Shloka 52

सप्तद्वीप-समुद्र-प्रमाणम्: प्लक्षादि-द्वीपवर्णनं, लोकालोक-सीमा, चन्द्र-समुद्र-वृद्धिक्षयः

Devanagari script

वर्षेष्व् एतेषु रम्येषु वर्षशैलवरेषु च निवसन्ति निरातङ्काः सह देवगणैः प्रजाः

Transliteration

varṣeṣv eteṣu ramyeṣu varṣaśailavareṣu ca nivasanti nirātaṅkāḥ saha devagaṇaiḥ prajāḥ

Translation

In diesen lieblichen Varṣas und unter den vortrefflichen Bergen jener Länder wohnen die Wesen der Welt furcht- und leidfrei, zusammen mit den Scharen der Götter—gemäß der harmonischen Ordnung der Herrschaft Viṣṇus.

Word by Word

• वर्षेषु: in the regions (varṣas)
• वर्षेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• एतेषु: in these
• एतेषु: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; निर्देशवाचक-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• रम्येषु: pleasant, delightful
• रम्येषु: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• वर्षशैलवरेषु: among the excellent mountains of the varṣas
• वर्षशैलवरेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष-शैल-वर (प्रातिपदिक: वर्ष + शैल + वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; (वर्षेषु) शैलवराः इति—सम्बन्धः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• निवसन्ति: they dwell
• निवसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• निरातङ्काः: free from fear/disturbance
• निरातङ्काः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरातङ्क (प्रातिपदिक: निर् + आतङ्क)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहयोगवाचक-अव्यय (with)

• देवगणैः: with the groups of gods
• देवगणैः: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवगण (प्रातिपदिक: देव + गण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• प्रजाः: the people/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature of life in the varṣas and their mountain regions

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Where dharma and divine governance prevail, beings dwell nirātaṅka—free from fear—signaling harmony between cosmos and conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate dharmic living and devotion to reduce fear and inner agitation, mirroring the ‘nirātaṅka’ ideal.

Vishishtadvaita: The world’s peace is grounded in the Lord’s sustaining rule; creatures flourish as His dependent modes (śeṣa) within His order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Prajāḥ (beings/subjects)

FAQs

What is the significance of living 'nirātaṅka' (without fear) in the Vishnu Purana’s world description?

It signals an ideal, divinely ordered realm where suffering and disturbance are minimal, reflecting cosmic harmony sustained by Vishnu’s governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between geography (varṣas and mountains) and cosmic order?

By describing specific regions and their mountain systems as stable abodes for beings and devas, Parāśara presents geography as a structured expression of dharma and cosmic administration.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context of sacred geography?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana frames such orderly, fear-free dwelling as a result of the Supreme Lord’s sustaining power (sthiti) over the cosmos.