Shloka 1

भुवनकोशस्वभाववर्णनम् — सप्तद्वीप-पर्वत-लोकविन्यासः तथा यक्ष-उमा-प्रकाशः

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे भुवनकोशस्वभाववर्णनं नाम द्विपञ्चाशत्तमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच प्लक्षद्वीपादिद्वीपेषु सप्त सप्तसु पर्वताः ऋज्वायताः प्रतिदिशं निविष्टा वर्षपर्वताः

Transliteration

iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge bhuvanakośasvabhāvavarṇanaṃ nāma dvipañcāśattamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca plakṣadvīpādidvīpeṣu sapta saptasu parvatāḥ ṛjvāyatāḥ pratidiśaṃ niviṣṭā varṣaparvatāḥ

Translation

So endet im Śrī Liṅga-Mahāpurāṇa, im Pūrva-bhāga, das zweiundfünfzigste Kapitel mit dem Titel „Beschreibung der Natur der kosmischen Geographie“. Sūta sprach: In Plakṣa-dvīpa und den anderen dvīpas gibt es in jedem sieben Berge—Varṣa-Berge genannt—die sich geradehin erstrecken und in alle Richtungen ausgreifen, in ihren jeweiligen Himmelsgegenden eingesetzt.

Word by Word

• इति: thus

• श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे: in the Śrī Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa

• पूर्वभागे: in the Pūrva-bhāga (former section)

• भुवनकोशस्वभाववर्णनम्: description of the nature of the cosmic sphere/geography

• नाम: named

• द्विपञ्चाशत्तमः: fifty-second

• अध्यायः: chapter

• सूत उवाच: Sūta said

• प्लक्षद्वीपादिद्वीपेषु: in Plakṣa-dvīpa and the other dvīpas

• सप्त सप्तसु: seven (in each set/each dvīpa)

• पर्वताः: mountains

• ऋज्वायताः: straight/extended in a direct line

• प्रतिदिशम्: in every direction / toward each quarter

• निविष्टाः: situated/placed

• वर्षपर्वताः: Varṣa-mountains (regional boundary mountains).

Speaker

Suta

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Plaksha-dvipa

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

By outlining the ordered structure of the worlds (dvīpas and boundary mountains), the verse supports the Shaiva view that creation is a regulated manifestation under Pati (Śiva), making worship of the Liṅga a way to align the pashu (soul) with cosmic and dharmic order.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Though Śiva is not named directly, the verse presents a universe arranged with precision and directionality, reflecting Shiva-tattva as the sovereign principle (Pati) whose śakti sustains structured manifestation rather than chaos—an implicit mark of divine governance in creation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific puja-vidhi or Pāśupata-yoga technique is stated; the takeaway is contemplative—using cosmic geography as a support for dhyāna on Śiva as Pati, the organizer of the bhuvanakośa, which steadies the mind for Shaiva meditation.