On the western side of Meru, O lord of the earth, lies Ketumala, and there too is the great Jambu forest, resembling Nandana. There, O Bharata, the span of life is ten thousand years; the people are of golden hue, and the women resemble apsaras. People are born there free from disease, free from grief, always joyful in mind, and shining like refined gold. On the peaks of Gandhamadana, Kubera, lord of the guhyakas, surrounded by hosts of apsaras, delights together with the rakshasas. At the far foothills of Gandhamadana lie the Aparagandikas; there the highest span of life is eleven thousand years. There, O king, the people are dark of hue, endowed with radiant power and very mighty, and all the women are lovely as lotus petals. Beyond Nila lies Shveta, beyond Shveta lies Hairanyaka, and further still, beyond Shringavan, is the varsha named Airavata. O great king, two varshas, the southern and the northern, are shaped like a bow; the middle one is Ilavrita, and there are five varshas in all. The farther north a varsha lies, the more it exceeds the others in qualities — in span of life, in health, in dharma, in enjoyment, and in benefit. With such qualities are the beings endowed in these varshas, O Bharata. Thus, O great king, is the earthly world covered with mountains.