350 AN ESSAY Oy THE 



CHAPTER THE THIRD. 



Geographical ^xTRACTsfrom the PuraVas. 



I. FOR the satisfaction of the reader, I shall 

 give a few specimens of the geographical style of 

 the Hbidus, in the very words of the Faurariics. 

 The first specimen is from tht Brahman da-piirdn a. 



Now I shall describe the length, and breadth of 

 the earth; and givea true account of the seas and 

 islands. Between the seven islands are thousands 

 of smaller ones. I shall now describe the seven 

 islands, with the Moon, the Sun, and the planets, 

 with their dimensions, to the satisfaction of man- 

 kind. I shall describe the nine divisions of the 

 island of Jambu, which exists from old, their 

 length and circumference mYojanas. The breadth 

 of Jambu-duijM is 100,000 of Yojanas : it is very 

 large, beautiful, and circular. It includes nine, 

 divisions, with mansions full of living beings ; it 

 is surrounded by the sea of salt; the breadth of 

 which is equal to that of Jambu-dwipa. Six ranges 

 of mountains, with their divisions or countries, 

 extend toward the East ; which on both sides, 

 East and West, join the Ocean. 



Himapruya is Himavc'm, or full of snow : Hema- 

 cutacay full of gold, is Hemav/in: Nishad'ha lo^ 

 splendent with gold, like the rising Sun : Meru 

 of gold of four colours is the greatest of moun- 

 tains ; its body appears high in all its dimensions, 

 of many colours all round, united by the skill of 

 Praja'pati Brahma'. Eastward it is white, like 

 the offspring of Brahma', born from the navel of 

 Visuiiu; South it is yellow, and appears like a 



