Shloka 12

Adhyaya 54 — Cosmography of Jambudvipa: Continents, Oceans, Varshas, and Mount Meru

Sanskrit

समुद्रान्तः प्रविष्टाश्च षडस्मिन् वर्षपर्वताः ।

दक्षिणोत्तरतो निम्ना मध्ये तुङ्गायता क्षितिः ॥

Transliteration

samudrāntaḥ praviṣṭāś ca ṣaḍ asmin varṣa-parvatāḥ | dakṣiṇottarato nimnā madhye tuṅgāyatā kṣitiḥ ||

Translation

ستةٌ من هذه الجبال الفَرْشِيّة (varṣa) تمتدّ إلى داخل المحيط. والأرض تنخفض نحو الجنوب ونحو الشمال، أمّا في الوسط فترتفع عالياً وتمتدّ على هيئةٍ سامقة.

Word by Word

• samudra-antaḥ: the sea-shore / sea’s boundary
• samudra-antaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samudra (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (समुद्रस्य अन्तः = sea’s end/shore)

• praviṣṭāḥ: having entered
• praviṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—भूतकृत्/क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; अर्थे ‘प्रविष्ट’ = entered

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• ṣaṭ: six
• ṣaṭ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषणम्; प्रथमा विभक्तिः, बहुवचनार्थे (used as numeral ‘six’)

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• varṣa-parvatāḥ: the region-mountains
• varṣa-parvatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘वर्षाणां पर्वताः’ = mountains of the regions/varṣas)

• dakṣiṇa-uttarataḥ: from south to north / on the southern and northern sides
• dakṣiṇa-uttarataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Directional)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + -taḥ (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तसिलन्त-निर्देशः (ablatival adverb) ‘from the south and north / south-to-north direction’

• nimnāḥ: low, depressed
• nimnāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nimna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः (locative adverbial) ‘in the middle’ (सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम्)

• tuṅga-āyatā: high and extended
• tuṅga-āyatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tuṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + āyata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘तुङ्गा’ = high + ‘आयता’ = extended)

• kṣitiḥ: the earth/land
• kṣitiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speakers

• Unnamed Purāṇic narrator describing cosmic geography (frame-speakers not explicit in this excerpt)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred Geography
• Topography
• Mountains and Oceans

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ‘middle rising’ motif supports a centripetal sacred geography: the central region is elevated, suggesting an orientation toward the ‘center’ (spiritually, ethically) rather than extremes.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Under 'Sthāna'—describing the earth’s layout and features.

What is the esoteric significance?

Low at the ends and high at the center can symbolize the inward ascent of consciousness: external dispersion is ‘low,’ while inner centering is ‘high.’