Eighth Skandha · Chapter 12
Sourceभुवनकोशवर्णने प्लक्षद्वीपकुशद्वीपवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच जम्बुद्वीपो यथा चायं यत्प्रमाणेन कीर्तितः । तावता सर्वतः क्षारोदधिना परिवेष्टितः ॥ १ ॥ जम्बाख्येन यथा मेरुस्तथा क्षारोदकेन च । क्षारोदधिस्तु द्विगुणः प्लक्षाख्येनोपवेष्टितः ॥ २ ॥ यथैव परिखा बाह्योपवनेन हि वेष्ट्यते । प्लक्षाख्यश्च स्वयं जम्बुप्रमाणो द्वीपरूपधृक् ॥ ३ ॥ हिरण्मयोऽग्निस्तत्रैव तिष्ठतीति विनिश्चयः । प्रियवतात्मजस्तत्र सप्तजिह्व इति स्मृतः ॥ ४ ॥ अग्निस्तदधिपस्त्विध्मजिह्वः स्वं द्वीपमेव च । विभज्य सप्तवर्षाणि स्वपुत्रेभ्यो ददौ विभुः ॥ ५ ॥ स्वयमात्मविदां मान्यां योगचर्यां समाश्रितः । तेनैव चात्मयोगेन भगवन्तमुपागतः ॥ ६ ॥ शिवं च यवसं भद्रं शान्तं क्षेमामृते तथा । अभयं चेति सप्तैव तद्वर्षाणि सदेक्षताम् ॥ ७ ॥ तेषु प्रोक्ता नदीः सप्त गिरयः सप्त चैव हि । अरुणा नृम्णाङ्गिरसी सावित्री सुप्रभातिका ॥ ८ ॥ ऋतम्भरा सत्यम्भरा इति नद्यः प्रकीर्तिताः । मणिकूटो वज्रकूट इन्द्रसेनस्तथैव च ॥ ९ ॥ ज्योतिष्मान्वै सुपर्णश्च हिरण्यष्ठीव एव च । मेघमाल इति ख्याताः प्लक्षद्वीपस्य पर्वताः ॥ १० ॥ नदीनां जलमात्रेण दर्शनस्पर्शनादिभिः । निर्धूताशेषरजसो निस्तमस्काः प्रजास्तथा ॥ ११ ॥ हंसश्चैव पतङ्गश्च ऊर्ध्वायन इतीव च । सत्याङ्गसंज्ञाश्चत्वारो वर्णाः प्लक्षस्य द्वीपके ॥ १२ ॥ सहस्रायुप्रमाणाश्च विविधोपमदर्शनाः । स्वर्गद्वारं त्रयीविद्याविधिनार्कं यजन्ति ते ॥ १३ ॥ प्रत्नस्य विष्णो रूपं च सत्यर्तस्य च ब्रह्मणः । अमृतस्य च मृत्योश्च सूर्यमात्मानमीमहि ॥ १४ ॥ प्लक्षादिषु च सर्वेषु पज्जद्वीपेषु नारद । आयुरिन्द्रियमोजश्च बलं बुद्धिः सहोऽपि च ॥ १५ ॥ विक्रमः सर्वलोकानां सिद्धिरौत्पत्तिकी सदा । प्लक्षद्वीपात्परं चेक्षुरसोदः सरिताम्पतिः ॥ १६ ॥ प्लक्षद्वीपं समग्रं च परिवार्यावतिष्ठते । शाल्मलाख्यस्ततो द्वीपश्चास्माद् द्विगुणविस्तरः ॥ १७ ॥ समानेन सुरोदेन सिन्धुना परिवेष्टितः । यत्र वै शाल्मलीवृक्षः प्लक्षायामः प्रकीर्तितः ॥ १८ ॥ स्थानं तत्पक्षिराजस्य गरुडस्य महात्मनः । तस्य द्वीपस्य नाथो हि यज्ञबाहुः प्रियव्रतात् ॥ १९ ॥ जातः स एव सप्तभ्यः स्वपुत्रेभ्यो ददौ धराम् । तद्वर्षाणां च नामानि कथितानि निबोधत ॥ २० ॥ सुरोचनं सौमनस्यं रमणं देववर्षकम् । पारिभद्रे तथा चाप्यायनं विज्ञातनामकम् ॥ २१ ॥ तेषु वर्षाद्रयः सप्त सप्तैव सरितः स्मृताः । सरसः शतशृङ्गश्च वामदेवश्च कन्दकः ॥ २२ ॥ कुमुदः पुष्पवर्षश्च सहस्रश्रुतिरेव च । एते च पर्वताः सप्त नदीनामानि चोच्यते ॥ २३ ॥ अनुमतिः सिनीवाली सरस्वती कुहूस्तथा । रजनी चैव नन्दा च राकेति परिकीर्तिताः ॥ २४ ॥ तद्वर्षपुरुषाः सर्वे चातुर्वर्ण्यसमाह्वयाः । श्रुतधरो वीर्यधरो वसुन्धर इषुन्धरः ॥ २५ ॥ भगवन्तं वेदमयं यजन्ते सोममीश्वरम् । स्वगोभिः पितृदेवेभ्यो विभजत्कृष्णशुक्लयोः ॥ २६ ॥ सर्वासां च प्रजानां च राजा सोमः प्रसीदतु । एवं सुरोदाद् द्विगुणः स्वमानेन प्रकीर्तितः ॥ २७ ॥ घृतोदेनावृतः सोऽयं कुशद्वीपः प्रकाशते । यस्मिन्नास्ते कुशस्तम्बो द्वीपाख्याकारणो ज्वलन् ॥ २८ ॥ स्वशष्परोचिषा काष्ठा भासयन्परितिष्ठते । हिरण्यरेतास्तद्द्वीपपतिः प्रैयव्रत स्वराट् ॥ २९ ॥ स्वपुत्रेभ्यश्च सप्तभ्यस्तद्द्वीपं सन्तधाभजत् । वसुश्च वसुदानश्च तथा दृढरुचिः परः ॥ ३० ॥ नाभिगुप्तस्तुत्यव्रतौ विविक्तनामदेवकौ । तेषां वर्षेषु सप्तैव सीमागिरिवराः स्मृताः ॥ ३१ ॥ नद्यः सप्तैव सन्तीह तन्नामानि निबोधत । चक्रस्तथा चतुःशृङ्गः कपिलश्चित्रकूटकः ॥ ३२ ॥ देवानीकश्चोर्ध्वरोमा द्रविण सप्त पर्वताः । रसकुल्या मधुकुल्या मित्रविन्दा तथैव च ॥ ३३ ॥ श्रुतविन्दा देवगर्भा घृतच्युन्मन्दमालिके । यत्पयोभिः कुशद्वीपवासिनः सर्व एव ते ॥ ३४ ॥ कुशलः कोविदश्चैवाप्यभियुक्तस्तथैव च । कुलकश्चेति संज्ञाभिश्चतुर्वर्णाः प्रकीर्तिताः ॥ ३५ ॥ जातवेदसरूपं तं देवं कर्मजकौशलैः । यजन्ते देववर्याभाः सर्वे सर्वविदो जनाः ॥ ३६ ॥ परस्यब्रह्मणः साक्षाज्जातवेदोऽसि हव्यवाट् । देवानां पुरुषाङ्गानां यज्ञेन पुरुषं यज । एवं यजन्ते ज्वलनं सर्वे द्वीपाधिवासिनः ॥ ३७ ॥ इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायामष्टमस्कन्धे भुवनकोशवर्णने प्लक्षद्वीपकुशद्वीपवर्णनं नाम द्वादशोऽध्यायः ॥ १२ ॥
bhuvanakośavarṇane plakṣadvīpakuśadvīpavarṇanam śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca jambudvīpo yathā cāyaṃ yatpramāṇena kīrtitaḥ | tāvatā sarvataḥ kṣārodadhinā pariveṣṭitaḥ || 1 || jambākhyena yathā merustathā kṣārodakena ca | kṣārodadhistu dviguṇaḥ plakṣākhyenopaveṣṭitaḥ || 2 || yathaiva parikhā bāhyopavanena hi veṣṭyate | plakṣākhyaśca svayaṃ jambupramāṇo dvīparūpadhṛk || 3 || hiraṇmayo'gnistatraiva tiṣṭhatīti viniścayaḥ | priyavatātmajastatra saptajihva iti smṛtaḥ || 4 || agnistadadhipastvidhmajihvaḥ svaṃ dvīpameva ca | vibhajya saptavarṣāṇi svaputrebhyo dadau vibhuḥ || 5 || svayamātmavidāṃ mānyāṃ yogacaryāṃ samāśritaḥ | tenaiva cātmayogena bhagavantamupāgataḥ || 6 || śivaṃ ca yavasaṃ bhadraṃ śāntaṃ kṣemāmṛte tathā | abhayaṃ ceti saptaiva tadvarṣāṇi sadekṣatām || 7 || teṣu proktā nadīḥ sapta girayaḥ sapta caiva hi | aruṇā nṛmṇāṅgirasī sāvitrī suprabhātikā || 8 || ṛtambharā satyambharā iti nadyaḥ prakīrtitāḥ | maṇikūṭo vajrakūṭa indrasenastathaiva ca || 9 || jyotiṣmānvai suparṇaśca hiraṇyaṣṭhīva eva ca | meghamāla iti khyātāḥ plakṣadvīpasya parvatāḥ || 10 || nadīnāṃ jalamātreṇa darśanasparśanādibhiḥ | nirdhūtāśeṣarajaso nistamaskāḥ prajāstathā || 11 || haṃsaścaiva pataṅgaśca ūrdhvāyana itīva ca | satyāṅgasaṃjñāścatvāro varṇāḥ plakṣasya dvīpake || 12 || sahasrāyupramāṇāśca vividhopamadarśanāḥ | svargadvāraṃ trayīvidyāvidhinārkaṃ yajanti te || 13 || pratnasya viṣṇo rūpaṃ ca satyartasya ca brahmaṇaḥ | amṛtasya ca mṛtyośca sūryamātmānamīmahi || 14 || plakṣādiṣu ca sarveṣu pajjadvīpeṣu nārada | āyurindriyamojaśca balaṃ buddhiḥ saho'pi ca || 15 || vikramaḥ sarvalokānāṃ siddhirautpattikī sadā | plakṣadvīpātparaṃ cekṣurasodaḥ saritāmpatiḥ || 16 || plakṣadvīpaṃ samagraṃ ca parivāryāvatiṣṭhate | śālmalākhyastato dvīpaścāsmād dviguṇavistaraḥ || 17 || samānena surodena sindhunā pariveṣṭitaḥ | yatra vai śālmalīvṛkṣaḥ plakṣāyāmaḥ prakīrtitaḥ || 18 || sthānaṃ tatpakṣirājasya garuḍasya mahātmanaḥ | tasya dvīpasya nātho hi yajñabāhuḥ priyavratāt || 19 || jātaḥ sa eva saptabhyaḥ svaputrebhyo dadau dharām | tadvarṣāṇāṃ ca nāmāni kathitāni nibodhata || 20 || surocanaṃ saumanasyaṃ ramaṇaṃ devavarṣakam | pāribhadre tathā cāpyāyanaṃ vijñātanāmakam || 21 || teṣu varṣādrayaḥ sapta saptaiva saritaḥ smṛtāḥ | sarasaḥ śataśṛṅgaśca vāmadevaśca kandakaḥ || 22 || kumudaḥ puṣpavarṣaśca sahasraśrutireva ca | ete ca parvatāḥ sapta nadīnāmāni cocyate || 23 || anumatiḥ sinīvālī sarasvatī kuhūstathā | rajanī caiva nandā ca rāketi parikīrtitāḥ || 24 || tadvarṣapuruṣāḥ sarve cāturvarṇyasamāhvayāḥ | śrutadharo vīryadharo vasundhara iṣundharaḥ || 25 || bhagavantaṃ vedamayaṃ yajante somamīśvaram | svagobhiḥ pitṛdevebhyo vibhajatkṛṣṇaśuklayoḥ || 26 || sarvāsāṃ ca prajānāṃ ca rājā somaḥ prasīdatu | evaṃ surodād dviguṇaḥ svamānena prakīrtitaḥ || 27 || ghṛtodenāvṛtaḥ so'yaṃ kuśadvīpaḥ prakāśate | yasminnāste kuśastambo dvīpākhyākāraṇo jvalan || 28 || svaśaṣparociṣā kāṣṭhā bhāsayanparitiṣṭhate | hiraṇyaretāstaddvīpapatiḥ praiyavrata svarāṭ || 29 || svaputrebhyaśca saptabhyastaddvīpaṃ santadhābhajat | vasuśca vasudānaśca tathā dṛḍharuciḥ paraḥ || 30 || nābhiguptastutyavratau viviktanāmadevakau | teṣāṃ varṣeṣu saptaiva sīmāgirivarāḥ smṛtāḥ || 31 || nadyaḥ saptaiva santīha tannāmāni nibodhata | cakrastathā catuḥśṛṅgaḥ kapilaścitrakūṭakaḥ || 32 || devānīkaścordhvaromā draviṇa sapta parvatāḥ | rasakulyā madhukulyā mitravindā tathaiva ca || 33 || śrutavindā devagarbhā ghṛtacyunmandamālike | yatpayobhiḥ kuśadvīpavāsinaḥ sarva eva te || 34 || kuśalaḥ kovidaścaivāpyabhiyuktastathaiva ca | kulakaśceti saṃjñābhiścaturvarṇāḥ prakīrtitāḥ || 35 || jātavedasarūpaṃ taṃ devaṃ karmajakauśalaiḥ | yajante devavaryābhāḥ sarve sarvavido janāḥ || 36 || parasyabrahmaṇaḥ sākṣājjātavedo'si havyavāṭ | devānāṃ puruṣāṅgānāṃ yajñena puruṣaṃ yaja | evaṃ yajante jvalanaṃ sarve dvīpādhivāsinaḥ || 37 || iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmaṣṭamaskandhe bhuvanakośavarṇane plakṣadvīpakuśadvīpavarṇanaṃ nāma dvādaśo'dhyāyaḥ || 12 ||
English translation
1-37. Narayana said The Jambudvipa has been described, how it is and what is its width. It is surrounded on all sides by the salt ocean. As Meru is surrounded by Jambudvipa, so the salt ocean is surrounded by Plaksadvipa, twice its size. As the ditch is surrounded by gardens, so the salt ocean is surrounded by gardens. As the Jambu tree exists in Jambudvipa, so the Plaksa tree exists in the Plaksa DvTpa and of the same size. The name Plaksa Dvipa is derived from the name of this Plaksa tree. This tree is of a golden colour. Fire exists at its bottom with form incarnate. This is, named Saptajihva. The Ruler of this island is Idhmajihva, the son of Priyavrata. He divided his island into the seven Varsas and distributed them, to each of his seven sons and he himself took refuge of the path of Yoga, so much liked by the Knowers of Self and he got the Bhagavan Vasudeva. The names of those seven DvTpas are S'iva, Yavas, Subhadra, Santi, Ksema, Amrita, and Abhaya. Seven rivers and seven mountains exist respectively in the seven islands. The rivers are Aruna, Nrimna, Angirasi, Savitri, Suprabhatika, Ritambhara, and Satyambhara. The names of the mountains are Manikuta, Vajrakuta, Indrasena, Jyotismana,
Suparna, Hiranyasthiva, and Meghamala. The seeing and drinking the waters of these rivers take away all sins and all darkness due to ignorance. The four castes live here, Hamsa, Patanga, Urdhayana, and Satyanga, corresponding to the four castes Brahmana, etc. The inhabitants of this Plaksa DvTpa live for one thousand years and all are of variegated wonderful appearances. They follow the customs and usages dictated by the Vedas and worship the God Sun for the attainment of Heaven. The mantra by which the worship is done is this We take refuge unto that Sun, Who is the Body Manifest of the Ancient Person Visnu and Who is the Ordainer of Satya (Truth), Rita (Straight forwardness), Brahma, Amrita (Immortality) and Mrityu (Death); O Narada! All the persons here live long, of vigorous
senses, energetic, powerful, intelligent, enthusiasts, and valorous; everyone gets extraordinary powers of themselves. Next to this Plaksa Dvipa is the Ikshu Ocean. This Iksu Sagara surrounds the Plaksa Dvipa. Next comes S'almala Dvipa. It is twice as large as Plaksa. This Dvipa is surrounded by Surasagara (the ocean of wine). There is a tree named S'almali in this island, which is as large as the Plaksa tree. The high-souled Garuda resides on that tree, Yajhavahu is the Ruler of this place. He was born of Priyavrata; he divided his Varsa into the seven parts and distributed each of them to his seven sons respectively. Now hear the names of these Varsas Surochana, Saumanasya, Ramana, Deva Varsa, Paribhadra, Apyayana, and Vijhata. Seven mountains and seven rivers exist there respectively. The names of the mountains are Sarasa, S'atas'ringa, Varna Deva, Kandaka, Kumuda, Puspavarsa, and Sahasra-S'ruti. Now hear the names of the rivers. Anumati, Sinibali, Sarasvati, Kuhu, Rajani, Nanda, and Raka; these are the seven rivers. The people are divided into the four castes S'rutadhara, Viryadhara, Vasundhara, Isundhara. These correspond to the Brahmanas, etc. They worship the Bhagavan Moon, the Controller of all and the Creator of all the Vedas. They offer food duly in the black and white fortnight to their Piths. The mantra for their worship is “Let Soma, the King of all, be pleased.” O Narada! Next to Surasagara is Kus'advipa, surrounded by Ghritasagara (the ocean of clarified butter). Its dimensions are twice as large. Here are blades of Kus'a grass, of a very resplendent colour. The name of the Dvipa is from this Kus'astamba. This bundle of Kus'a, illumines all the quarters with their gentle rays. The Ruler of the Dvipa is Hiranyareta, the son of Priyavrata. He divided the Dvipa into seven parts and distributed each of them to each of his seven sons respectively. The names of the seven sons are Vasu, Vasudana, Dhridharuchi, Nabhigupta, Stutyavrata, Vivikta, and Bhamadevaka. There are seven mountains forming the seven boundaries and so are the seven rivers. Hear the names of these. The names of the mountains are Chakra, Chatuhs'ringa, Kapila, Chitre Devanika, Kuta, Urdharoma and Dravina. The names of the rivers are Rasakulya, Madhukulya, Mitravinda, S'rutavinda, Devagarbha, Ghritachyut, and
Mantramalika. The inhabitants of the Kus'advipa drink the waters of these rivers. There are the four castes here Kus'ala, Kovida, Abhiyukta, and Kulaka corresponding to the Brahmanas, etc. They are all powerful like Indra and the other chief Devas; and all of them are omniscient. They worship the Fire God and perform various good works in honour of Him. Their mantra is this O Fire! Thou earnest the oblations direct to Para Brahma. In the sacrifices of the Devas, Thou worshippest that Personal God and offerest to Him whatever are given in oblations, mentioning the respective limbs of His Body. Thus the inhabitants of that DvTpa worship the Fire God.
Here ends the Twelfth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narration of Plaksa, S'almala, and Kus'a Dvipas in the Mahapuranam, S'ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 18741, revision 73076 (2016-07-02T06:39:52Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk08ch12.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.