Shloka 77

Matsya Purana — Division of Bhārata-varṣa

Devanagari script

मेरुं प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा जम्बूमूलगता पुनः तं पिबन्ति सदा हृष्टा जम्बूरसमिलावृते //

Transliteration

meruṃ pradakṣiṇaṃ kṛtvā jambūmūlagatā punaḥ taṃ pibanti sadā hṛṣṭā jambūrasamilāvṛte //

Translation

Having circumambulated Mount Meru to the right, it again reaches the root of the Jambū tree; there, in the region suffused with Jambū’s essence, they joyfully drink it continually.

Word by Word

• मेरुम् (merum): Mount Meru

• प्रदक्षिणम् (pradakṣiṇam): circumambulation, moving clockwise in reverence

• कृत्वा (kṛtvā): having done

• जम्बूमूलगता (jambū-mūla-gatā): having gone to the root of the Jambū tree

• पुनः (punaḥ): again

• तम् (tam): that (river/that water/that juice)

• पिबन्ति (pibanti): they drink

• सदा (sadā): always

• हृष्टाः (hṛṣṭāḥ): delighted, joyful

• जम्बूरसम् (jambū-rasam): Jambū-juice/essence

• इलावृते (ilāvṛte): in Ilāvṛta (the central region around Meru).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) recounting the Matsya Purana’s cosmographic description (within the Matsya–Manu dialogue frame).

Entities Mentioned

• Mount Meru
• Jambū tree
• Ilāvṛta (Ilāvṛta-varṣa)
• Jambū-rasa (Jambu essence)

Tags

• Cosmography
• Sacred Geography
• Meru
• Jambudvipa
• Pilgrimage Imagery

FAQs

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

This verse is cosmographic rather than pralaya-focused: it describes the sacred, cyclical movement around Meru and the life-sustaining, divine “Jambū essence” associated with Ilāvṛta’s geography.

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

Indirectly, it reinforces the Purāṇic worldview a king is expected to uphold—protecting dharma rooted in sacred geography and pilgrimage culture—though it gives no direct injunctions about royal or household duties.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The key ritual idea is pradakṣiṇā (clockwise circumambulation), a core temple and pilgrimage practice; Meru functions as the cosmic prototype that later temple layouts symbolically mirror in Puranic and Vāstu traditions.