Shloka 57

Śrīnivāsa at Svāmipuṣkariṇī: Darśana, Stotra, the Secret Veṅkaṭeśa Mantra, and the Meaning of “Vyaṅkaṭeśa”

Devanagari script

सप्तार्णवाः सप्त कुलाचलाश्च द्वीपाश्च सप्तोपवनानि सप्त / भूरादिकानि भुवनानि सप्त कुर्वन्तु स दृ

Transliteration

saptārṇavāḥ sapta kulācalāśca dvīpāśca saptopavanāni sapta / bhūrādikāni bhuvanāni sapta kurvantu sa dṛ

Translation

May the seven oceans, the seven principal mountain ranges, the seven continents, and the seven sacred groves—together with the seven worlds beginning with Bhūḥ—be duly established in their proper order; thus is this cosmic arrangement to be understood.

Word by Word

• saptārṇavāḥ: the seven oceans
• saptārṇavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (numeral compound): ‘सप्त अर्णवाः’

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषणम्; अत्र ‘कुलाचलान्/उपवनानि/भुवनानि’ इत्यादीनां विशेषणम्

• kulācalāḥ: the Kulācala mountains
• kulācalāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक) + acala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘कुलानां अचलाः’ (name for mountain ranges)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• dvīpāḥ: continents/islands
• dvīpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• saptopavanāni: the seven groves
• saptopavanāni: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक) + upavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः: ‘सप्त उपवनानि’

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषणम् (numeral adjective), (elliptic repetition)

• bhūrādikāni: beginning with Earth
• bhūrādikāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘भूः-आदि’ (beginning with Earth)

• bhuvanāni: worlds
• bhuvanāni: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषणम्

• kurvantu: may (they) make/do
• kurvantu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• sa: he/that (unclear referent)
• sa: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• dṛ: (text corrupt/unclear)
• dṛ: Anirdhārita (अनिर्धारित/Unclear)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛ (धातु/अव्यक्त-पाठभ्रंश)
• Form: पाठभ्रंश/अपूर्णपद (corrupt or truncated reading); व्याकरणतः अनिश्चितम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic order (ṛta/niyati) is structured and knowable; contemplation of the universe steadies the mind.

Vedantic Theme: Jagat as ordered manifestation; knowledge of cosmic hierarchy aids vairāgya and devotion by placing the self within a larger dharmic cosmos.

Application: Use contemplative recitation of cosmic categories (worlds, oceans, continents) as a grounding practice; cultivate humility and perspective.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmological map

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana cosmological enumerations in related adhyayas (sapta-loka, sapta-dvipa descriptions)

Characters & Entities

• Bhūḥ (earthly realm)
• Bhuvanas (seven worlds)
• Sapta-dvīpa
• Sapta-samudra

FAQs

What is the importance of the “sevenfold” (sapta) cosmic scheme in the Garuda Purana?

This verse summarizes the Purāṇic map of existence—seven oceans, continents, mountains, groves, and worlds—used to frame how beings experience realms according to karma.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

By outlining the layered structure of worlds (bhuvanas), it provides the cosmological backdrop within which post-death destinations and karmic pathways are described.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Contemplate life as lived within ordered moral-cosmic law (dharma and karma): actions shape one’s experiential “world,” so cultivate ethical conduct, self-restraint, and devotional remembrance.