Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

नवसाहस्रम् एकैकम् एतेषां द्विजसत्तम इलावृतं च तन्मध्ये सौवर्णो मेरुर् उच्छ्रितः

Transliteration

navasāhasram ekaikam eteṣāṃ dvijasattama ilāvṛtaṃ ca tanmadhye sauvarṇo merur ucchritaḥ

Translation

O best of the twice-born, each of these regions extends for nine thousand yojanas. In their midst lies Ilāvṛta; within it rises the golden Mount Meru, towering aloft.

Word by Word

• नवसाहस्रम्: nine thousand (in extent)
• नवसाहस्रम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (नव-साहस्र = nine-thousand)

• एकैकम्: each (one)
• एकैकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (एक-एक = each one)

• एतेषाम्: of these
• एतेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (द्विजानां सत्तमः)

• इलावृतं: Ilāvṛta (region)
• इलावृतं: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इलावृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; नाम

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• तत्: in that/its
• तत्: Visheshana (Determiner/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7) अर्थे अव्ययीभाव-पूर्वपदवत्; here used as determiner in compound tanmadhye

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; (locative)

• सौवर्णः: golden
• सौवर्णः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (agrees with मेरुः)

• मेरुः: Mount Meru
• मेरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उच्छ्रितः: is raised/lofty
• उच्छ्रितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + श्रि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तरि-भावे—‘stands lofty/raised’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Measurements of varṣas and the centrality of Ilāvṛta and golden Meru

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The cosmos has measurable, proportionate order with Meru as the central axis, upheld by the Supreme Lord’s ordinance.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice ‘niyama’ (ordered discipline): set proportions in life—time, study, worship—mirroring the measured harmony of the cosmos.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is both transcendent ruler and immanent ground of order: the world’s structure is real and sustained by His śāsana (governing will).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Ilāvṛta
• Mount Meru

FAQs

What is the significance of Ilāvṛta in the Vishnu Purana?

Ilāvṛta is presented as the central region of Jambūdvīpa, with Mount Meru rising in its midst, marking the cosmic center in the Purana’s sacred geography.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the world’s layout here?

He gives a measured, map-like description: each region has a stated extent (nine thousand yojanas), and the central placement of Ilāvṛta with Meru establishes the organizing axis of the terrestrial cosmos.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when describing geography, the Purana’s intent is to show an ordered cosmos—an arrangement understood to exist under the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu’s sovereignty and sustaining power.