Chapter 50 - The abodes of Devas (bhuvanavinyāsa)

Sūta said:

1a. Indra stays in the auspicious forest of Pārijāta^[1] (wishyielding tree) on the peak called Śītānta.^[2]

1b-2a. To the east of it is the extensive peak of Kumuda^[3] mountain. O excellent brahmins, on it are the eight cities of Dānavas.

2b-3a. In the holy Suvarṇakoṭara, O excellent brahmins, they say, are the sixty-eight cities of the noble-souled Rākṣasas called Nīlakas.

3b-4a. There are fifteen cities on the leading mountain Mahānīla which are the abodes of the horse-faced Kinnaras.

4b. O men of good holy rites, there are three cities of the Vidyādharas on Veṇusaudha, the great mountain.

5. The glorious Garuḍa stays in Vaikuṇṭha. The prosperous Nīlalohita stays in Karañja.^[4] The Vasus live in Vasudhāra.

6. There are seven holy spots on the mountain Ratnadhāra, belonging to the noble seven sages. They contain the abodes of the Siddhas as well.

7. The great abode of Prajāpati is on the mountain Ekaśṛṅga. Durgā and others stay on the Gajaśaila and the Vasus on the Sumedha.

8. The Ādityas, Rudras and Aśvins have their abodes in eighty divine cities on the mountain Hemakakṣa.

9. There are five hundred crores of abodes of the Rākṣasas on the Sunīla mountain which has five peaks with five crores of cities in each.

10. The hundred cities of the Yakṣas of unmeasured prowess are on the Śataśṛṅga; the cities of Kādraveyas are on the mountain Tāmrābha; the city of Guha is on the Viśākha hill.

11. O excellent sages, the abode of Suparṇa is on the Śvetodara; the abode of Kubera is on the Piśācaka and that of Viṣṇu is on the Harikūṭa.

12-14a. The residence of the Kinnaras is on the Kumuda; that of Cāraṇas is on the Añjana; Kṛṣṇa has the abode in the mansions of the Gandharvas; there are seven cities of Vidyādharas on the Paṇḍura and they contain all the means of pleasures, O Brahmins. There are seven thousand cities of the Daityas of terrible activities, the enemies of Indra, on the mountain Sahasraśikhara.

14b-16. The residence of the Pannagas (serpents) O Leading sages, is on the Mukuṭa, full of flowers. The residences of Vaivasvata, Soma, Vāyu and the overlord of serpents are in four abodes on the Takṣaka mountain. The abodes of Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Guha, Kubera, Soma and other noble persons are on the Boundary mountains.

17-19. The residence of lord Śiva^[5] along with Umā is in the cave of mountain Śrīkaṇṭha. Śrīkaṇṭha is the overlord of all the chiefs of Devas. Undoubtedly the Cosmic Egg functions by the grace of Śrīkaṇṭha. Ananta, Īśā and others are severally the protectors of the Cosmic Egg. They are called Vidyeśvaras as well as Cakravartins (Emperors).

20-21. Now, I shall briefly describe all the abodes presided over by Śrīkaṇṭha on the border mountains. The universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings is presided over by Śrīkaṇṭha. How can I recount all in detail upto Kālāgni—Śiva?

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Pārijāta-vana—forest ofcoral trees (Erythrina Indica) which lose their leaves in June and are then covered with large crimson flowers.

[2]:

Śītanta: It means ‘end of cold’, i.e. “a range which marks the dividing line between the cold and hot regions. If the river Kizil-Su represents the head waters of the Puranic river Sītā, Śītānta is obviously the Kashghar range, i.e. the last longitudinal range of the Pamir region facing the Tarim basin, on the east. It is a range which, to a traveller coming from the east across the hot and sandy Tarim Basin, stands athwart the route towards the west and promises a cool climate beyond. It is an effective climatic barrier which separates a hot and dry desert on the east from the cold plateau on the west. Coming from the west it literally marks the ‘end of cold’ and is therefore rightly qualified for its name, Śītānta”. Geography of the Purāṇas (S. M. Ali). pp. 100-101.

[3]:

Kumuda: Peak Barzengi (16, 456 feet) beyond the Pakshif Pass.

[4]:

Most of the mountains mentioned in this chapter are not identifiable.

[5]:

Sarvāvāsa [sarvāvāsaḥ]—i.e. Śiva. sarvaṃ viśvam āvāso yasya saḥ. Śivatoṣiṇī.