Shloka 27
Measurements of Mount Meru, the Boundary Mountains, and the Four Directional Great Trees
सुपार्श्वस्योत्तरे शृङ्गे वटो नाम महाद्रुमः । न्यग्रोधो विपुलस्कन्धो यस्त्रियोजनमण्डलः ॥ ७७.२७ ॥
supārśvasyottare śṛṅge vaṭo nāma mahādrumaḥ | nyagrodho vipulaskandho yas triyojanamaṇḍalaḥ || 77.27 ||
Auf dem nördlichen Gipfel des Supārśva steht ein großer Baum namens Vaṭa — ein Nyagrodha, der Banyan, mit gewaltigem Stamm — dessen Umfang drei Yojanas beträgt.
Varāha
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":false,"aspect_highlighted":"None","boar_form_detail":"None","earth_interaction":"None"}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"curious","key_question":"What other monumental sacred trees mark the peaks—specifically on Supārśva—and what are their extraordinary measures?"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false,"specific_site":"None","parikrama_context":"None","krishna_connection":"None"}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false,"topic":"None","instruction_summary":"None","karmic_consequence":"None"}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false,"vrata_name":"None","tithi_month":"None","promised_fruit":"None"}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":true,"symbolic_interpretation":"The vaṭa/nyagrodha—known for aerial roots and expansive shelter—symbolizes the sustaining, all-encompassing support of dharma and the continuity of life across generations.","yajna_varaha_imagery":"Implicit yajña-field: the tree’s vast ‘maṇḍala’ (circumference) evokes a ritual enclosure/maṇḍala where beings gather; the banyan’s many roots suggest many ritual ‘channels’ returning to one source.","vedantic_connection":"Nyagrodha imagery aligns with the idea of the One supporting the many; the spread (maṇḍala) hints at the pervasion (vyāpti) of the substratum in all directions."}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"sacred ecology / contemplation of magnitude","core_concept":"Great natural forms (mahādruma) invite śānta contemplation and remind one of the vast supports that sustain life.","practical_application":"Use encounters with ancient trees as contemplative practice: cultivate humility, patience, and protective stewardship; recognize interdependence with living habitats."}
Subject Matter: ["Geography","Heritage Sites","Ecology"]
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: mountain-peak sacred tree-site
Related Themes: Varāha Purāṇa 77.77.23-24 (other sacred tree landmark descriptions in the same sequence)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A panoramic view of Supārśva’s northern peak dominated by an immense banyan (vaṭa/nyagrodha) with a vast trunk and a three-yojana spread.","item_prompts":["mountain peak labeled Supārśva","gigantic banyan with aerial roots","wide circular spread/maṇḍala indicated by ground ring or pilgrims’ path","birds and ascetics under shade to show scale"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: sweeping canopy with stylized aerial roots; mountain peak in layered greens; small ascetics beneath for scale; tranquil sacred-grove mood.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: iconic banyan with gold accents on leaves and roots; decorative mountain backdrop; emphasis on grandeur and auspiciousness.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: detailed banyan roots and bark; atmospheric depth on the peak; gentle realism with devotional calm.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: airy mountain landscape; delicate banyan foliage; narrative scale figures; cool, serene palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"majestic, contemplative description","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"deep, steady, awe-tinged"}
FAQs
It exemplifies Purāṇic cataloging of sacred landscapes by linking a named geographic feature (Supārśva) with a notable natural landmark (a monumental banyan), reflecting how environmental features function as cultural heritage markers in the text.
The verse identifies “Supārśva” and specifies its “northern peak.” In many Purāṇic contexts, Supārśva is treated as a named mountain within a sacred-geographic framework; precise modern identification is uncertain without broader contextual passages and cross-text comparison.
Rather than a direct moral injunction, the verse conveys an implicit philosophical emphasis on the significance of natural monuments (trees, mountains) as preservable cultural-ecological heritage within sacred geography.