Devanagari
तथैवेलावृतमपरेण पूर्वेण च माल्यवद्गन्धमादनावानीलनिषधायतौ द्विसहस्रं पप्रथतु: केतुमालभद्राश्वयो: सीमानं विदधाते ॥ १० ॥
Verse text
tathaivelāvṛtam apareṇa pūrveṇa ca mālyavad-gandhamādanāv ānīla-niṣadhāyatau dvi-sahasraṁ paprathatuḥ ketumāla-bhadrāśvayoḥ sīmānaṁ vidadhāte.
Synonyms
tathā eva
—
exactly like that
;
ilāvṛtam apareṇa
—
on the western side of Ilāvṛta-varṣa
;
pūrveṇa ca
—
and on the eastern side
;
mālyavad
—
gandha — mādanau — the demarcation mountains of Mālyavān on the west and Gandhamādana on the east
;
ā
—
nīla — niṣadha — āyatau — on the northern side up to the mountain known as Nīla and on the southern side up to the mountain known as Niṣadha
;
dvi
—
sahasram — two thousand yojanas
;
paprathatuḥ
—
they extend
;
ketumāla
—
bhadrāśvayoḥ — of the two varṣas named Ketumāla and Bhadrāśva
;
sīmānam
—
the border
;
vidadhāte
—
establish .
Translation
In the same way, west and east of Ilāvṛta-varṣa are two great mountains named Mālyavān and Gandhamādana respectively. These two mountains, which are 2,000 yojanas [16,000 miles] high, extend as far as Nīla Mountain in the north and Niṣadha in the south. They indicate the borders of Ilāvṛta-varṣa and also the varṣas known as Ketumāla and Bhadrāśva.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
In the same way, west and east of Ilāvṛta-varṣa are two great mountains named Mālyavān and Gandhamādana respectively. These two mountains, which are 2,000 yojanas high, extend as far as Nīla Mountain in the north and Niṣadha in the south. They produce the borders of the varṣas known as Ketumāla and Bhadrāśva.
In the west (apareṇa) and east directions extend in length to Nīla in the north and Niṣadha in the south. They are 34,000 yojanas in length. In a line from south to north, Bharata, Kiṁpuruṣa and Harivarṣa are 27,000 yojanas in total (9000 each in width). The mountains Himālaya, Hemakūṭa and Niṣadhā, each 2000 yojanas, make 6000 yojanas in total. Sumeru and Ilāvṛta are 34,000 yojanas wide. Ramyaka, Hiraṇmaya and Kuru are 27,000 yojanas in total. Nīla, Śveta and Śṛṅgavān are at total of 6000 yojanas. The total comes to 100,000 yojanas. Measuring from east to west, Bhadrāśva is 31,000 yojanas, Sumeru and Ilāvṛta are 34,000 yojanas and Ketumāla is 31,000 yojanas. The Gandhamādana and Mālyavān mountains are 4000 yojanas each. The total across is also 100,000 yojanas.
Purport
There are so many mountains, even on this planet earth. We do not think that the measurements of all of them have actually been calculated. While passing over the mountainous region from Mexico to Caracas, we actually saw so many mountains that we doubt whether their height, length and breadth have been properly measured. Therefore, as indicated in
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, we should not try to comprehend the greater mountainous areas of the universe merely by our calculations. Śukadeva Gosvāmī has already stated that such calculations would be very difficult even if one had a duration of life like that of Brahmā. We should simply be satisfied with the statements of authorities like Śukadeva Gosvāmī and appreciate how the entire cosmic manifestation has been made possible by the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The measurements given herein, such as 10,000
yojanas
or 100,000
yojanas,
should be considered correct because they have been given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Our experimental knowledge can neither verify nor disprove the statements of
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
We should simply hear these statements from the authorities. If we can appreciate the extensive energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that will benefit us.