Shloka 10

Bhu-maṇḍala-varṇanam

Description of the Earth-Maṇḍala, the Seven Continents, and Meru

Devanagari script

उत्तरे कुरवश्चैव यथा वै भारतं तथा । नवसाहस्रमेकैकमेतेषां मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

uttare kuravaścaiva yathā vai bhārataṃ tathā | navasāhasramekaikameteṣāṃ munisattama

Translation

O best of sages, in the northern region there are also the Kurus; and just as there is Bhārata, so each of these realms too is said to extend to nine thousand yojanas.

Word by Word

• उत्तरे: in the north; to the north
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: दिक्-शब्दस्य सप्तमी-रूपेण अव्ययीभावार्थे (locative used adverbially: 'in the north/to the north')

• कुरवः: the Kurus (region/people)
• कुरवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle: just/indeed)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (correlative: as/just as)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; indeed)

• भारतम्: Bhārata (region)
• भारतम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तथा: so; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (correlative: so/thus)

• नवसाहस्रम्: nine thousand
• नवसाहस्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/measure-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (nine-thousand) संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• एकैकम्: each (one by one)
• एकैकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (one-and-one) अर्थे 'each singly' विशेषण

• एतेषाम्: of these
• एतेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मुनीनां सत्तमः = best of sages)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Kuru
• Bharata

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It situates Shiva’s teaching within a sacred, ordered cosmos: geography is not merely physical, but a dharmic field where beings act as paśu (bound souls) and can turn toward Pati (Shiva) through right living and worship.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By naming Bhārata and its regions, the text implicitly frames the world as a fit place for Saguna Shiva worship—pilgrimage, temple culture, and Linga-upāsanā occur within this mapped sacred land even while Shiva remains transcendent (Nirguna) beyond it.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

No specific rite is commanded in this verse; the practical takeaway is to sanctify one’s place through daily Shiva worship—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and regular pūjā—wherever one resides in Bhārata.