatee, Sindhu, Andh, Shone, Mahaanadee, Rishikulyaa, Kaushikee, Mandaakinee, Yamunaa, Saraswatee, Chandrabhaagaa, Vitastaa, Asiknee, Vishwaa etc.

Only those people who take birth in this Varsh, enjoy the results of their own Saatwik, Raajas or Taamasik Karm (actions), because everybody gets Yoni according to his own Karm. In this Varsh, people can get even Moksh if they follow their Dharm according to their Varn. Even Devtaa praise the people born in Bhaarat Varsh, because who is born here can get Moksh; while Devtaa living in Swarg live up to one Kalp but they lose their memory there because of the excess of pleasures and they do not remember to take Hari's name."

Shuk Dev Jee further said - "When Raajaa Sagar's sons were looking for their horse, they dug the Prithvi all around, so eight more sub-islands in Jamboo Dweep were formed out of that - Swarnprasth, Chandrashukla, Aavartan, Ramanak, Mandarharin, Paanchjanya, Sinhal, and Lankaa. This was all about Jamboo Dweep."

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