Filament Mountains

There are many mountains arranged around the foot of Mount Meru on all sides. As Mount Meru resembles the pericarp of a lotus flower, these mountains resemble the filaments of the lotus flower, therefore they are called filament mountains.

Overall Atmosphere
The forests and cities in these mountains are very beautiful and the water troughs amongst them very charming. They are frequented by Siddhas and Cāraṇas.

Size
There are widely varying indications on the size of the filament mountains in various Purāṇas. Purports to Bhāgavatam by the vaiṣṇava ācāryas, describing the descent of River Gaṅgā, state that they stand almost as high as Mount Meru. Vāyu Purāṇa sates that they are only 1,300 yojanas high.

Names of the Filament Mountains Mentioned in Various Purāṇas
The names of the filament mountains are given differently in various Purāṇas. These differences are due to different cycles of creation.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa)
Kuraṅga, Kurara, Kusumbha, Vaikaṅka, Trikūṭa, Śiśira, Pataṅga, Rucaka, Niṣadha, Sinīvāsa, Kapila, Śaṅkha, Vaidūrya, Jārudhi, Haṁsa, Ṛṣabha, Nāga, Kālañjara and Nārada.

East of Meru
Śāntavān, Cakrakumbha, Kurarī, Mālyavān, Vaikaṅka and others.

South of Meru
Trikūṭa, Śiśira, Pataṅga, Rucaka, Niṣadha and others.

West of Meru
Śikhivāsa, Vaidūrya, Kāpila, Gandhamādana, Jānudhi and others.

North of Meru
Śaṅkhakūta, Ṛṣabha, Haṁsa, Nāga, Kālañjara and others.

Location Not Specified
Śītānta

East of Meru
Śītānta, Kumuñja, Suvīra, Vikaṅka, Maṇiśīla, Vṛṣabha, Mahānīla, Rucaka, Sabindu, Mandara, Veṇumān, Sumedha, Niṣadha, Devaparvata and others.

South of Meru
Triśikhara, Śiśira, Kaliṅga, Pataṅga, Rucaka, Tāmrābha, Viśākha, Śvetodara, Samūla, Viṣadhāra, Ratnādhara, Ekaśṛṅga, Mahāmūla, Gajaśaila, Piśācaka, Pañcaśaila, Kailāsa and Himavān.

West of Meru
Suvakśa, Śikhi, Kāla, Vaidūrya, Kapila, Piṅgala, Rudra, Surasa, Kumuda, Madhuman, Añjanīmukuta, Kṛṣṇa, Pāṇḍara, Sahasraśikhara, Pāriyātra and Triśṛṅga.

North of Meru
Śaṅkukūta, Mahāśaila,Vṛṣabha, Haṁsa, Nāga, Kapila, Indraśaila, Sānumān, Nīla, Kanakaśṛṅga, Śataśṛṅga, Puṣpaka, Meghaśaila, Virāja and Jārudhi.

Gaṅgā's Descent
The 4 branches of Gaṅgā river, flowing through Brahmapurī in the 4 directions, descend from the top of Mount Meru over the peaks of the Filament Mountains.