Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.16.27
Sthāna· The universe in orderEight Mountains Surround Golden Sumeru
“On the eastern side of Sumeru Mountain are two mountains named Jaṭhara and Devakūṭa, which extend to the north and south for 18,000 yojanas [144,000 miles]. Similarly, on the western side of Sumeru are two mountains named Pavana and Pāriyātra, which also extend north and south for the same distance. On the southern side of Sumeru are two mountains named Kailāsa and Karavīra, which extend east and west for 18,000 yojanas, and on the northern side of Sumeru, extending for the same distance east and west, are two mountains named Triśṛṅga and Makara. The width and height of all these mountains is 2,000 yojanas [16,000 miles]. Sumeru, a mountain of solid gold shining as brilliantly as fire, is surrounded by these eight mountains.”
What the purport teaches
- Jaṭhara and Devakūṭa lie east of Sumeru, while Pavana and Pāriyātra lie west. These mountains extend north and south for 18,000 yojanas.
- Kailāsa and Karavīra lie south of Sumeru, while Triśṛṅga and Makara lie north. They extend east and west for the same distance.
- All eight mountains are 2,000 yojanas wide and high. They surround Sumeru, which is solid gold and shines as brilliantly as fire.
Try this today
Draw four directions around Sumeru and write the appropriate pair of mountain names in each direction.
Ask yourself
What helps you keep the four pairs of mountains clear in your mind?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.