The Devi Bhagavatam: The Eighth Book: Chapter 13

1. Nârada said :-- Thou, the Knower of everything! Describe about the remaining Dvîpas, knowing which we will be highly delighted.

2-36. Nârâyana spoke thus :-- The very vast Ghrita Sâgara (the ocean of clarified butter) is encircling the Kus’a Dvîpa. Next to it is the Krauncha Dvîpa. It is twice as large as Kus’a. The Ksîra Sâgara (the ocean of milk) is surrounding this Dvîpa. The Krauncha mountain is standing here. The name of this Dvîpa is derived from this mountain. In days gone by, the highly intelligent Kârtikeya burst this mountain by his own prowess. This Dvîpa is washed by the Ksîra Sâgara; and Varuna is its Regent. The son of Priyavrata, Ghritapristha, respected by all and whose prosperity knows no end, is the Lord of this Dvîpa. He divided this Dvîpa into the seven parts and distributed them to his sons and named the Varsas after the names of his sons. He made his sons the rulers of those places and he himself took the refuge of the Bhagavân Nârâyana The names of the seven Varsas are respectively :-- Âma, Madhuruha, Meghapristha, Sudhâmaka, Bhrâjistha, Lohitârna, and Vanaspati. O Nârada! The seven mountains and the rivers there are very celebrated throughout the worlds. The names of the mountains are :-- S’ûkla, Vardhamâna, Bhojana, Upavarhana, Nanda, Nandana, and Sarvatobhadra. The names of the rivers are :-- Abhayâ, Amritaughâ, Âryakâ, Tîrthavatî, Vrittirûpavatî, S’uklâ, and Pavitravatikâ. The inhabitants there drink

the highly pure water of these rivers. The people there are divided into four colours Purusa, Risabha, Dravina, and Vedaka and they worship the Bhagavân Varuna, of the form of water. Then they become very discriminative, and, with great devotion, and holding full within their folded palms the water, repeat the following mantra :-- “O Water! Thou art the essence Vîrya of the Person Bhagavâna and Thou sanctifiest the Bhûrloka, Bhuvarloka, and Svarloka. Thou destroyest the sins of all. We all are touching it; purify our bodies.” After finishing their mantrams, they sing various hymns to Varuna. Next to the Ksiroda Sâgara, is the S’aka Dvîpa, thirty two lakh yoyanas wide, surrounded by the Dadhi Sâgara (the ocean of curds), of similar dimensions. Here the most excellent tree named the S’aka tree exists. O Nârada! The Dvîpa is named so after the tree. Medhâtithi, the son of Priyavrata is the Lord of this Dvîpa. He divided this land into the seven Varsas and distributed each to his seven sons respectively; and ultimately he took refuge to the path of Yoga. The names of the seven Varsas are Purojava, Manojava, Pavamânaka, Dhûmrânîka, Chitrarepha, Bahurûpa, and Vis’vadhrik. In these Varsas there are seven mountains, one in each Varsa, as forming their boundaries; and there are seven rivers also. The names of the mountains are :-- Îs’ana, Ûrus’ringa, Valabhadra, S’ata Kes’ara, Sahasra-srotaka, Devapâla, and Mahâsana; the names of the rivers are :-- Anaghâ, Âyurdâ, Ubhayaspristi, Aparâjitâ, Pañchapadî, and Sahasras’ruti and Nijadhriti. These seven rivers are all very big and resplendent with lustre. The people are divided into four classes :-- Varsas, Satyavrata, Kratuvrata, Dânavrata, and Anuvrata. They all take the Prânayâma exercise and thereby bring the Râjas, and Tamo Guna under their subjection and they worship Hari, of the nature of Prâna Vayu, Higher than the Highest. Their mantra is this :-- “He has entered into all the living beings and nourishes them by the Prâna and other faculties; He is the Internal Ruler of all and the Supreme Controller; this Universe is under His control; let Him protect and nourish us.” O Nârada! Next to this Dadhi Sâgara is Puskara Dvîpa; it is twice as large as S’âka Dvîpa. It is surrounded by the Dudha Sâgar (the ocean of milk) all twice as large. The leaves of Puskara tree that shines in the Puskara Dvîpa, are fiery like golden flames; they are as clean and pure. Crores and crores of leaves, golden in colour ornament this Tree. Vâsudeva, the Guru of all the Lokas, has created this Puskara Dvîpa as the seat of Paramesthî Brahmâ, possessed of six extraordinary powers, for the purpose of creation. There is one mountain in this Dvîpa; it is divided into two parts, named Arvâchîna and Parâchîna. These form the boundaries of the two Varsas. The

mountain is one Ayuta Yoyana high and one Ayuta Yoyana wide. There are four cities on the four sides. Indra and the three other Lokapâlas are the lords of these cities. The Sun God comes out from their top and circumambulating Meru, goes there again. The whole year is his Chakram, circle of circuit; His path is Uttrâyanam and Daksinâyanam. Vîtihotra, the son of Priyavrata is the lord of this island. He distributed the two Varsas amongst his two sons, Ramana and Dhâtakî. They rule over the two Varsas named also after them. Like the inhabitants of the above Varsas, the people also get powers of themselves and worship devotedly the God seated on the lotus and follow such path of the Yoga as leads them to the Brahmâ Sâlokyâ, etc. The mantra runs thus :-- “We bow down to that One God, without a Second, of the nature of Peace, Who is the Fruit of all the Karmas, Who is the seat of illumination of Brahmâ, Who is established in Unity, and Who is worshipped by all the Lokas.”

Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of the remaining Dvîpas in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.