Shloka 57

सप्तद्वीप-समुद्र-प्रमाणम्: प्लक्षादि-द्वीपवर्णनं, लोकालोक-सीमा, चन्द्र-समुद्र-वृद्धिक्षयः

Devanagari script

क्रौञ्चद्वीपः समुद्रेण दधिमण्डोदकेन तु आवृतः सर्वतः क्रौञ्चद्वीपतुल्येन मानतः

Transliteration

krauñcadvīpaḥ samudreṇa dadhimaṇḍodakena tu āvṛtaḥ sarvataḥ krauñcadvīpatulyena mānataḥ

Translation

جزيرة كراونچا مُحاطة من كل جانب بمحيطٍ من ماء الدَّذيمَنْḍا الشبيه بمصل اللبن؛ وذلك البحر المحيط يساويها مقدارًا.

Word by Word

• क्रौञ्चद्वीपः: Krauñca-dvīpa
• क्रौञ्चद्वीपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्च + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष (क्रौञ्च-नामकः द्वीपः)

• समुद्रेण: by the ocean
• समुद्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• दधिमण्डोदकेन: with whey-water (water of curd-cream)
• दधिमण्डोदकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि + मण्ड + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दधिमण्डस्य उदकेन)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/विरोध-विशेष) — particle ‘but/indeed’

• आवृतः: covered/surrounded
• आवृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वतः: on all sides
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (परिमाण/दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — adverb ‘on all sides’

• क्रौञ्चद्वीपतुल्येन: equal to Krauñca-dvīpa
• क्रौञ्चद्वीपतुल्येन: Karana (Standard of comparison/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रौञ्चद्वीप + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष (क्रौञ्चद्वीपेन तुल्येन)

• मानतः: in size
• मानतः: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मानतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतौ/परिमाणे) — adverb ‘in measure/size’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Description of dvīpas, their encircling oceans, and proportional measures

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The world is presented as a measured, intelligible order (niyati) with concentric dvīpas and corresponding oceans, inviting contemplation of cosmic harmony.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use the Purāṇic mapping as a contemplative aid: reflect on order, proportion, and dependence rather than literalism alone, cultivating humility and wonder.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic order is a mode of the Lord’s body (jagat as His śarīra), implying intelligible structure upheld by the indwelling ruler.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Krauñca-dvīpa

FAQs

What is the significance of the curd-water (dadhi-manda) ocean in the Vishnu Purana?

It is part of the Purana’s concentric cosmography: each dvīpa is ringed by a distinct ocean, illustrating an ordered, structured universe governed by divine law.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the measurements of dvīpas and oceans here?

He states a symmetry of scale: the ocean surrounding Krauñca-dvīpa is equal in extent to the dvīpa itself, reflecting a recurring proportional pattern in the description of the world.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this cosmological context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the ordered arrangement of continents and seas is presented as a manifestation of the Supreme Reality’s governance—cosmic structure as an expression of Vishnu’s sustaining power.