Vamana Purana — Structure of Jambudvipa, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

पुण्या रम्या नवैवैते वर्षाः शालकटङ्कट इलावृताद्या ये चाष्टौ वर्षं मुक्त्वैव भारतम्

Transliteration

puṇyā ramyā navaivaite varṣāḥ śālakaṭaṅkaṭa ilāvṛtādyā ye cāṣṭau varṣaṃ muktvaiva bhāratam

Translation

O Śālakaṭaṅkaṭa, diese neun varṣas (Regionen) sind heilig und lieblich. Von ihnen werden acht, beginnend mit Ilāvṛta, so genannt; ausgenommen ist allein die varṣa namens Bhārata.

Word by Word

• puṇyāḥ: holy
• puṇyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ramyāḥ: delightful
• ramyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• nava: nine
• nava: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural) (numeral agreeing with varṣāḥ)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• varṣāḥ: regions/lands (varṣas)
• varṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• śālakaṭaṅkaṭāḥ: Śālakaṭaṅkaṭa (named regions)
• śālakaṭaṅkaṭāḥ: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śālakaṭaṅkaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural) (proper-name varṣas)

• ilāvṛta-ādyāḥ: beginning with Ilāvṛta
• ilāvṛta-ādyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ilāvṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (determinative: 'beginning with'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ye: which/that (those)
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• varṣam: the region (varṣa)
• varṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• muktvā: having left/excluding
• muktvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), 'having left/excluding'

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• bhāratam: Bhārata (India)
• bhāratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• Narrative frame not explicit in the given excerpt (commonly Purāṇic dialogue-layer: Pulastya → Nārada)

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Cosmology
• Human condition in Bhārata

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse distinguishes Bhārata-varṣa from the other varṣas: Bhārata is typically treated as the arena of deliberate effort (puruṣakāra), dharma, and karma-bearing action, whereas other regions are portrayed as naturally auspicious or effortless in attainment.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily within Sarga (cosmography/creation-description) and ancillary cosmological geography (dvipas, varṣas, loka-vyavasthā).

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Eight varṣas are naturally holy/delightful’ while Bhārata is singled out—symbolically emphasizing that liberation-oriented merit is uniquely earned through discipline, dharma, and conscious striving in the human realm.