Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

भद्राश्वं पूर्वतो मेरोः केतुमालं च पश्चिमे वर्षे द्वे तु मुनिश्रेष्ठ तयोर् मध्यम् इलावृतम्

Transliteration

bhadrāśvaṃ pūrvato meroḥ ketumālaṃ ca paścime varṣe dve tu muniśreṣṭha tayor madhyam ilāvṛtam

Translation

O best of sages, to the east of Mount Meru lies Bhadrāśva, and to the west lies Ketumāla—two great regions (varṣas); and between them, encircling Meru at the center, is Ilāvṛta, as though the navel of the world.

Word by Word

• bhadrāśvam: Bhadrāśva (region)
• bhadrāśvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra + aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (भद्रः अश्वः/भद्राश्व-नाम)

• pūrvataḥ: to the east
• pūrvataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, दिक्/देशवाचक (directional adverb)

• meroḥ: of Meru
• meroḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ketumālam: Ketumāla (region)
• ketumālam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ketu + māla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (केतूनां मालः/केतुमाल-नाम)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• paścime: in the west/to the west
• paścime: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (दिशि/देशे)

• varṣe: in the region (varṣa)
• varṣe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• dve: two
• dve: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषणम् (varṣe इति द्वे)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• muniśreṣṭha: O best of sages
• muniśreṣṭha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुनीनां श्रेष्ठः)

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• madhyam: the middle (part)
• madhyam: Pradhāna-predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ilāvṛtam: Ilāvṛta (region)
• ilāvṛtam: Pradhāna-predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ilā + vṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (इलायाः आवृतम्/इलावृत-नाम)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The directional arrangement of varṣas around Meru—Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, and central Ilāvṛta

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The cosmos is presented as an ordered, directional hierarchy centered on Meru, implying an intelligible governance behind spatial boundaries.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Contemplate order (ṛta/dharma) in the world as a support for inner steadiness: align daily life with disciplines that create ‘center’ amid directions—japa, regular worship, ethical restraint.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic order reflects the Lord’s niyantṛtva (sovereign governance): the world is real, structured, and sustained by Him rather than illusory chaos.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Mount Meru
• Bhadrāśva
• Ketumāla
• Ilāvṛta

FAQs

What is the significance of Bhadrāśva and Ketumāla in the Vishnu Purana?

They are two major varṣas (regions) of Jambūdvīpa positioned east and west of Mount Meru, illustrating the Purāṇa’s directional mapping of the cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Ilāvṛta in this context?

He identifies Ilāvṛta as the central region between Bhadrāśva and Ketumāla, emphasizing Meru-centered cosmic symmetry in his teaching to Maitreya.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this geographic description?

Even when describing geography, the Vishnu Purana frames cosmic structure as ordered and sustained by the Supreme Lord—Vishnu—whose sovereignty underlies the world’s harmonious arrangement.