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Shloka 23

The Six Dvīpas Beyond Jambūdvīpa and the Cosmic Boundary of Lokāloka

आप: पुरुषवीर्या: स्थ पुनन्तीर्भूर्भुव:सुव: । ता न: पुनीतामीवघ्नी: स्पृशतामात्मना भुव इति ॥ २३ ॥

āpaḥ puruṣa-vīryāḥ stha punantīr bhūr-bhuvaḥ-suvaḥ tā naḥ punītāmīva-ghnīḥ spṛśatām ātmanā bhuva iti

O heilige Flusswasser! Ihr habt Kraft aus der Höchsten Persönlichkeit Gottes empfangen; darum reinigt ihr die drei Welten Bhū, Bhuvar und Svar. Eurer Natur nach nehmt ihr Sünden hinweg; deshalb berühren wir euch. Bitte reinigt uns weiterhin.

āpaḥwaters
āpaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootap (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे अपि (vocative-sense)
puruṣa-vīryāḥhaving the potency of the Puruṣa
puruṣa-vīryāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुरुषस्य वीर्यम्)
sthayou are
stha:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootas (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
punantīḥpurifying
punantīḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpū (धातु)
Formवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
bhūḥearth (Bhū-loka)
bhūḥ:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootbhū (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (लोकनाम)
bhuvaḥmid-region (Bhuvar-loka)
bhuvaḥ:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootbhuvas (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (लोकनाम)
suvaḥheaven (Svar-loka)
suvaḥ:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootsuvas (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (लोकनाम)
tāḥthose (waters)
tāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
naḥof us / our
naḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (6th/Genitive) बहुवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप
punītāmmay they purify
punītām:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpū (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative/विधिलिङ्-आज्ञार्थ), तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
īva-ghnīḥdestroyers of disease
īva-ghnīḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootīva (प्रातिपदिक) + ghnī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ईवां घ्नन्ति)
spṛśatāmmay they touch
spṛśatām:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootspṛś (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद
ātmanāby (their) own self/power
ātmanā:
Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
bhuvaḥthe worlds/earths
bhuvaḥ:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootbhū (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन
itithus
iti:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.4) :

FAQs

This verse says that sacred waters, empowered by the Supreme Person’s potency, purify all three worlds (Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ) and remove disease, cleansing both people and the earth.

While describing the universe and its regions, the text emphasizes that cosmic elements like water are not merely material—they carry divine potency and serve dharmic purposes such as purification and healing.

Approach daily cleansing and sacred bathing as a mindful, devotional act—remembering the Divine while seeking inner purity, health, and the purification of one’s environment.