Chapter 51 - Various Continents

Sūta said:

1-7. The beautiful forest Bhūtavana, the residence of the different groups of Bhūtas (goblins), is on the highly splendid mountain Devakūṭa. This mountain has great peaks. It is splendid and devoid of impurities. It is made up by gold, Lapis Lazuli, rubies, emeralds, lustrous Gomeda (onyx) and other precious stones. It ranges in a number of branches on all sides. It is adorned with all kinds of trees such as Campaka, Aśoka, Punnāga, Bakula, Asana and Pārijāta. It contains many flocks of birds and herds of elephants. It is variegated in colour with hundreds of minerals. It abounds in wonderful specimens of flowers. Its ridges are covered with bunches of flowers hanging down. Various kinds of animals live therein. It contains many springs and fountains with pure and sweet water. It is adorned with many waterfalls and cascades strewn with flowers. It is beautified by running streams with rafts of flowers floating on them. This Bhūtavana^[1] has pleasing colours. It contains many trees with great roots and stems. The thick shade of these trees spreads to ten yojanas all-round.

8. The bright and well-lit abode of lord Mahādeva, the noble-souled Śaṅkara, is there. It is beautified by means of great jewels.

9-10. It has ornamental gateways made of crystal and shaped in different wonderful forms. It has golden rampart walls. It is well adorned with festoons of jewels. There are many splendid gem-set thrones covered with five cloths placed here and there on the ground and occupied by Lord Śiva now and then.

11-16. In. that mansion of Śiva there are many apartments decorated with garlands of never-fading flowers of different colours. There are many raised platforms (Maṇḍapas) of different shapes and sizes with crystal columns. The leading goblins (Bhūtas) adored by Brahmā, Indra and Upendra stay there. There are many Pramathas with their faces resembling those of boars, elephants, lions, bears, tigers, camels, vultures, owls, deer, humped bulls and goats. They are stout and huge like great mountain peaks. They are terrible with having huge arms. Some have green hairs on their heads. They are of different shapes and sizes. They are seated in all possible postures and positions. There are splendid Gaṇas such as Nandīśvara, with bright beaming faces and spotless character. They possess supernatural qualities and they resemble Brahmā, Indra and Viṣṇu. The place is never devoid of crowds of immortal beings, (i.e. Devas) who worship the lord of Bhūtas (i.e. Śiva) there, always.

17-19. Śaṅkara, Mahādeva, the lord of Pramhathas is worshipped by the Siddhas, Devas, Gandharvas, Brahmā, and others such as Upendra. They use these musical instruments (drums, etc.) in the course of their worship—Jharjharas (cymbals) conches, Paṭahas, Bherīs, Diṇḍimas, Gomukhas. During their worship they sing in low, middle and high pitches; they also jump, dance and shout in joy. Śaṅkara when being worshipped thus appears as though he has divided into two the beautiful peak (Kailāsa) having the lustre of the conch.

20. Kailāsa^[2] is the abode of Kubera, the king of Yakṣas as well as other noble beings.

21. There too, Śiva the lord of Devas has a great abode. He stays there always accompanied by Umā and the chiefs of Gaṇas.

22-25. The holy river Mandākinī with plenty of water and abounding in lotuses flows over the splendid peak Kubera Śikhara; the steps leading to its waters are built of gold and set with gems. There are golden lotuses with fragrance, very soft to the touch. There are great lilies with sweet smells and leaves resembling blue lapis lazuli. The river is beautifully adorned with big lotuses and lilies. It is frequented by the womenfolk of the Yakṣas and Gandharvas. The waters of the holy and splendid river Mandākinī^[3] are used by Devas, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas and Kinnaras for bathing and drinking purposes.

26. On its northern bank is the splendid abode of Lord Śiva, finished with lapis lazuli and other gems. He, the unchanging lord, stays there.

27. O brahmins, on the eastern and southern banks of the river Kanakanandā there is a forest with thousands of Brahmins,^[4] animals and birds.

28-31. There also the lord sports in a mansion similar to the one on the mountain (Kailāsa) along with Umā and chief Gaṇas. On the western bank of the Nandā^[5], a little towards the South there is the city Rudrapurī. It is full of many mansions. In these also Lord Śiva assuming hundreds of forms sports about along with Umā and the Gaṇas. It is called Śivālaya (abode of Śiva). Thus there are hundreds and thousands of shrines of Śiva in every Dvīpa, O excellent sages, on the mountains, in the forests, on the banks of rivers, lakes and on. the junctions of waters.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Bhūtavana: Bhūta is a name of Śiva; Bhūta-vana—Śiva’s forest.

[2]:

Kailāsa: p. 100 note 133

[3]:

Mandākinī: identical with Svargaṅgā. For detail, see Gaṅgāvatāra-varṇana (Vāyu, chapter 47; Matsya chapter 124). According to this description “cold and fresh water from the springs of the Kailāsa mountain flows into a lake from which issues river Mandākinī around which stands the picturesque Nandana forest of vast dimensions.” S.M. Ali holds that the river Mandākinī probably refers to the river Umā and the Zhong Chhu, which flow through Gaurī-Kuṇḍa (lying on the eastern flank of Mount Kailāsa) in the Rākṣasa Tal (the twin lake of Mānasarovar)”.

[4]:

dvija here means ‘ascetic brāhmaṇas’.

[5]:

Nandā: Nandā, Alakanandā and Bhāgīrathī are three famous branches ©f Gaṅgā in the upper course in the Pauri-Garhwal region. According to Pargiter (Mark. p. 383), the rivers Nandā and Apara-nandā are often mentioned as situated in the north between the Ganges and Kauśikī or Kosi, and near the river Bāhudā and mount Hemakūṭa.