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Realms beyond the Supra-Earth

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This is from Śrī Bhāgavata 5.20. I will elaborate and explain it in a youtube video later this week.

1

śrī-śuka uvāca: ataḥ paraṁ plakṣādīnāṁ pramāṇa-lakṣaṇa-saṁsthānato varṣa-vibhāga upavarṇyate.⁠1

Now I will try to describe the most significant characteristics constituting the realms beyond, starting with Plakṣa.

2

jambūdvīpo ’yaṁ yāvat-pramāṇa-vistāras tāvatā kṣārodadhinā pariveṣṭito yathā merur jambv-ākhyena lavaṇodadhir api. 

tato dvi-guṇa-viśālena plakṣākhyena parikṣipto yathā parikhā bāhyopavanena; plakṣo jambū-pramāṇo dvīpākhyākaro hiraṇmaya utthito yatrāgnir upāste sapta-jihvaḥ.

tasyādhipatiḥ priyavratātmaja idhmajihvaḥ svaṁ dvīpaṁ sapta-varṣāṇi vibhajya sapta-varṣa-nāmabhya ātmajebhya ākalayya svayam ātma-yogenopararāma.⁠2

Jambūdvīpa is enveloped by an ocean of salt-water as thick as itself, surrounding it in the same way that Jambū surrounds Meru, and extending beyond it for twice that distance.

This, in turn, is enveloped by “The Devourer” (Plakṣa), which acts like an impassible border between a city and the beginnings of the wilderness. In the beginnings of the forest of this wilderness stands “The Fig Tree” (Plakṣa), which, like its namesake, grows about as big as “The Rose-Apple” (Jambū). In that expanse shine seven branches of resplendant fire.

The ruler of this realm is Priyavrata’s son, Idhmajihva (“Branch of Fire”). He retired to pursue self-union after dividing the realm into seven regions, with the seven names of the children to whom they were entrusted.

3

śivaṁ yavasaṁ subhadraṁ śāntaṁ kṣemam amṛtam abhayam iti varṣāṇi teṣu girayo nadyaś ca saptaivābhijñātāḥ.⁠3 

The seven regions are named: Placid, Pastoral, Calm, Peaceful, Secure, Undying, and Fearless. In them are seven discernable rivers and mountains.

4

maṇikūṭo vajrakūṭa indraseno jyotiṣmān suparṇo hiraṇyaṣṭhīvo meghamāla iti setu-śailāḥ.⁠4

The mountainous borders are named: Gem-peak, Lightning-peak, Cloud-gatherer, Light-holder, Big-slopes, Gold-oozer, and Cloud-wearer.

 aruṇā nṛmṇāṅgirasī sāvitrī suptabhātā ṛtambharā satyambharā iti mahā-nadyaḥ.⁠5

The great rivers are named: Ruddy, Powerful, Fire-holder, Life-bringer, Rest-bringer, Realness-holder, and Truth-holder.

yāsāṁ jalopasparśana-vidhūta-rajas-tamasaḥ.⁠6 

Respectfully approaching their water cleanses all dust and darkness.

haṁsa-pataṅgordhvāyana-satyāṅga-saṁjñāś catvāro varṇāḥ sahasrāyuṣo vibudhopama-sandarśana-prajananāḥ.⁠7 

Four classes of people live here – Swans, Horses, Birds, and the Strong. All of them live 1,000 years and are like the gods in appearance and sexuality.

svarga-dvāraṁ trayyā vidyayā bhagavantaṁ trayīmayaṁ sūryam ātmānaṁ yajante.⁠8

To enter paradise, the worship threefold divinity as the Sun, using threefold knowledge.

5

pratnasya viṣṇo rūpaṁ yat, satyasyartasya brahmaṇaḥ

amṛtasya ca mṛtyoś ca, sūryam ātmānam īmahīti⁠9

“We approach the ancient true realness, Brahman – seen as Viṣṇu and identified as the Sun – from whom is life, and also death.”

6

plakṣādiṣu pañcasu puruṣāṇām āyur indriyam ojaḥ saho balaṁ buddhir vikrama iti ca sarveṣām autpattikī siddhir aviśeṣeṇa vartate.⁠10

The people of the five realms headed by Plakṣa all have equally and intrinsically attained strength of intellect and deed, sensual vitality and vigor, and long lifespan.

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1 śrī-śuka uvāca – śrī śuka said. ataḥ – now. paraṁ – beyond. plakṣādīnāṁ  plakṣam, etc. pramāṇa-lakṣaṇa – most telling characteristics. saṁsthānataḥ – construction. varṣa-vibhāga – divisions of the realm. upavarṇyate – attempt to describe.

2 jambūdvīpaḥ ayaṁ yāvat-pramāṇa-vistāraḥ – As much as the known circumference of this Jambūdvīpa. tāvatā kṣārodadhinā pariveṣṭitaḥ – enveloped by an equal amount of Kṣāra (“salt-water”). yathā meruḥ jambu-ākhyena lavaṇodadhiḥ api – surrounding jambu in the same way that jambu surrounds meru. tataḥ – then. dvi-guṇa-viśālena – expanding twice as much. plakṣākhyena parikṣiptaḥ – devoured by the “devourer.” yathā parikhā bāhya-upavanena – like a border to the forest outside a city; plakṣaḥ – the Fig tree. jambū-pramāṇaḥ – the size of jambhū. dvīpākhyākaraḥ – the island is named after. hiraṇmaya utthito yatrāgnir upāste sapta-jihvaḥ – There, fire resides with seven resplendant branches. tasyādhipatiḥ priyavratātmaja idhmajihvaḥ – the master of this realm is Priyavrata’s son, Idhmajihva. svaṁ dvīpaṁ sapta-varṣāṇi vibhajya – he divided his realm into seven regions. sapta-varṣa-nāmabhya ātmajebhya ākalayya – with the seven names of the children to whom he entrusted them. svayam ātma-yogenopararāma – he himself retired to pursue self-union.

3 śivaṁ – placid. yavasaṁ – pastoral. subhadraṁ – calm. śāntaṁ – peaceful. kṣemam – secure. amṛtam – undying. abhayam – fearless. iti varṣāṇi – are these realms. teṣu girayaḥ nadyaḥ ca sapta ev abhijñātāḥ – in these are seven discernable rivers and mountains;

4 maṇikūṭaḥ – gem-peak. vajrakūṭaḥ – lightning-peak. indrasenaḥ – cloud-gatherer. jyotiṣmān – shiner. suparṇaḥ – great-flanks. hiraṇyaṣṭhīvaḥ – Gold-oozer. meghamāla – cloud-adorned. iti setu-śailāḥ – these mountainous borders.

5 aruṇā – ruddy. nṛmṇā – power. aṅgirasī – fire-holder. sāvitrī – life-bringer. suptabhātā – rest-bringer. ṛtambharā – realness-holder. satyambharā – truth-holder. iti mahā-nadyaḥ – these great rivers;

6 yāsāṁ jalopasparśana-vidhūta-rajas-tamasaḥ – respectfully approaching the water of these rivers cleans all dust and darkness.

7 haṁsa-pataṅga urdhvāyana-satyāṅga-saṁjñāś catvāraḥ varṇāḥ – four “classes” are swan/intellectual, horse/governmental, bird/productive,  strong-limbed/laborers. sahasrāyuṣaḥ – 1000 lifespan. vibudha-upama-sandarśana-prajananāḥ – very similar to gods in appearance and sexuality.

8 svarga-dvāraṁ – gates of paradise. trayyā vidyayā – threefold knowledge. bhagavantaṁ trayīmayaṁ sūryam ātmānaṁ yajante – worship the threefold divinity as the Sun.

9 pratnasya viṣṇo rūpaṁ – to the ancient seen as Viṣṇu. yat satyasya ṛtasya – to that true realness. brahmaṇaḥ – brahman. amṛtasya ca mṛtyoś ca – to life and also to death. sūryam ātmānam īmahi – identified as the Sun, we approach. iti

10 plakṣādiṣu pañcasu puruṣāṇām – the people of the five realms headed by Plakṣa. āyuḥ – lifespan. indriyam ojaḥ sahaḥ – sensual vitality and vigor. balaṁ buddhiḥ vikramaḥ – strength in intellect and deeds. iti ca sarveṣām – all. autpattikī – intrinsic. siddhiḥ – perfected. aviśeṣeṇa – equally vartate – among them.

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