Shloka 23

Description and Measurements of Śākadvīpa

with Oceans, Mountains, Varṣas, and Rivers

Devanagari script

वर्षाणि तेषु विप्रेंद्राः संप्रोक्तानि मनीषिभिः । महामेरुर्महाकाशो जलदः कुमुदोत्तरम्

Transliteration

varṣāṇi teṣu vipreṃdrāḥ saṃproktāni manīṣibhiḥ | mahāmerurmahākāśo jaladaḥ kumudottaram

Translation

O Vorzüglichster der Brāhmaṇas, die Varṣas (Regionen) unter ihnen sind von den Weisen beschrieben worden: Mahāmeru, Mahākāśa, Jalada und Kumudottara.

Word by Word

• वर्षाणि: regions/varṣas (divisions of the earth)
• वर्षाणि: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तेषु: among them / in those
• तेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location: 'among/in them')
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विप्रेन्द्राः: O lords among brāhmaṇas
• विप्रेन्द्राः: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्रेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक: विप्र + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• संप्रोक्तानि: have been declared / stated
• संप्रोक्तानि: कर्मणि-भाव (Passive predicate; 'have been declared')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-√वच् (धातु) (वच्—वक्तव्ये) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → संप्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); वर्षाणि-विशेषण (predicate/adjectival to 'varṣāṇi')

• मनीषिभिः: by the sages / wise ones
• मनीषिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument: agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महामेरुः: Mahāmeru
• महामेरुः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject, list/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामेरु (प्रातिपदिक: महा + मेरु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); नाम (list item)

• महाकाशः: Mahākāśa
• महाकाशः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject, list/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाश (प्रातिपदिक: महा + आकाश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); नाम (list item)

• जलदः: Jalada
• जलदः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject, list/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलद (प्रातिपदिक: जल + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); नाम (list item)

• कुमुदोत्तरम्: Kumudottara
• कुमुदोत्तरम्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject, list/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमुदोत्तर (प्रातिपदिक: कुमुद + उत्तर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); नाम (list item)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice addressing 'viprendrāḥ')

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: विप्रेंद्राः = विप्रेन्द्राः; महामेरुर्महाकाशो = महामेरुः + महाकाशः; कुमुदोत्तरम् = कुमुद + उत्तरम् (समास).

Characters & Entities

• Mahāmeru
• Mahākāśa
• Jalada
• Kumudottara

FAQs

What is meant by 'varṣāṇi' in this verse?

Here 'varṣāṇi' refers to named territorial divisions or regions (varṣas) within a larger cosmographic scheme described in Purāṇic literature.

Are Mahāmeru, Mahākāśa, Jalada, and Kumudottara places or symbolic names?

In this context they function as proper names of regions within Purāṇic cosmography; many such names also carry descriptive or symbolic resonances (e.g., mountains, sky/space, clouds/water).

What is the teaching emphasis of this verse within the Svarga-khaṇḍa?

The verse is primarily cataloging cosmographic divisions as transmitted by sages, reinforcing the Purāṇic style of authoritative geographic and cosmic enumeration rather than a direct ethical injunction.