Shloka 21

प्रियव्रतवंशवर्णनम् — सप्तद्वीपविभागः, जम्बूद्वीप-वर्षविभागः, भरत-नामकरणम्

Devanagari script

यद् उत्तरं शृङ्गवतो वर्षं तत् कुरवे ददौ मेरोः पूर्वेण यद् वर्षं भद्राश्वाय प्रदत्तवान्

Transliteration

yad uttaraṃ śṛṅgavato varṣaṃ tat kurave dadau meroḥ pūrveṇa yad varṣaṃ bhadrāśvāya pradattavān

Translation

The varṣa to the north of Śṛṅgavat he bestowed upon Kuru; and the varṣa to the east of Meru he likewise granted to Bhadrāśva.

Word by Word

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• उत्तरम्: northern
• उत्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• शृङ्गवतः: of Śṛṅgavat
• शृङ्गवतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्गवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (Genitive singular; of Śṛṅgavat)

• वर्षम्: region/land (varṣa)
• वर्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मपदम् (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तद्-प्रत्यय-सर्वनाम (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; ‘that’)

• कुरवे: to Kuru
• कुरवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; सम्प्रदानार्थे (Dative singular; to Kuru)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परोक्षभूत (Perfect, 3rd person singular; ‘gave’)

• मेरोः: of Meru
• मेरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (Genitive singular; of Meru)

• पूर्वेण: on the eastern side
• पूर्वेण: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; अधिकरण-निर्देशे/दिशा-करणे (Instrumental singular; ‘to the east of / by the eastern side’)

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• वर्षम्: region/land
• वर्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म (Accusative singular; object)

• भद्राश्वाय: to Bhadrāśva
• भद्राश्वाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्राश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; सम्प्रदानार्थे (Dative singular; to Bhadrāśva)

• प्रदत्तवान्: (he) gave / having given
• प्रदत्तवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु) + क्तवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/कर्तरि कृदन्त (क्तवत्-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘प्रदत्तवान्’ = ‘has given/gave’ (Past active participle; masc nom sg)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas (regions)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: राजधर्म mirrors cosmic order: rightful dominion is assigned in harmony with the ordained quarters rather than personal whim.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Exercise leadership as stewardship—define roles, territories, and responsibilities transparently and in alignment with higher principles.

Vishishtadvaita: World-order (loka-vyavasthā) is meaningful as the Lord’s regulated cosmos, where governance participates in divine ordinance.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: दिशाधिपत्य-नियम (rule by ordained quarters; righteous administrative order)

Key Kings: Kuru, Bhadrāśva

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Śṛṅgavat
• Kuru
• Bhadrāśva

FAQs

What is the significance of assigning varṣas like Kuru and Bhadrāśva in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents the cosmos as an ordered realm where lands are apportioned according to a divinely governed structure, reflecting dharma and universal administration.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the world’s layout in this chapter?

He describes Jambūdvīpa through directional markers (like Meru and Śṛṅgavat) and then narrates how distinct regions (varṣas) are designated to specific figures, creating a coherent sacred geography.

What is Lord Vishnu’s theological importance in this geographical context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇic worldview assumes his supreme governance: cosmic geography and rulership are intelligible as expressions of his sustaining sovereignty.