Jambu

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 23 Jul 2011 15:22 and updated at 23 Jul 2011 15:22

VISHNU PURANA NOUN

vp.2.1 Descendants of Priyavrata, the eldest son of Swayambhuva Manu: his ten sons: three adopt a religious life; the others become kings of the seven Dwipas, or isles, of the earth. Agnidhra, king of Jambu dwipa, divides it into nine portions, which he distributes amongst his sons. Nabhi, king of the south, succeeded by Rishabha; and he by Bharata: India named after him Bharata: his descendants reign during the Swayambhuva Manwantara.
vp.2.1 Priyavrata having divided the earth into seven continents, gave them respectively to his other seven sons 3. To Agnidhra he gave Jambu dwipa; to Medhatithi he gave Plaksha dwipa: he installed Vapushmat in the sovereignty over the Dwipa of Salmali; and made Jyotishmat king of Kusa dwipa: he appointed Dyutimat to rule over Krauncha dwipa; Bhavya to reign over Saka dwipa; and Savala he nominated the monarch of the Dwipa of Pushkara.
vp.2.1 Agnidhra, the king of Jambu dwipa, had nine sons, equal in splendour to the patriarchs: they were named Nabhi, Kimpurusha, Harivarsha, Ilavrita, Ramya, Hiranvat, Kuru, Bhadraswa, and Ketumala 4, who was a prince ever active in the practice of piety.
vp.2.1 Hear next, Maitreya, in what manner Agnidhra apportioned Jambu dwipa amongst his nine sons. He gave to Nabhi the country called Hima, south of the Himavat, or snowy mountains. The country of Hemakuta he gave to Kimpurusha; and to Harivarsha, the country of
vp.2.2 Description of the earth. The seven Dwipas and seven seas. Jambu dwipa. Mount Meru: its extent and boundaries. Extent of Ilavrita. Groves, lakes, and branches of Meru. Cities of the gods. Rivers. The forms of Vishnu worshipped in different Varshas.
vp.2.2 The seven great insular continents are Jambu, Plaksha, Salmali, Kusa, Krauncha, saka, and Pushkara: and they are surrounded severally by seven great seas; the sea of salt water Lavana(), of sugar cane juice Ikshu(), of wine Sura(), of clarified butter Sarpi(), of curds Dadhi(), of milk Dugdha(), and of fresh water Jala() 1.
vp.2.2 Jambu dwipa is in the centre of all these: and in the centre of this continent is the golden mountain Meru. The height of Meru is eighty four thousand Yojanas; and its depth below the surface of the earth is
vp.2.2 next Kimpurusha, between Himavan and Hemakuta; north of the latter, and south of Nishadha, is Harivarsha; north of Meru is Ramyaka, extending from the Nila or blue mountains to the sweta (or white) mountains; Hiranmaya lies between the sweta and sringi ranges; and Uttarakuru is beyond the latter, following the same direction as Bharata 4. Each of these is nine thousand Yojanas in extent. Ilavrita is of similar dimensions, but in the centre of it is the golden mountain Meru, and the country extends nine thousand Yojanas in each direction from the four sides of the mountain 5. There are four mountains in this Varsha, formed as buttresses to Meru, each ten thousand Yojanas in elevation: that on the east is called Mandara; that on the south, Gandhamadana; that on the west, Vipula; and that on the north, Suparswa 6: on each of these stands severally a Kadamba tree, a Jambu tree, a Pipal, and a Vata 7; each spreading over eleven hundred Yojanas, and towering aloft like banners on the mountains. From the Jambu tree the insular continent Jambu dwipa derives its appellations. The apples of that tree are as large as elephants: when they are rotten, they fall upon the crest of the mountain, and from their expressed juice is formed the Jambu river, the waters of which are drunk by the inhabitants; and in consequence of drinking of that stream, they pass their days in content and health, being subject neither to perspiration, to foul odours, to decrepitude, nor organic decay. The soil
vp.2.2 the banks of the river, absorbing the Jambu juice, and being dried by gentle breezes, becomes the gold termed Jambunada, of which the ornaments of the Siddhas are fabricated.
vp.2.3 In the Bharata varsha it is that the succession of four Yugas, or ages, the Krita, the Treta, the Dwapara, and Kali, takes place; that pious ascetics engage in rigorous penance; that devout men offer sacrifices; and that gifts are distributed; all for the sake of another world. In Jambu dwipa, Vishnu, consisting of sacrifice, is worshipped, as the male of sacrificial rites, with sacrificial ceremonies: he is adored under other forms elsewhere. Bharata is therefore the best of the divisions of Jambu dwipa, because it is the land of works: the others are places of enjoyment alone. It is only after many thousand births, and the aggregation of much merit, that living beings are sometimes born in Bharata as men. The gods themselves exclaim, "Happy are those who are born, even from the condition of gods, as men in Bharata varsha, as that is the way to the pleasures of Paradise, or the greater blessing of final liberation. Happy are they who, consigning all the unheeded rewards of their acts to the supreme and eternal Vishnu, obtain existence in that land of works, as their path to him. We know not, when the acts that have obtained us heaven shall have been fully recompensed 7, where we shall renew corporeal confinement; but we know that those men are fortunate who are born with perfect faculties 8 in Bharata varsha."
vp.2.3 I have thus briefly described to you, Maitreya, the nine divisions of Jambu dwipa, which is a hundred thousand Yojanas in extent, and which is encircled, as if by a bracelet, by the ocean of salt water, of similar dimensions.
vp.2.4 IN the same manner as Jambu dwipa is girt round about by the ocean of salt water, so that ocean is surrounded by the insular continent of Plaksha; the extent of which is twice that of Jambu dwipa.
vp.2.4 the Treta (or silver) age. In the five Dwipas, worthy Brahman, from Plaksha to saka, the length of life is five thousand years, and religious merit is divided amongst the several castes and orders of the people. The castes are called aryaka, Kuru, Vivasa, and Bhavi, corresponding severally with Brahman, Kshetriya, Vaisya, and sudra. In this Dwipa is a large fig tree (F. religiosa), of similar size as the Jambu tree of Jambu dwipa; and this Dwipa is called Plaksha, after the name of the tree. Hari, who is all, and the creator of all, is worshipped in this continent in the form of Soma (the moon). Plaksha dwipa is surrounded, as by a disc, by the sea of molasses, of the same extent as the land. Such, Maitreya, is a brief description of Plaksha dwipa.

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