Shloka 6

Adhyaya 56 — The Descent and Fourfold Course of the Ganga; Jambudvipa’s Varshas and Their Conditions

Sanskrit

तत् प्लावयित्वा च ययौ वरुणोदं सरोवनम् ।

शीतान्तञ्च गिरिं तस्मात् ततश्चान्यान् गिरिन् क्रमात् ॥

Transliteration

tat plāvayitvā ca yayau varuṇodaṃ sarovanam /

śītāntañca giriṃ tasmāttataścānyān girīn kramāt

Translation

بعد أن أغرقت تلك الناحية/الغابة، مضت إلى فارونودا (Varuṇoda)، غابةَ البحيرة؛ ومن هناك إلى الجبل المسمّى شيتانتا (Śītānta)، ثم تباعًا إلى جبالٍ أخرى.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (it)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• प्लावयित्वा: having flooded
• प्लावयित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्लावय् (धातु; √प्लु/प्लावयति)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया; causative sense ‘having caused to flood’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु √या)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वरुण-उदम्: Varuṇa’s water (sea/ocean)
• वरुण-उदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + उद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘वरुणस्य उदम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सरोवनम्: the lake
• सरोवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरोवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शीत-अन्तम्: (the mountain) having cold end/region; ‘Śītānta’
• शीत-अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/निर्धारणार्थ: ‘शीतः अन्तः यस्य’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गिरिम्: mountain
• गिरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: from that (place)
• तस्मात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial use), ‘thereafter/then’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• गिरीन्: mountains
• गिरीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial instrumental): ‘in order/step by step’

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing narration)

Primary Deities

• Gaṅgā
• Varuṇa (implied by toponym Varuṇoda)

Shakti Aspects

• Gaṅgā as life-giving inundation (plāvana) in cosmic geography

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Hydrology
• Toponymic mythology

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The river’s ‘plāvana’ (inundation) is not mere destruction but nourishment and renewal—an image for how divine power can overwhelm yet sustain life.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sthāna: cataloging sacred places (lakes, forests, mountains) and their connectivity.

What is the esoteric significance?

The successive mountains can be read as ascending inner ‘stations’ (kramāt) through which the purifying current passes, refining experience step by step.