Shloka 18

प्रियव्रतवंशवर्णनम् — सप्तद्वीपविभागः, जम्बूद्वीप-वर्षविभागः, भरत-नामकरणम्

Devanagari script

हेमकूटं तथा वर्षं ददौ किंपुरुषाय सः तृतीयं नैषधं वर्षं हरिवर्षाय दत्तवान्

Transliteration

hemakūṭaṃ tathā varṣaṃ dadau kiṃpuruṣāya saḥ tṛtīyaṃ naiṣadhaṃ varṣaṃ harivarṣāya dattavān

Translation

Er verlieh den Kimpuruṣas das Varṣa namens Hemakūṭa; und als dritte Einteilung gab er das Naiṣadha-Varṣa an Harivarṣa.

Word by Word

• हेमकूटम्: Hemakūṭa (region)
• हेमकूटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमकूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (नाम)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• वर्षम्: region, varṣa
• वर्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किंपुरुषाय: to Kiṃpuruṣa
• किंपुरुषाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तृतीयम्: the third
• तृतीयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रमवाचक, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (वर्षम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• नैषधम्: Naiṣadha (region)
• नैषधम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (नाम)

• वर्षम्: region, varṣa
• वर्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरिवर्षाय: to Harivarṣa
• हरिवर्षाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिवर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दत्तवान्: gave (having given)
• दत्तवान्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त, past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (he having given = he gave)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Which varṣa belongs to which ruler/people within Jambūdvīpa.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: precise, enumerative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Orderly distribution (vibhāga) is a dharmic act that stabilizes society and mirrors cosmic arrangement.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice fairness in allocating resources and responsibilities; avoid favoritism, and align distribution with capability and role.

Vishishtadvaita: Plural realms function as coordinated ‘modes’ within a single cosmic body—unity expressed through ordered diversity.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Nyāya in distribution (equitable, orderly apportionment of realms)

Key Kings: Kiṃpuruṣa

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Kimpuruṣas
• Hemakūṭa-varṣa
• Naiṣadha-varṣa
• Harivarṣa

FAQs

What is the significance of varṣa-division in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse shows the Purāṇa’s view of the world as an ordered, apportioned cosmos—regions (varṣas) are assigned to specific beings/peoples, reflecting a structured universal governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic order in this chapter?

Through a systematic listing of Jambūdvīpa’s regions and their recipients, Parāśara presents geography as a dharmic arrangement—each realm has a defined place and purpose within the whole.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the narrative implies a cosmos sustained by supreme sovereignty—an ordered creation that ultimately depends on Vishnu as the ground of stability and law.