Vamana Purana — Structure of Jambudvipa, Shloka 22

The Structure of Jambudvipa: Nine Varshas, Navadvipa Bharata, Mountains, Rivers, and Peoples

Devanagari script

निश्चिरा गण्डकी चित्रा कौशिकी च वधूसरा सरूश्च सलौहित्या हिमवत्पादनिःसृताः

Transliteration

niścirā gaṇḍakī citrā kauśikī ca vadhūsarā sarūśca salauhityā himavatpādaniḥsṛtāḥ

Translation

Niścirā, Gaṇḍakī, Citrā, Kauśikī und Vadhūsarā; ebenso Sarū und Salauhityā—sie sollen aus dem Fuß des Himavat (Himalaya) hervorgehen.

Word by Word

• निश्चिरा: Niścirā (river name)
• निश्चिरा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चिरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गण्डकी: Gaṇḍakī (river name)
• गण्डकी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण्डकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चित्रा: Citrā (river name)
• चित्रा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कौशिकी: Kauśikī (river name)
• कौशिकी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वधूसरा: Vadhūsarā (river name)
• वधूसरा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वधूसरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सरूः: Sarū (river name)
• सरूः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; visarga in citation form

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सलौहित्या: Salauhityā (river name)
• सलौहित्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलौहित्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हिमवत्पाद-निःसृताः: (rivers) issuing from Himavat’s foot
• हिमवत्पाद-निःसृताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + निःसृत (नि:√सृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: बहुवचन, प्रथमा; (स्त्रीलिङ्गाः नद्यः) विशेषणम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः: ‘हिमवत्पादात् निःसृताः’ (sprung from the foot of Himavat)

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (typical frame; not explicit in the given excerpt)

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Tirtha-Mahatmya
• Pilgrimage Topography

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

By mapping sacred rivers to Himavat, the text sacralizes geography: nature is treated as a carrier of dharma, and pilgrimage becomes a disciplined way of remembering cosmic order through the landscape.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is ancillary to pancalakṣaṇa proper; it aligns most closely with tīrtha-māhātmya style material often embedded within Purāṇas, rather than sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa lines.

What is the symbolic significance?

Rivers ‘issuing from Himavat’ express the idea of purity and continuity: the mountain (stability) gives rise to flow (life, merit, and transmission of sacred power).