Shloka 18

Bhū-maṇḍala as a Lotus: Jambūdvīpa, Ilāvṛta, and the Meru System

Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Brahmapurī

Devanagari script

यदुपजोषणाद्भ‍वान्या अनुचरीणां पुण्यजनवधूनामवयवस्पर्शसुगन्धवातो दशयोजनं समन्तादनुवासयति ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

yad-upajoṣaṇād bhavānyā anucarīṇāṁ puṇya-jana-vadhūnām avayava-sparśa-sugandha-vāto daśa-yojanaṁ samantād anuvāsayati.

Translation

Weil die frommen Frauen der Yakṣas, die Bhavānī (Pārvatī) persönlich dienen, das Wasser der Aruṇodā trinken, werden ihre Körper von Duft erfüllt. Vom Wind getragen, parfümiert dieser Duft die ganze Umgebung bis zu zehn Yojanas ringsum.

Synonyms

• यत्-उपजोषणात्: from which enjoyment/usage
• यत्-उपजोषणात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + उप + जुष् (धातु)
• Form: यत् (नपुंसक) सम्बन्ध-प्रयोगः; ‘उपजोषण’ (कृदन्त-भाववाचक/घञ्-प्रत्ययान्त) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/हेतु/अपादान), एकवचन; ‘यत्’ इति सम्बन्धसूचकः

• भवान्याः: of Bhavānī (Pārvatī)
• भवान्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अनुचरीणाम्: of the attendants
• अनुचरीणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु + चर् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्तिन्/णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त स्त्रीवाचक ‘अनुचरी’), षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘attendants’

• पुण्य-जन-वधूनाम्: of the wives of the Puṇyajanas
• पुण्य-जन-वधूनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + वधू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः ‘पुण्यजनानां वध्वः’

• अवयव-स्पर्श-सुगन्ध-वातः: the wind fragrant from contact with their limbs
• अवयव-स्पर्श-सुगन्ध-वातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवयव (प्रातिपदिक) + स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + सुगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः ‘अवयवस्पर्शेण सुगन्धः (यस्य) वातः’ (अर्थतः)

• दश-योजनम्: ten yojanas (distance)
• दश-योजनम्: Karma (कर्म, extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (परिमाणवाचक)

• समन्तात्: all around
• समन्तात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘on all sides/around’ (ablatival adverb)

• अनुवासयति: perfumes/suffuses
• अनुवासयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative) ‘to perfume/scent’

Characters & Entities

• Bhavānī (Pārvatī)
• Puṇyajanas

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the fragrance of Parvati’s attendants?

This verse says that by close association with Bhavānī (Pārvatī), her attendants become so naturally fragrant that the wind carries the scent of their limbs and perfumes the area for ten yojanas in all directions.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing Bhavānī and the Puṇyajanas in Canto 5?

In Canto 5, Śukadeva is describing the sacred geography and extraordinary features of Jambūdvīpa and Mount Meru; mentioning Bhavānī’s celestial attendants highlights the divine, otherworldly nature of that region.

What is a practical takeaway from this shloka for modern life?

Association influences consciousness: keeping company with purity and devotion elevates one’s qualities—just as proximity to the divine is described as transforming even the atmosphere around a person.