Shloka 13

Jambūdvīpa Varṣas, Bhārata as Karmabhūmi, and the Sacred Hydro-Topography of Dharma

Devanagari script

स्फाटिकैर्मण्डपैर्युक्तं देवराजगृहोपमम् / स्वर्णस्तम्भसहस्त्रैश्च सर्वतः समलङ्कृतम्

Transliteration

sphāṭikairmaṇḍapairyuktaṃ devarājagṛhopamam / svarṇastambhasahastraiśca sarvataḥ samalaṅkṛtam

Translation

وكان مُهيّأً بأروقةٍ من البلّور، يشبه قصرَ ملكِ الآلهة؛ ومن كل جانبٍ كان مُزدانًا ببذخٍ بآلافِ الأعمدةِ الذهبية.

Word by Word

• स्फाटिकैः: with crystal (made of crystal)
• स्फाटिकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sphāṭika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे सामान्यतः नपुंसक), तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; मण्डपैः इति विशेषण

• मण्डपैः: with pavilions
• मण्डपैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• युक्तम्: furnished, endowed
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √yuj (युज् धातु) → yukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (agreeing with विमानम्); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• देव-राज-गृह-उपमम्: like the palace of the king of gods (Indra)
• देव-राज-गृह-उपमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: देव-राज (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘of the king of gods’) + गृह (तत्पुरुष) + उपम (उपमान-तत्पुरुष: ‘comparable to the house/palace’)

• स्वर्ण-स्तम्भ-सहस्त्रैः: with thousands of golden pillars
• स्वर्ण-स्तम्भ-सहस्त्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + stambha (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: स्वर्ण-स्तम्भ (कर्मधारय ‘golden pillars’) + सहस्र (तत्पुरुष: ‘thousands of’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• सर्वतः: on all sides, everywhere
• सर्वतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सर्वदिक्/सर्वतः-पर्याय क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: on all sides)

• सम्-अलङ्कृतम्: fully adorned
• सम्-अलङ्कृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√alaṅkṛ (अलंकृ धातु) → alaṅkṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (agreeing with विमानम्); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; उपसर्ग: सम्

Speaker

Vyasa (narrating to the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Devaraja)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by portraying a deva-like splendor, the verse contrasts worldly-divine magnificence with the higher Purāṇic aim—turning the mind from external grandeur toward the inner reality that transcends even Indra’s palace.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is taught in this line; it serves as a contemplative support (ālambana) where sacred beauty steadies attention, preparing the mind for dhyāna and devotion that later culminate in Kurma Purana’s Yoga-shāstra themes.

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

Not explicitly; however, the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis frames such divine splendor as belonging to the one sacred order upheld by Hari and Hara, with deva-kingship (Indra) subordinate to the Supreme.