Shloka 13

Jambūdvīpa Orientation: Meru-Centered Varṣas, Dvīpas, Kulaparvatas, Rivers, and Janapadas

Devanagari script

वृषध्वज ! जनाः पाद्माः सूतमागधचेदयः / काशय (षाया) श्च विदेहाश्च पूर्वस्यां कोसलास्तथा

Transliteration

vṛṣadhvaja ! janāḥ pādmāḥ sūtamāgadhacedayaḥ / kāśaya (ṣāyā) śca videhāśca pūrvasyāṃ kosalāstathā

Translation

O Vṛṣadhvaja! In östlicher Richtung wohnen die Janas, die Pādmās, die Sūtas, die Māgadhas, die Cedis, die Kāśayas (Lesart unsicher), die Videhas und ebenso die Kosalas.

Word by Word

• वृषध्वज: O Vṛṣadhvaja (Shiva)
• वृषध्वज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (वृषः ध्वजः यस्य/वृषध्वजः—शिवनाम)

• जनाः: peoples/tribes
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पाद्माः: the Pādmās
• पाद्माः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सूतमागधचेदयः: the Sūtas, Māgadhas, and Cedis
• सूतमागधचेदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत + मागध + चेदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (सूताश्च मागधाश्च चेदयश्च)

• काशयाः: the Kāśayas (variant reading noted)
• काशयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; पाठभेद-सूचना (काशय/षाया इत्यादि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• विदेहाः: the Videhas
• विदेहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• पूर्वस्याम्: in the eastern (region)
• पूर्वस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (दिशि/प्रदेशे)

• कोसलाः: the Kosalas
• कोसलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोसल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha/Modifier (विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic and social order is articulated through directions (dik) and peoples; naming is a form of preserving smṛti (cultural memory).

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa within vyavahāra: the world is apprehended through names and classifications while remaining ultimately transient.

Application: Use directional taxonomy for pilgrimage planning, historical identification of communities, and interpreting regional references in ritual/legal texts.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: directional region with janapadas

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.55.12; Garuda Purana 1.55.14

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva)
• Janas
• Pādmās
• Sūtas
• Māgadhas
• Cedis
• Videhas
• Kosalas

FAQs

What is the importance of listing regions and peoples in the Garuda Purana?

This verse contributes to Purāṇic cosmography—mapping peoples by directions—used to situate sacred geography and traditional cultural regions within a dharmic worldview.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it belongs to a geographic/cosmographic section enumerating peoples by the eastern direction.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reference for understanding Purāṇic sacred geography and how traditional texts organized knowledge of regions, directions, and cultural groups.