Shloka 8

Adhyaya 56 — The Descent and Fourfold Course of the Ganga; Jambudvipa’s Varshas and Their Conditions

Sanskrit

मेरुपादवनं गत्वा नन्दनं देवनन्दनम् ।

मानसञ्च महावेगात् प्लापयित्वा सरोवरम् ॥

Transliteration

merupādavanaṃ gatvā nandanaṃ devanandanam /

mānasañca mahāvegāt plāpayitvā sarovaram

Translation

Sie ging in den Wald am Fuße des Meru, nach Nandana — der Wonne der Götter —, und überflutete mit großer Kraft auch den Mānasā-See.

Word by Word

• मेरु-पाद-वनम्: the forest at Meru’s foot
• मेरु-पाद-वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘मेरोः पादे वनम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु √गम्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• नन्दनम्: Nandana (garden)
• नन्दनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक; उद्यान-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• देव-नन्दनम्: the gods’ delight (Nandana)
• देव-नन्दनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘देवानां नन्दनम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नन्दनस्य विशेषण/पर्याय

• मानसम्: Mānasa (lake)
• मानसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक; सरस्-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• महावेगात्: due to great force/speed
• महावेगात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘महान् वेगः’); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ (ablative of cause)

• प्लापयित्वा: having flooded
• प्लापयित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्लापय् (धातु; √प्लु causative)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), causative: ‘having flooded’

• सरोवरम्: the lake
• सरोवरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरोवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing narration)

Primary Deities

• Gaṅgā
• Devas (collectively)
• Indra (implied by Nandana)

Shakti Aspects

• Gaṅgā as divine inundating power nourishing celestial realms

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Divine realms
• Purifying waters

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text links sacred water with divine joy (Nandana) and pure mind (Mānasa), implying that inner clarity and spiritual delight arise from contact with the purifying current.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sthāna: sacred topography of divine groves and lakes within the cosmic map.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Mānasa’ evokes manas (mind): Gaṅgā flooding Mānasasaras can symbolize the inundation of the mind with purity, washing away latent impurities.