Shloka 6

Bhu-maṇḍala-varṇanam

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

Devanagari script

मूले षोडशसाहस्रः कर्णिकाकार संस्थितः । हिमवान् हेमकूटश्च निषधश्चास्य दक्षिणे

Transliteration

mūle ṣoḍaśasāhasraḥ karṇikākāra saṃsthitaḥ | himavān hemakūṭaśca niṣadhaścāsya dakṣiṇe

Translation

At the base stands the mountain Ṣoḍaśasāhasra, set like the lotus’ pericarp. To its south are the mountains Himavān, Hemakūṭa, and Niṣadha.

Word by Word

• मूले: at the base
• मूले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (sixteen), अव्ययवत्; समासाङ्ग

• साहस्रः: sixteen-thousand (in measure)
• साहस्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (षोडश-साहस्रः = sixteen-thousand)

• कर्णिका: pericarp/lotus-whorl
• कर्णिका: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग

• आकारः: shape/form
• आकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कर्णिकायाः आकारः = shape like a karnikā)

• संस्थितः: is situated/placed
• संस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हिमवान्: Himavān (Himalaya)
• हिमवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हेमकूटः: Hemakūṭa
• हेमकूटः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेम + कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (हेमः कूटः = golden peak)

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

• निषधः: Niṣadha (mountain)
• निषधः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• अस्य: of this/of it
• अस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दक्षिणे: to the south/on the southern side
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha

Sthala Purana: Himavān is invoked as the southern range; in Śaiva sacred geography the Himalayan belt is the abode of Śiva and Umā. Kedāra is celebrated as Śiva’s high-mountain seat where the Lord grants anugraha to ascetics; Purāṇas narrate Śiva’s manifestation in the Himalayas and the sanctity of Kedāra as a place of tapas and liberation.

Significance: Pilgrimage to the Himalayan Śiva-sthāna is held to purify sins and strengthen vairāgya; Kedāra-darśana is traditionally linked with liberation-oriented merit and completion of Śaiva yātrā.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Meru’s basal formation likened to lotus pericarp; naming of southern mountain chains (Himavān, Hemakūṭa, Niṣadha)

Characters & Entities

• Himavān
• Hemakūṭa
• Niṣadha
• Ṣoḍaśasāhasra

FAQs

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

The verse uses lotus imagery (karṇikā/pericarp) to present the world-structure as an ordered, contemplative mandala—supporting a Shaiva view that the cosmos is an intelligible field for dharma and yoga under Pati (Shiva), not a random expanse.

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

By mapping sacred directions and foundational supports, it frames pilgrimage and worship as entering a sanctified cosmic order; such ordered space culminates in devotion to Saguna Shiva (including Linga worship) as the indwelling Lord who upholds and pervades all regions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna using lotus-mandala visualization—contemplating the ‘root’ and directions—then centering awareness on Shiva as the inner Pati; this can be paired with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) for steadiness.