Studying the Structure of the Universe

Śukadeva said: Now I shall describe the dimensions, characteristics and shapes of the six islands beginning with the island of Plakṣa.

As Sumeru Mountain is surrounded by Jambūdvīpa, Jambūdvīpa is also surrounded by an ocean of salt water whose breadth is the same as that of Jambūdvīpa (100,000 yojanas.) As a moat around a fort is sometimes surrounded by gardenlike forest, the saltwater ocean surrounding Jambūdvīpa is itself surrounded by Plakṣadvīpa, whose breadth is twice that of the saltwater ocean (200,000 yojanas). On Plakṣadvīpa there is a plakṣa tree1 as tall as the jambū tree on Jambūdvīpa, after which the island gets its name. There is a blazing, upward fire with seven flames. Plakṣadvīpa was governed by Idhmajihva, one of the sons of Mahārāja Priyavrata. Idhmajihva, who named its seven varṣas after his seven sons, divided the varṣas among the sons, and then retired from active life to engage in the devotional service of the Lord.

The seven varṣas of Plakṣadvīpa are named according to the names of those seven sons—Śiva, Yavasa, Subhadra, Śānta, Kṣema, Amṛta and Abhaya. In those seven tracts of land, there are seven mountains and seven rivers. The mountains are named Maṇikūṭa, Vajrakūṭa, Indrasena, Jyotiṣmān, Suparṇa, Hiraṇyaṣṭhīva and Meghamāla, and the rivers are named Aruṇā, Nṛmṇā, Āḍgirasī, Sāvitrī, Suptabhātā, Ṛtambharā and Satyambharā. One can immediately be free from material contamination by touching or bathing in those rivers. There are four castes of people who live in Plakṣadvīpa—the Haṁsas, Pataḍgas, Ūrdhvāyanas and Satyāḍgas, who live for one thousand years. They have forms as beautiful as the devatās and produce offspring as the devatās do. They worship the Supreme Lord in the form of the sun, representing the Vedas, the gate to Svarga, by the path of karma.

They chant: we surrender to the Sūrya, who is a form of Viṣṇu, the oldest person, who is the presiding deity of executed dharma, of knowledge about dharma, of the Vedas, and of auspicious and inauspicious results.

Longevity, sensory prowess, physical and mental strength, intelligence and bravery are naturally and equally manifested in all the inhabitants of the five islands headed by Plakṣadvīpa.

Plakṣadvīpa is surrounded by an ocean of sugarcane juice, equal in breadth to the island itself. Similarly, there is then another island—Sālmalīdvīpa—twice as broad as Plakṣadvīpa (400,000 yojanas), and surrounded by an equally broad ocean of liquor.

On Śalmalīdvīpa there is a śālmalī (silk-cotton) tree, from which the island takes its name. That tree is as broad and tall as the plakṣa tree—100 yojanas broad and 1,100 yojanas tall. Learned scholars say that this gigantic tree is the residence of Garuòa, the king of all birds, who chants prayers.

The son of Mahārāja Priyavrata named Yajñabāhu, the master of Śālmalīdvīpa, divided the island into seven tracts of land, which he gave to his seven sons. The names of those divisions, which correspond to the names of the sons, are Surocana, Saumanasya, Ramaṇaka, Deva-varṣa, Pāribhadra, Āpyāyana and Avijñāta.

In those tracts of land there are seven mountains—Svarasa, Śataśṛḍga, Vāmadeva, Kunda, Mukunda, Puṣpa-varṣa and Sahasra-śruti. There are also seven rivers—Anumati, Sinīvālī, Sarasvatī, Kuhū, Rajanī, Nandā and Rākā.

The inhabitants of those islands, who are known as Śrutidharas, Vīryadharas, Vasundharas and Iṣandharas, all worship Soma, the moon-god, an expansion of the Lord, personified as the Vedas.

May the moon, king of all the citizens and of us, who divides food for the Pitṛs and devatās according the waning and waxing phases by his rays, be favorable to us!

Outside the ocean of liquor is another island, known as Kuśadvīpa, which is 800,000 yojanas wide, twice as wide as the ocean of liquor. As Śālmalīdvīpa is surrounded by a liquor ocean, Kuśadvīpa is surrounded by an ocean of liquid ghee as broad as the island itself. On Kuśadvīpa there are clumps of kuśa grass, from which the island takes its name. This kuśa grass, which was created by the devatās by the will of the Supreme Lord, like a second form of fire, illuminates all directions by the effulgence of its tender shoots.

O King! Another son of Mahārāja Priyavrata, Hiraṇyaretā, was the king of this island. He divided it into seven parts, which he delivered to his seven sons according to the rights of inheritance. The King then retired from family life to engage in austerities. The names of those sons are Vasu, Vasudāna, Dṛòharuci, Stutyavrata, Nābhigupta, Vivikta and Vāmadeva.

In those seven islands there are seven boundary mountains, known as Cakra, Catuḥśṛḍga, Kapila, Citrakūṭa, Devānīka, Ūrdhvaromā and Draviṇa. There are also seven rivers, known as Ramakulyā, Madhukulyā, Mitravindā, Śrutavindā, Devagarbhā, Ghṛtacyutā and Mantramālā.

By bathing in the waters of those rivers, they all become purified. The inhabitants of the island of Kuśadvīpa, named Kuśalas, Kovidas, Abhiyuktas and Kulakas, worship the Lord as fire by expertise in Vedic ceremonies.

They say: O fire! You are directly the carrier of offerings for the Supreme Lord. Please worship the Supreme Lord by offerings to the devatās, who are the limbs of the Lord.

Outside the ocean of clarified butter is another island, known as Krauñcadvīpa, which has a width of 1,600,000 yojanas, twice the width of the ocean of clarified butter. As Kuśadvīpa is surrounded by an ocean of clarified butter, Krauñcadvīpa is surrounded by an ocean of milk as broad as the island itself. On Krauñcadvīpa there is a great mountain known as Krauñca, from which the island takes its name.

Although the vegetables living on the slopes of Mount Krauñca were attacked and devastated by the weapons of Kārtikeya, the mountain has become fearless because it is always bathed by the ocean of milk and protected by Varuṇa.

The ruler of this island was another son of Mahārāja Priyavrata, named Ghṛtapṛṣṭha. He also divided his own island among his seven sons. After dividing the island into seven parts, named according to the names of his sons, Ghṛtapṛṣṭha Mahārāja completely retired from family life and took shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord, the soul of all souls, who has all auspicious qualities.

The sons of Mahārāja Ghṛtapṛṣṭha were named Āma, Madhuruha, Meghapṛṣṭha, Sudhāmā, Bhrājiṣṭha, Lohitārṇa and Vanaspati. In their island there are seven mountains, which indicate the boundaries of the seven tracts of land, and there are also seven rivers. The mountains are named Śukla, Vardhamāna, Bhojana, Upabarhiṇa, Nanda, Nandana and Sarvatobhadra. The rivers are named Abhayā, Amṛtaughā, Āryakā, Tīrthavatī, Rūpavatī, Pavitravatī and Śuklā.

The water of these rivers is pure and clean. The inhabitants of Krauñcadvīpa are divided into four castes, called the Puruṣas, Ṛṣabhas, Draviṇas and Devakas. They worship the Supreme Lord by offering a palmful of water at the lotus feet of Varuṇa, the devatā whose form is water.

O water! Your abilities have been given to you by the Lord. You are the purifier of the three worlds. Purify the bodies of us, who touch you, since you are the destroyer of sins by your presence.

Outside the ocean of milk is another island, Śākadvīpa, which has a width of 3,200,000 yojanas. As Krauñcadvīpa is surrounded by its own ocean of milk, Śākadvīpa is surrounded by an ocean of churned yogurt as broad as the island itself. In Śākadvīpa there is a big śāka (teak) tree, from which the island takes its name. Its fragrance scents the entire island.

The master of this island, also one of the sons of Priyavrata, was known as Medhātithi. He divided his island into seven sections, named according to the names of his own sons, whom he made the kings of that island. The names of those sons were Purojava, Manojava, Pavamāna, Dhūmrānīka, Citrarepha, Bahurūpa and Viśvadhāra. After dividing the island and situating his sons as its rulers, Medhātithi retired, and to fix his mind completely upon the lotus feet of the Lord, he entered a forest suitable for meditation.

For these lands also, there are seven boundary mountains and seven rivers. The mountains are Īśāna, Uruśṛḍga, Balabhadra, Śatakesara, Sahasrasrota, Devapāla and Mahānasa. The rivers are Anaghā, Āyurdā, Ubhayaspṛṣṭi, Aparājitā, Pañcapadī, Sahasra-śruti and Nijadhṛti.

The inhabitants of those islands are also divided into four castes—Ṛtavrata, Satyavrata, Dānavrata and Anuvrata. Destroying rajas and tamas by prāṇāyāma, they worship the Supreme Lord in the form of Vāyu by the most intense concentration.

May the antaryāmī, the Supreme Lord who enters within and directly maintains the living beings by the functions of the prāṇas, under whose control the universe is created, please protect us.

Outside the ocean of yogurt is another island, known as Puṣkaradvīpa, which is 6,400,000 yojanas wide, twice as wide as the ocean of yogurt. It is surrounded by an ocean of very tasteful water as broad as the island itself. On Puṣkaradvīpa there is a great lotus flower with 100,000,000 pure golden petals, as effulgent as the flames of a fire. That lotus flower is considered the sitting place of Lord Brahmā.

In the middle of that island is a great mountain named Mānasottara, which forms the boundary between the inner side and the outer side of the island. Its breadth and height are 10,000 yojanas. On that mountain, in the four directions, are the residential quarters of devatās such as Indra. The wheel of the chariot of the sun-god, making up a year, going around Meru, travels on the top of the mountain with northern and southern courses, called the day and night of the devatās.

The ruler of this island, the son of Mahārāja Priyavrata named Vītihotra, granting the two sides of the island to his two sons named Ramaṇaka and Dhātaki, engaged himself in activities for the sake of the Lord like his elder brothers.

The inhabitants of this tract of land worship the Lord in the form of Lord Brahmā by actions with cause further actions, and offer prayers to the Lord as follows.

They say: I offer respects the Supreme Lord whom people, with the idea of servant and object of service, worship as Brahmā, who is attained by karma, who is fixed in devotion to the Lord, who is non-different from the Lord, who is peaceful, and by whom the Vedas are known.

Thereafter, beyond the ocean of sweet water and fully surrounding it, is a mountain named Lokāloka, which divides the countries that are full of sunlight from those not lit by the sun.

Beyond the ocean of sweet water is a tract of land as broad as the area between the middle of Meru and the middle Mānasottara Mountain. It is a land of gold, whose surface is like a mirror. Any object dropped there cannot be seen again. Therefore all living entities have abandoned this place.

Between the lands inhabited by living entities and those that are uninhabited stands the great mountain which separates the two and which is therefore celebrated as Lokāloka.

That mountain has been created by the Lord in all eight directions extending up to the end of the three worlds in height. The rays of the sun, of other planets up to Dhruvaloka, and of the stars spread throughout the three worlds, but cannot spread beyond the mountain. That is the height of the mountain.

Learned scholars have thus described the locations of the planets, their particular symptoms, measurements and shapes. The distance between Sumeru and the end of Lokāloka is one fourth of the diameter of the universe, or 41,100,000 yojanas.

On the top of Lokāloka Mountain are the four gaja-patis, the best of elephants, which were established in the four directions by Lord Brahmā, the supreme guru of the entire universe. The names of those elephants are Ṛṣabha, Puṣkaracūòa, Vāmana and Aparājita. They are responsible for supporting all planets of the universe.

The Supreme Lord, the greatest person, the lord of great powers, the antāryāmī, surrounded by his associates such as Viṣvaksena, supporting viśuddha-sattva characterized by dharma, jñāna, vairāgya, aiśvarya and the eight siddhis, possessing four arms decorated with the best weapons, remains on that best of mountains for the welfare of all people and for increasing the various powers of the elephants, who are protectors of the planets and his own expansions.

The Lord remains there until the end of the kalpa in order to protect the worldly affairs created by his yoga-māyā.

Lokāloka Mountain extends for the same distance as the total diameter of the mountain range (82,200,000 yojanas) and distance outside the mountain range is the same as the distance from Meru to the far edge of Lokāloka Mountain. They say that beyond that is the pure destination of those who aspire for liberation from the material world.

The sun is situated (vertically) in the middle of the universe, in the area between Bhūrloka and Bhuvarloka, which is called antarikṣa, outer space. The distance between the sun and the circumference of the universe is 250,000,000 yojanas.

The sun is known as Mārtaṇòa because he entered the unconscious universe. He is called Hiraṇyagarbha because he is the very existence of the universe called the Hiraṇyāṇòa.

The directions, sky, the heavens, and earth and other divisions, as well the places of enjoyment, liberaton and hell, such as Atala, are all differentiated by the sun.

The sun is the eye and life of all living beings, of devatās, animals, humans, reptiles and plants.