Shloka 74

Bhāratavarṣa–Navabheda-Vyavasthā

The Nine Divisions of Bhāratavarṣa and Its Sacred Geography

Devanagari script

स्वांगदो यस्य पुरतो नास्ति लोकस्य संस्थितिः । द्विगुणा हिरण्मयी भूमिस्सर्वजंतुविवर्जिता

Transliteration

svāṃgado yasya purato nāsti lokasya saṃsthitiḥ | dviguṇā hiraṇmayī bhūmissarvajaṃtuvivarjitā

Translation

Before that One—before whom no worldly order can remain established—the earth itself becomes doubly radiant, golden in nature, and devoid of all creatures.

Word by Word

• स्व-अङ्गदः: Sva-aṅgada (name/epithet)
• स्व-अङ्गदः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमास — 'one whose (name is) Sva-aṅgada / having own armlets' (proper name/epithet)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Relative pronoun 'whose'

• पुरतः: in front of
• पुरतः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (preposition/adverb) — 'in front of'

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd/प्रथम), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोकस्य: of the world
• लोकस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Genitive

• संस्थितिः: stability/continuance
• संस्थितिः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थितिः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative

• द्वि-गुणा: double/twofold
• द्वि-गुणा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (द्विगु-प्राय) — 'twofold/double' (agreeing with भूमिः)

• हिरण्मयी: golden
• हिरण्मयी: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिरण्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — 'golden' (agreeing with भूमिः)

• भूमिः: earth/land
• भूमिः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative

• सर्व-जन्तु-विवर्जिता: devoid of all creatures
• सर्व-जन्तु-विवर्जिता: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी/संबन्ध) — 'devoid of all creatures'; विवर्जित = भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त from वि-वर्ज्

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma-saṃhitā account to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmic destabilization before the Supreme—world-order collapses; earth becomes golden and lifeless (pralaya-like motif)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points to Shiva as Pati—the transcendent Lord before whom the world’s ordinary stability (saṃsthiti) cannot stand; in his overwhelming presence, creation is seen as emptied of its usual life and meanings, directing the seeker toward liberation rather than worldly fixation.

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

The verse evokes Shiva’s overpowering, world-transcending majesty; in Linga worship, the devotee approaches this same Reality through a Saguna support (the Linga) while contemplating the Nirguna truth that the Lord exceeds all cosmic order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is contemplative japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with inward detachment, visualizing the world’s supports falling away before Shiva’s presence, as a meditation aimed at vairagya (dispassion) and moksha.