Shloka 17

Jambūdvīpa Orientation: Meru-Centered Varṣas, Dvīpas, Kulaparvatas, Rivers, and Janapadas

Devanagari script

स्त्रीराज्याः सैन्धवा म्लेच्छा नास्ति का यवनास्तथा / पश्चिमेन च विज्ञेया माथुरा नैषधैः सह

Transliteration

strīrājyāḥ saindhavā mlecchā nāsti kā yavanāstathā / paścimena ca vijñeyā māthurā naiṣadhaiḥ saha

Translation

To the west are to be recognized the lands of Strī-rājya (the “women’s kingdom”), the Saindhavas, the Mlecchas, the Kambojas, and likewise the Yavanas; and farther west are known Mathurā together with the Naiṣadhas.

Word by Word

• स्त्रीराज्याः: (people) of the Strīrājya region
• स्त्रीराज्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रीराज्य (प्रातिपदिक) = स्त्री + राज्य
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्त्रियाः राज्यं)

• सैन्धवाः: Saindhavas (people of Sindhu region)
• सैन्धवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• म्लेच्छाः: foreigners/barbarians
• म्लेच्छाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• का: which?/what? (fem.)
• का: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• यवनाः: Yavanas (Greeks/foreigners)
• यवनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: likewise)

• पश्चिमेन: to the west / on the western side
• पश्चिमेन: Adhikarana (Locative sense via instrumental/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; दिशावाचक-शब्दः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विज्ञेयाः: to be known/are to be identified
• विज्ञेयाः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु) → विज्ञेय (कृदन्त)
• Form: भविष्यत्कर्तव्यतार्थक-तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/passive potential); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• माथुराः: Mathuras (people of Mathurā)
• माथुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माथुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• नैषधैः: with the Naiṣadhas
• नैषधैः: Sahakari (Association/सहकारि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Association/सहकारि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक-अव्यय (postposition: with)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lokavibhāga—knowing the world through directional classification of lands and peoples.

Vedantic Theme: Jñeya-jagat as ordered appearance (vyavahāra) within a larger cosmic structure.

Application: Use as a mnemonic for traditional dig-geography in Purāṇic cosmography; supports pilgrimage/itihāsa orientation and cultural literacy.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: janapada/region list (dik-nirdeśa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.55 (directional janapada lists continuing in adjacent verses); Garuda Purana 1.56 (dvīpa genealogies/cosmography continuation)

Characters & Entities

• Strī-rājya
• Saindhavas
• Mlecchas
• Kambojas
• Yavanas
• Mathurā
• Naiṣadhas

FAQs

What is the importance of sacred geography in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows how the Purāṇa maps peoples and regions by direction, supporting traditional cosmography and pilgrimage-oriented understanding of the world.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it belongs to a geographic/cosmographic listing of regions and peoples by direction.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reference for Purāṇic worldviews—helpful for contextual study of texts and for understanding how ancient traditions organized cultural geography.