CHAPTER XXIV.                               255

are pure, long-lived, mild, and never angry. They
never suffer from drought or dearth, for their food
comes to them simply in answer to their wishes, with¬
out their sowing or toiling. They come into exist¬
ence without being born ; they are never ill nor sorry.
They do not require the rule of kings, since they do not
know the desire for property. They live contented and
in safety ; they always prefer that which is good and
love virtue. The climate of this Dvipa never alters in
cold or heat, so they are not bound to protect them¬
selves against either. They have no rain, but the
water bubbles up for them out of the earth and drops
down from the mountains. This is also the case in
the following Dvipas. The inhabitants are of one kind,
without any distinction of caste. Every one lives 3000
years.

According to the Vishnu-Purdria they have beauti-

v^ful faces and worship Bhagavat.    They bring offerings

to the fire, and every one of them lives  io,000 years.

The names of their castes  are Kapila,  Aruna,   Pita,

and Krishna.

The sixth, or Gomeda-Dvipa, has, according to the e. oomeda-
Matsya-Burdna, two great mountains, the deep-black   ''^^^'
Sumanas, which encompasses the greatest part of the
Dvipa, and the L'Cumuda, of golden colour and very
lofty;   the   latter   one   contains   all   medicines.    This
Dvipa has two kingdoms.

According to Vishnu-Burdna the inhabitants are
pious and without sin and worship Vishnu. The
names of their castes are Mriga, Magadha, Manasa, and
Mandaga. The climate of this Dvipa is so healthy and /^
pleasant that the inhabitants of paradise now and then
visit it on account of the fragrancy of its air.

The seventh, or Pushkara-Dvipa, has, according to ?• Pushkara-

1        i/T                Tt       ^           •       •                                             1                           •      Dvijia.

the Matsya-Purana, \n its eastern part the mountain
Citrasdld, i.e. having a variegated roof with horns of
jewels,    Its height is 34,000 yojana,  and  its circum-