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While describing the character of Maharaja Priyavrata and his descendants, Sukadeva Gosvami also described Meru Mountain and the planetary system known as Bhu- mandala. Bhu- mandala is like a lotus flower, and its seven islands are compared to the whorl of the lotus. The place known as Jambudvipa is in the middle of that whorl. In Jambudvipa there is a mountain known as Sumeru, which is made of solid gold. The height of this mountain is 84,000 yojanas, of which 16,000 yojanas are below the earth. Its width is estimated to be 32,000 yojanas at its summit and 16,000 yojanas at its foot. (One yojana equals approximately eight miles.) This king of mountains, Sumeru, is the support of the planet earth.
On the southern side of the land known as Ilavrta-varsa are the mountains known as Himavan, Hemakuta and Nisadha, and on the northern side are the mountains Nila, Sveta and Srnga. Similarly, on the eastern and western side there are Malyavan and Gandhamadana, two large mountains. Surrounding Sumeru Mountain are four mountains known as Mandara, Merumandara, Suparsva and Kumuda, each 10,000 yojanas long and 10,000 yojanas high. On these four mountains there are trees a banyan tree. There are also lakes full of milk, honey, sugarcane juice and pure water. These lakes can fulfill all desires. There are also gardens named Nandana, Citraratha, Vaibhrajaka and Sarvatobhadra. On the side of Suparsva Mountain is a kadamba tree with streams of honey flowing from its hollows, and on Kumuda Mountain there is a banyan tree named Satavalsa, from whose roots flow rivers containing milk, yogurt and many other desirable things. Surrounding Sumeru Mountain like filaments of the whorl of a lotus are twenty mountain ranges such as Kuranga, Kurara, Kusumbha, Vaikanka and Trikuta. To the east of Sumeru are the mountains Jathara and Devakuta, to the west are Pavana and Pariyatra, to the south are Kailasa and Karavira, and to the north are Trisrnga and Makara. These eight mountains are about 18,000 yojanas long, 2,000 yojanas wide and 2,000 yojanas high. On the summit of Mount Sumeru is Brahmapuri, the residence of Lord Brahma. Each of its four sides is 10,000 yojanas long. Surrounding Brahmapuri are the cities of King Indra and seven other demigods. These cities are one fourth the size of Brahmapuri.
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