Shloka 19

Measure of the Three Worlds, Planetary Spheres, and Sūrya as the Root of Trailokya

Devanagari script

तारानक्षत्ररूपाणि हीनानि तु परस्परात् / शतानि पञ्च चत्वारि त्रीणि द्वे चैव योजने

Transliteration

tārānakṣatrarūpāṇi hīnāni tu parasparāt / śatāni pañca catvāri trīṇi dve caiva yojane

Translation

إن صور النجوم وصور المنازل القمرية (تارا ونكشتره) جُعلت فيما بينها فواصل تتناقص على التدرّج. وقد ذُكرت مسافاتها المتبادلة باليوجانا: خمسمائة، وأربعمائة، وثلاثمائة، ومائتان.

Word by Word

• तारा-नक्षत्र-रूपाणि: forms of stars/constellations
• तारा-नक्षत्र-रूपाणि: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tārā (प्रातिपदिक) + nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बहुपद): ‘forms of stars/constellations’

• हीनानि: are less/deficient
• हीनानि: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमनाधिकरण; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण ‘deficient/less’

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• परस्परात्: from one another (comparatively)
• परस्परात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paraspara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग), पञ्चमी (Abl/5th), एकवचन; ‘from one another/relative to each other’

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Saṅkhyā (संख्या; measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक नाम (numeral noun)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Saṅkhyā (संख्या)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pañca (अव्यय/संख्या)
• Form: अव्यय; संख्या (numeral)

• चत्वारि: four
• चत्वारि: Saṅkhyā (संख्या)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catvāri (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्या ‘four’

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Saṅkhyā (संख्या)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trīṇi (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्या ‘three’

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Saṅkhyā (संख्या)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; संख्या ‘two’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• योजने: in yojanas (as a measure)
• योजने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Loc/7th), एकवचन; परिमाणाधिकरण (measure-locative)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Purāṇic cosmography to the sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• tārā
• nakṣatra
• yojana

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

This verse is primarily cosmographical, detailing measured separations among celestial groupings; indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic vision of an ordered cosmos that later chapters relate to Īśvara’s governance rather than giving a direct ātman-definition.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught in this śloka; it belongs to the descriptive mapping of the universe. In the Kurma Purāṇa, such ordered cosmology often functions as a contemplative aid (dhyāna) for perceiving cosmic law (ṛta) under Īśvara.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu. Its relevance is contextual: the Purāṇa’s synthesis frames cosmic structure and measure as operating under the single divine sovereignty later articulated through Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava unity teachings.