Shloka 26

Matsya Purana — Cosmography of Śākadvīpa and Successive Dvīpas: Mountains

Devanagari script

द्वीपस्य परिणाहं च ह्रस्वदीर्घत्वमेव च जम्बूद्वीपेन संख्यातं तस्य मध्ये वनस्पतिः //

Transliteration

dvīpasya pariṇāhaṃ ca hrasvadīrghatvameva ca jambūdvīpena saṃkhyātaṃ tasya madhye vanaspatiḥ //

Translation

The girth of the continent and likewise its shorter and longer dimensions are reckoned with reference to Jambūdvīpa; and in its very center stands a great tree (the central plant).

Word by Word

• dvīpasya: of the continent/island

• pariṇāham: circumference, girth

• ca: and

• hrasva-dīrghatvam: the shortness and length (breadth and length)

• eva: indeed/just so

• ca: and

• jambū-dvīpena: by/with reference to Jambūdvīpa

• saṃkhyātam: measured, enumerated, computed

• tasya: of it (of that continent)

• madhye: in the middle/center

• vanaspatiḥ: a great tree, lord of trees (central world-tree, traditionally the Jambū tree).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) speaking to Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution for this cosmography section)

Entities Mentioned

• Jambūdvīpa
• Vanaspati (central world-tree/Jambū tree)

Tags

• Cosmography
• Dvipas
• Sacred Geography
• Puranic Measurements
• Jambudvipa

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to cosmography, explaining how the world’s continental dimensions are computed with Jambūdvīpa as the reference and noting the central world-tree.

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

Indirectly, it supports dharma through knowledge of sacred geography—kings and householders are guided to understand the ordered cosmos that underlies pilgrimage, ritual orientation, and the cultural map of Bharata-varṣa within Jambūdvīpa.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, the “center” (madhya) and the idea of a central axis (world-tree) echo the principle of axial alignment used in sacred layouts; it can be cross-referenced when discussing Vastu concepts of center (brahmasthāna) and orientation, though no direct building rule is stated here.