Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 8 Chapter 2:1-19

Book 8: Chapter 2

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 8: Chapter 2: Verses 1-19
The lord of elephants is caught in the grip of an alligator

Sri Suka began again : There was great mountain,celebrated by the name trikuta, (which was) encircled by the ocean of milk righ in mineral walth and was ten thousand Yojanas (or eighty thousand miles) high, O Pariksit ! Wide to the same extent (as its height) on all sides, it stood illuminating the ocean (around), the (four) cardinal points as well as the sky with (its) three (principal) peaks of silver, steel and gold (respectively), and lending charm to all the quarters with (its) other peaks rendered picturesque by (their wealth of ) precious stones and minerals( of diverse colours), by (their) trees, creepers and shrubs of various description as well as by the murmuring sound of the water of their cascades. With its foot being (constantly) washed by the waves of the ocean on every side, the mountain made the lowlands (enclosing it) look dark green (as if covered by turf) by its emeralds scattered on all sides (by the corrosive action of the waves). Its caves were frequented by sporting Siddhas (a class of demigods endowed with mystic powers from their very birth), Caranas (celestial bards), Gandharvas (celestial musicians), Vidyadharas (celestial artistes) and great Nagas( serpent-demons having a human face and serpent-like body) as well as by Kinnaras (another class of celestial musicians with a human figure and the head of a horse or vice versa), and Apsaras( celsestial nymphs). There haughty lions roared in indignation aroused by the suspected presence of another lion, with their face turned towards the part where the caves echoed with the music (of the Kinnaras etc.). The mountain looked charming with (its) valleys infested by herds of wild beasts of various description. And birds sweetly warbled in (itsi celestial gardens rich in a variety of trees. It was adorned with rivers and lakes of limpid water and banks carpeted with the sands of gems and fanned by breezes charged with drops of water scented with the fragrance lent to it by the bathing of celestial ladies.

In a (particular) valley of that mountain there existed a garden belonging to the glorious and high-souled Varuna (the god of water), which bore the name of Rtuman and was the sporting-ground of celestial ladies. On all sides it was graced with celestial trees ever full of flowers and fruits and was fenced with Mandaras (acacias), Parijatas (coral trees), Patalas, Asokas and Campakas, different species of mangoes, Priyalas and Panasas (bread-fruit trees) as well as with Amratakas (hog-plum trees), Kramukas (arecas) and cocoanut-trees, date-palms and Bijapuras (citrons), Madhukas, Salas, Palmyras, Tamalas, Asanas, Arjunas, Aristas (soap-berries), Udumbaras, Plaksas,banyan trees, Kimsukas and sandal-trees, Nimba-trees, Kovidaras, Saralas (a species of pine trees), deodars, vines, sugar-canes, plantains and rose-apples, plum-trees, Aksas, the yellow myrobalan and myrobalan trees, Bilvas (wood-apples), Kapitthas and Jambiras (lemons),as well as by Bhallatakas (the marking- nut trees) and so on. In that garden there existed a very extensive lake studded with splendid golden lotuses. It looked grand with the splendour of lilies and lotuses of various species (such as Utpalas, Kalharas and Satapatras) and was resonant with the humming of intoxicated bees as well as by sweetly warbling birds. It was swarmed by swans and Karandavas( a variety of ducks) as well as by Cakravakas (ruddy geese) and cranes, and resounded with the noise of swarms of water-fowls, Koyastis (paddy-birds) and Catakas. Its water was overlaid with the pollen of lotuses shaking with the movements of fishes and tortoises and was hemmed in with Kadambas, canes, Nalas (a species of reeds), Nipas (a variety of Kadambas) and Vanjulas. It looked most charming with its Kundas (a species of jasmine), Kurabakas (red amaranths), Asokas, Sirisas, Kutajas, Ingudis, Kubjakas, Swarnayuthis (yellow jasmines), Nagas,Punnagas and Jabs, Mallikas and Satapatras, Madhavis (spring- flowers), Jalakas etc., as well as with other trees growing on its margin and bearing flowers and fruits during all the seasons.

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