[Illustration: A diagram of Jambu-Dvipa.]
[Bhârata as a Varsha must not be âgavataPurâmistaken for India. For Bhârata here stands for Nâbhi or the whole of our known earth.
Bhârata Varsha extends from the base of the Earth opposite the Himalayas on the side of America to the highest point of the Himalayas.]
Kinpurusha Varsha, so called from its dwellers, extends from the highest point of the Himalayas as its base to the highest point of Hemakuta.
It will be seen, that we have no idea of any of the mountains, besides the Himalayas.
Ilâvrita stands on the same level with Ketumala and Bhadrasva. If these three be taken as one, we get the number _7_. Five other Dvipas have _7_ Varshas only.]
On the four sides of Meru are the four mountains -- Mandâra, Meru Mandâra, Supârsna and Kumuâ. They are ten thousand Yojanas in height and expanse.
(There are two mountains east and west, their expanse being north and south. There are other two north and south, their expanse being east and west. Otherwise if these mountains were to encircle Meru, Ilâvrita would not be in existence. _Sridhara_).
On these four mountains respectively are four big trees of Mango, Jamboland, Kadamba and the sacred Fig. They are the banners as it were of the Mountains. They are 11000 Yojanas high and they also spread over this area. Their width is one hundred Yojanas.
There is one lake below each of these trees: milk, sugarcane juice and pure water respectively. The use of these fluids gives natural Yogic powers to the Upadevas (lesser devas).
There are also four gardens of the Devas, _viz._ Nandana, Chaitraratha, Vaibhrâjoka and Sarvato-bhadra.
The Devas, adored by the Upadevas amuse themselves in those gardens.
Big fruits with nectar-like juice fall from the mango tree on Mandâra.
(The Vayu Purâna gives the measure of the fruit. The Rishis who perceive truths give the measure of the fruits to be 108 cubits with the fist closed (_aratvi_) and also 61 cubits more. _Sridhara_)
When these fruits drop down, they give out a very sweet, very fragrant, profuse reddish juice which collects to form the river called Arunodâ, having water of the color of Aruna or the morning Sun. This river waters the Eastern part of Ilâvrita. The use of its water gives such a sweet scent to the body of the female attendants of Durgâ that the wind carries that scent to ten Yojanas around.