SACRED ISLES IN THE WEST, &C. 351 



Vais'ya. On the side of Vanina, West, it is like 

 the dry leaves of a tree ; and like a ^Sudra, looks 

 Meru of many names. North it is red, and looks 

 like a Cshetri: these are conspicuous from their 

 colours. 



Like the Vaidurija, or Lapis Lazuli gem, is the 

 Nila mountain: ^Swetas'nnga, abounding with 

 gold, and 'Srmgava?i like the feathers of the pea- 

 cock. These are the chief hills, like so many 

 kings ; inliabited by Siddlias and Gandliarvas, 

 Tlie spaces between them are 9000 Yojanas. In 

 the middle is Ilavrata, round Merit, a space of 

 9000 Yojanas, and this mount Meru, like fire 

 without smoke, stands in the middle. The sur- 

 face of the Earth stands one half on the South of 

 Mtru, and the other half on tlie North. Between 

 these seven divisions are hills; their breadth is 

 2,000 Yojanas each, and 2,000 Yojanas their 

 height. 



I have mentioned the breadth of Jambu-dinpa^ 

 now the two middle rano-es Nila and Nishad'ha, 

 are 10,000 Yojanas less, (in the Bhdgavata 1000 

 only). 'Szveta and Htmacut'a, likewise 10,000 less 

 than the two former in length, and so are Hima- 

 xan and Sringavan. In these sevenX^oun tries are 

 seen the footsteps of living creatures, with hills 

 here and there, as if scattered at random. The 

 Ccfuntry below Himavat is Bharaia by name : be- 

 5'Ond is Hainiacai' a with Cimpurusha : beyond is 

 Naishad'ha with golden peaks, and the Country 

 of Harivarsham : and beyond Harivarsham is 

 Miru and Ilavrata ; beyond Ildvrata are the X>fi(a 

 mountains, and the Country of Ramyaca ; beyond 

 Rainy aca is Hiran'niaya ; beyond this is 'Srlngdy 

 and the Country of Curu. Know that the coun- 

 tries South and North of Mcru, are shaped like a 



