Shloka 13

प्रियव्रतवंशवर्णनम् — सप्तद्वीपविभागः, जम्बूद्वीप-वर्षविभागः, भरत-नामकरणम्

Devanagari script

शाल्मले च वपुष्मन्तं नरेन्द्रम् अभिषिक्तवान् ज्योतिष्मन्तं कुशद्वीपे राजानं कृतवान् प्रभुः

Transliteration

śālmale ca vapuṣmantaṃ narendram abhiṣiktavān jyotiṣmantaṃ kuśadvīpe rājānaṃ kṛtavān prabhuḥ

Translation

And in Śālmalī-dvīpa, the Lord consecrated Vapuṣmant as the king; and in Kuśa-dvīpa, that Sovereign Lord appointed Jyotiṣmant to rule as monarch.

Word by Word

• शाल्मले: in Śālmala (dvīpa)
• शाल्मले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्मलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्वीपनाम (place-name)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• वपुष्मन्तम्: Vapuṣmant
• वपुष्मन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुष्मन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• नरेन्द्रम्: as king/lord of men
• नरेन्द्रम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lord of men)

• अभिषिक्तवान्: having anointed
• अभिषिक्तवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + सिच् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (one who has anointed)

• ज्योतिष्मन्तम्: Jyotiṣmant
• ज्योतिष्मन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिष्मन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• कुशद्वीपे: in Kuśadvīpa
• कुशद्वीपे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (द्वीप-शब्दः नपुंसकः), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• राजानम्: as king
• राजानम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कृतवान्: having made/appointed
• कृतवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि (one who has made/appointed)

• प्रभुः: the lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Names of rulers assigned to specific dvīpas

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas (continents)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Legitimate authority is portrayed as a sacred trust, established through consecration and oriented to protection of the world-order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat leadership roles as stewardship—seek competence, accountability, and service-minded decision-making.

Vishishtadvaita: Rulership functions as kainkarya (service) within the Lord’s cosmic administration, not mere personal power.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Consecration and appointment as dharmic legitimation of rule

Key Kings: Priyavrata, Vapuṣmant, Jyotiṣmant

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Prabhu)
• Vapuṣmant
• Jyotiṣmant
• Śālmalī-dvīpa
• Kuśa-dvīpa

FAQs

What is the significance of appointing kings for each dvīpa in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents cosmic geography as an ordered realm under divine sovereignty, where each continent (dvīpa) has a designated ruler established by the Lord to maintain dharma and stability.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine governance in this section?

Through a catalog of dvīpas and their rulers, Parāśara shows that political authority is ultimately derivative—kingship is conferred by the Prabhu, reflecting a cosmos structured by higher law.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu being called “Prabhu” here?

“Prabhu” emphasizes Vishnu as the supreme regulator of the world-order: even the distribution of realms and royal consecrations proceeds from His overarching lordship.