Shloka 25

Matsya Purana — Cosmography of Śākadvīpa and Successive Dvīpas: Mountains

Devanagari script

आम्बिकेयस्य मैनाकं क्षेमकं चैव तत्कृतम् केसरः पर्वतस्यापि महाद्रुममिति स्मृतम् तदेव धवमित्युक्तं वर्षं विभ्राजसंज्ञितम् //

Transliteration

āmbikeyasya mainākaṃ kṣemakaṃ caiva tatkṛtam kesaraḥ parvatasyāpi mahādrumamiti smṛtam tadeva dhavamityuktaṃ varṣaṃ vibhrājasaṃjñitam //

Translation

For Ambikeya there is Maināka, and also Kṣemaka, made (assigned) for him. Kesara too is remembered as a mountain, and Mahādruma as well. That very (region) is also called Dhava; the varṣa is known by the name Vibhrāja.

Word by Word

• आम्बिकेयस्य (āmbikeyasya): of Ambikeya

• मैनाकम् (mainākam): Maināka (name of a mountain)

• क्षेमकम् (kṣemakam): Kṣemaka (name of a mountain/region)

• च (ca): and

• एव (eva): indeed/also

• तत्कृतम् (tat-kṛtam): made/ordained for him, assigned to that (one)

• केसरः (kesaraḥ): Kesara (name of a mountain)

• पर्वतस्य (parvatasya): of a mountain / among mountains

• अपि (api): also

• महाद्रुमम् (mahādrumam): Mahādruma (name of a great forest/region, lit. “great tree”)

• इति (iti): thus

• स्मृतम् (smṛtam): is remembered/recorded

• तत् एव (tad eva): that very (same)

• धवम् (dhavam): Dhava (name of a region/tract)

• इति उक्तम् (iti uktam): is said to be called

• वर्षम् (varṣam): varṣa, a territorial division/region

• विभ्राज-संज्ञितम् (vibhrāja-saṃjñitam): named Vibhrāja

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (cosmographical enumeration context)

Entities Mentioned

• Ambikeya
• Maināka
• Kṣemaka
• Kesara
• Mahādruma
• Dhava
• Vibhrāja

Tags

• Cosmography
• Sacred geography
• Mountains
• Varṣa divisions
• Puranic toponyms

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to the Matsya Purana’s cosmographical cataloging, naming specific mountains and a varṣa (regional division) such as Vibhrāja.

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

Directly it does not prescribe duties; indirectly, such geographic enumerations support the Purāṇic worldview used in royal administration, pilgrimage mapping, and the cultural idea of ruling/inhabiting a divinely ordered landscape.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or ritual rule appears here; the significance is primarily sacred geography—toponyms like Maināka and the varṣa Vibhrāja that may frame later tīrtha (pilgrimage) or regional ritual contexts.