Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Jambu-dvipa included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana�).
Story of ū-dvīpa
One of the Purāṇically famous ٲ屹ī貹 (seven continents). These seven continents are embankments separating the seven seas. ū屹ī貹, ñ屹ī貹, Ś첹屹ī貹 and ʳṣk屹ī貹 are included in the seven islands.
ū屹ī貹 has an area of one lakh of yojanas. The island is round like a lotus flower. There are eight long mountain ranges which divide the island into nine countries, which look like nine petals of the lotus flower. Each of these nine countries has an area of nine thousand yojanas. The two countries of the north and south extremities are bowshaped. Four of the remaining seven are longer than the rest. The central country is square. This country is known as llāvṛtta, at the centre of which there is the mountain Sumeru with a height of one lakh of yojanas. This is called Svarṇaparvata (The mountain of gold). The top of this mountain is a great flat place with an area of thirtythousand yojanas. This great plain is ten thousand yojanas above the ground level. On the northern part of Ilāvṛtta lie the three mountain ranges of ī, Śٲ and Śṛṅ, and midway between them the three countries called Ramyaka, ᾱṇmⲹ and Kuru. On the southern part of llāvṛtta, there are the three mountains of ṣa, ūṭa and ᾱⲹ and three countries Ჹṣa, ܰṣa and ٲ. The mountain ⲹ lies to the west and ҲԻ岹Բ to the east of llāvṛtta. There are two countries ٳܳ and ś having an area of two thousand yojanas each with the two mountains ī and ṣa as boundaries. At the foot of the mount Ѳ峾, there are the mountains of Mandara, Meru, ܱś첹, Kumuda and many others. On those mountains big trees like ñāval (syzygium jambolanum) 첹Ի岹 (Mango tree) Kaṭambu (Naucka Candamba) banyan etc. grow in plenty. On the top of these mountains there are four lakes, full of milk, honey, juice of sugarcane and sweet water. The devas become prosperous by the touch of the water of these lakes. Besides these parks there are four heavenly parks known as Nandana, Caitraratha, ղᲹ and Sarvabhadraka. The women folk of the devas (gods) and Gandharvas (demi-gods) play in these parks, which are convenient for couples to carry on lustful play. A river is formed there, by the juice oozing from the fallen mango fruits. The river is purple coloured and is called ṇānadī (river ṇ�). The goddess named ṇ� lives here. The famous ū tree is in this ū屹ī貹. (Devī Bhāgavata, Skandha 8).