Shloka 9

Matsya Purana — Cosmography of Jambūdvīpa: Varṣas

Devanagari script

सिद्धचारणसंकीर्णं पर्वतैरुपशोभितम् सर्वधातुपिनद्धैस्तैः शिलाजालसमुद्गतैः //

Transliteration

siddhacāraṇasaṃkīrṇaṃ parvatairupaśobhitam sarvadhātupinaddhaistaiḥ śilājālasamudgataiḥ //

Translation

It is thronged with Siddhas and Cāraṇas, and made splendid by mountains—peaks sheathed in every kind of mineral, rising up like lattices and networks of rock.

Word by Word

• सिद्ध (siddha): perfected being

• चारण (cāraṇa): celestial bard/sky-roamer

• संकीर्णम् (saṃkīrṇam): crowded/thronged

• पर्वतैः (parvataiḥ): by mountains

• उपशोभितम् (upaśobhitam): adorned/beautified

• सर्व (sarva): all/every

• धातु (dhātu): mineral/ore/metallic element

• पिनद्धैः (pinaddhaiḥ): bound, clad, sheathed

• तैः (taiḥ): by those

• शिला (śilā): rock/stone

• जाल (jāla): net, lattice, network

• समुद्गतैः (samudgataiḥ): risen up, emerged, projecting forth

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) speaking to Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution within Matsya Purana’s instructional dialogue)

Entities Mentioned

• Siddhas
• Cāraṇas

Tags

• Sacred geography
• Divine realms
• Mountain description
• Puranic cosmography
• Minerals and rocks

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

This verse is not directly about Pralaya; it depicts a stable, exalted landscape populated by Siddhas and Cāraṇas, emphasizing the splendor of sacred/celestial geography rather than cosmic dissolution.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

Indirectly, it supports the Matsya Purana’s broader ethic that sacred places and elevated environments inspire dharma: rulers and householders are encouraged to honor such holy regions, support pilgrimage, and maintain reverence for sanctified landscapes.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The technical vocabulary—dhātu (minerals) and śilā (stone)—highlights the Purāṇic attention to material qualities of mountains; this aligns with later Vāstu/temple-building concerns about stone types and natural formations, even though no explicit construction rule is stated in this verse.