Shloka 14

Adhyaya 55 — Description of Jambudvipa: The Four Forests, Lakes, and Mountain Ranges Around Mount Meru; Bharata as the Karma-Bhumi

Sanskrit

इत्येते कथिता ब्रह्मन् । मेरोरुत्तरतो नगाः ।

एतेषां पर्वतानान्तु द्रौण्योऽतीव मनोहराः ॥

Transliteration

ity ete kathitā brahman meror uttarato nagāḥ | eteṣāṃ parvatānāṃ tu drauṇyo ’tīva manoharāḥ ||

Translation

So, o Brāhmaṇa, sind diese Berge nördlich des Meru beschrieben worden. Und die Täler (Becken) dieser Berge sind überaus wonnig.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotative particle (इति-प्रयोगः)

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kathitāḥ: have been told/described
• kathitāḥ: Karma (कर्म/that which is described)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (कथ् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta past passive participle (क्त-प्रत्यय), Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Plural; agrees with 'ete'

• brahman: O Brahmin (sage)
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन/प्रथमा-सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• meroḥ: of Meru
• meroḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी 6), Singular

• uttarataḥ: to the north (of)
• uttarataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uttaratas (अव्यय/तसिल्)
• Form: Avyaya, directional adverb (दिक्-अव्यय) meaning 'to the north/from the north side'

• nagāḥ: mountains
• nagāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Plural

• eteṣām: of these
• eteṣām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी 6), Plural

• parvatānām: of the mountains
• parvatānām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी 6), Plural

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adversative/contrastive particle (निपात)

• drauṇyaḥ: the valleys/basins (drauṇīs)
• drauṇyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: drauṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Plural; (द्रौणी-शब्दः)

• atīva: very, exceedingly
• atīva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, intensifying adverb (अत्यर्थे)

• manoharāḥ: charming, delightful
• manoharāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manohara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective (विशेषण), Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Plural; agrees with 'drauṇyaḥ'

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Purāṇic discourse (speaker not specified in provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Meru (cosmic mountain, not a deity)

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred Geography

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The passage frames certain terrestrial regions as exceptionally refined and pleasant, suggesting a graded cosmos where environments correspond to the merit (puṇya) of beings who inhabit or reach them.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily within Sthāna (cosmic geography/arrangement of the worlds) rather than Sarga or Vaṃśa; it is descriptive cosmography.

What is the esoteric significance?

Meru often symbolizes the axis of consciousness; ‘north of Meru’ and ‘beautiful valleys’ can be read as higher, subtler planes of experience—states where enjoyment is refined and suffering is attenuated.