Shloka 15

Cosmic Realms Above Dhruva, the Pātālas Below, and the Foundation of Pralaya

Ananta–Kāla

Devanagari script

एते सप्त महालोकाः पृथिव्याः परिकीर्तिताः / महातलादयश्चाधः पातालाः सन्ति वै द्विजाः

Transliteration

ete sapta mahālokāḥ pṛthivyāḥ parikīrtitāḥ / mahātalādayaścādhaḥ pātālāḥ santi vai dvijāḥ

Translation

Diese sieben großen Welten, die zur Erde gehören, sind beschrieben worden. Und darunter—beginnend mit Mahātala—gibt es die Unterwelten (Pātālas), o Zweimalgeborene.

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Pronoun nominative plural

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (अव्ययवत्) प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे विशेषण; numeral ‘seven’ qualifying plural noun

• महालोकाः: great worlds
• महालोकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महालोक (प्रातिपदिक: महा + लोक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• पृथिव्याः: of the earth
• पृथिव्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• परिकीर्तिताः: are declared
• परिकीर्तिताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + कीर्त् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘are proclaimed’

• महातलादयः: Mahātala and the rest
• महातलादयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महातल + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; तत्पुरुष: महातल-आदयः = ‘Mahātala and others’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात (and)

• अधः: below
• अधः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (down/below)

• पातालाः: netherworlds (Pātālas)
• पातालाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• सन्ति: are/exist
• सन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present 3rd pl.

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed)

• द्विजाः: O twice-born
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (सम्बोधनार्थे अपि) Nominative plural used as address

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) relaying the Purāṇic teaching to the assembled sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pṛthivī
• Mahātala
• Pātāla
• Dvija

More Details (1 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it maps the graded structure of worlds within saṃsāra, implying that the Self is distinct from these changing realms and is to be known beyond cosmographic divisions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is taught in this verse; it supplies cosmological orientation used in Purāṇic teaching, which supports vairāgya (dispassion) and the yogic aim of transcending all lokas through knowledge and devotion.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

This verse is cosmographical rather than sectarian; in the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such world-descriptions are shared ground where Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava teachings converge on one ordered cosmos governed by Īśvara.