Shloka 2

Sapta-dvīpa Catalog: Plakṣa to Puṣkara, Mānasottara, and the Lokāloka Boundary

Devanagari script

सुखोदयस्तथा नन्दः शिवः क्षेमक एव च / ध्रुवश्च सप्तमस्तेषां प्लक्षद्वीपेश्वरा हि ते

Transliteration

sukhodayastathā nandaḥ śivaḥ kṣemaka eva ca / dhruvaśca saptamasteṣāṃ plakṣadvīpeśvarā hi te

Translation

Sukhodaya, Nanda, Śiva, and Kṣemaka—and Dhruva as the seventh—these indeed are the lords who rule Plakṣa-dvīpa.

Word by Word

• सुखोदयः: Sukhodaya (name)
• सुखोदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुखस्य उदयः)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमसूचक (also/likewise)

• नन्दः: Nanda (name)
• नन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शिवः: Śiva (name)
• शिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षेमकः: Kṣemaka (name)
• क्षेमकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेमक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/indeed)

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

• ध्रुवः: Dhruva (name)
• ध्रुवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• सप्तमः: the seventh
• सप्तमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्लक्षद्वीपेश्वराः: lords of Plakṣadvīpa
• प्लक्षद्वीपेश्वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लक्षद्वीप (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्लक्षद्वीपस्य ईश्वराः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतु (indeed/for)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic order is maintained through appointed rulers and structured realms.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara’s niyati (ordered governance) reflected in the mapped universe; the many as expressions within one cosmic order.

Application: Cultivate respect for lawful order and stewardship; read cosmography as a reminder of dharma sustaining society.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: dvīpa (cosmic island-continent)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.56 (dvīpa-varṣa-nadī-nṛpa listings continuing)

Characters & Entities

• Sukhodaya
• Nanda
• Shiva
• Kṣemaka
• Dhruva
• Plakṣa-dvīpa

FAQs

What is the importance of Plakṣa-dvīpa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse places Plakṣa-dvīpa within the Purāṇic cosmological map and identifies its governing rulers, supporting the text’s broader sacred geography of the seven dvīpas.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the soul’s journey directly; instead it contributes to the Garuda Purana’s cosmological framework, which elsewhere contextualizes realms, paths, and destinations discussed in afterlife teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reference for studying Purāṇic cosmology—helpful for understanding the Garuda Purana’s worldview and how it organizes sacred space and divine governance.