Shloka 1

भू-मण्डलसंक्षेपवर्णनम् — सप्तद्वीप-सप्तसमुद्राः, मेरु-मानम्, गङ्गावतरणम्, देववन-सरोवर-लोकपालपुर्यः

Devanagari script

कथितो भवता ब्रह्मन् सर्गः स्वायम्भुवस्य मे श्रोतुम् इच्छाम्य् अहं त्वत्तः सकलं मण्डलं भुवः

Transliteration

kathito bhavatā brahman sargaḥ svāyambhuvasya me śrotum icchāmy ahaṃ tvattaḥ sakalaṃ maṇḍalaṃ bhuvaḥ

Translation

O Brahman, you have already narrated to me the creation of Svāyambhuva. Now I wish to hear from you in full the entire mandala of the Earth—its complete cosmic sphere and ordered expanse.

Word by Word

• कथितः: has been told
• कथितः: Kriyā (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग

• भवता: by you (hon.)
• भवता: Karaṇa (Agent/Instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थ सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin/sage
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• सर्गः: creation
• सर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वायम्भुवस्य: of Svāyambhuva
• स्वायम्भुवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वायंभुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मे: to me/for me
• मे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); अव्ययभाव

• इच्छामि: I wish, I desire
• इच्छामि: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्वत्तः: from you
• त्वत्तः: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सकलम्: entire, whole
• सकलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (मण्डलम्)

• मण्डलम्: sphere, region, circle
• मण्डलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भुवः: of the earth/world
• भुवः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भू)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Request for a complete description of the bhū-maṇḍala (the earth-sphere) after hearing Svāyambhuva sarga

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: compassionate

Cosmological Context

Manvantara: Svayambhuva

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right inquiry (śravaṇa) seeks a complete, ordered understanding of the world-sphere as part of knowing one’s place in dharma and cosmos.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Adopt a disciplined learning posture: ask for completeness, context, and structure before drawing conclusions about self and world.

Vishishtadvaita: The knowable cosmos is a meaningful, structured field for the jīva’s education and devotion, not an illusion to be dismissed.

Characters & Entities

• Svāyambhuva
• Brahman (as an honorific for the sage)

FAQs

What is the significance of the 'mandala of the Earth' in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals the text’s shift from describing creation to systematically mapping the Earth’s cosmic layout—its ordered sphere, regions, and sacred geography as part of universal order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmology after the Svāyambhuva creation?

The dialogue proceeds from sarga (creation) to bhuvana-kośa (world-structure), where Parāśara details the Earth’s mandala and its divisions within the wider cosmic system.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse asks about geography, the Vishnu Purana frames cosmic order as ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—whose sovereignty underlies creation and the structured world.