Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

वनं चैत्ररथं पूर्वे दक्षिणे गन्धमादनम् वैभ्राजं पश्चिमे तद्वद् उत्तरे नन्दनं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

vanaṃ caitrarathaṃ pūrve dakṣiṇe gandhamādanam vaibhrājaṃ paścime tadvad uttare nandanaṃ smṛtam

Translation

To the east is the Caitraratha grove; to the south, Gandhamādana; to the west, Vaibhrāja; and to the north is remembered the famed Nandana forest.

Word by Word

• वनम्: forest (grove)
• वनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter)

• चैत्ररथम्: Caitraratha (name of a grove)
• चैत्ररथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्ररथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter)

• पूर्वे: in the east
• पूर्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular (masc) used adverbially

• दक्षिणे: in the south
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular (masc) used adverbially

• गन्धमादनम्: Gandhamādana (name)
• गन्धमादनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धमादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular (masc)

• वैभ्राजम्: Vaibhrāja (name)
• वैभ्राजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैभ्राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular (neuter)

• पश्चिमे: in the west
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular (masc) used adverbially

• तद्वत्: likewise
• तद्वत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय/तुल्यवाचक)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/तुल्यतासूचक (adverb: 'likewise')

• उत्तरे: in the north
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular (masc) used adverbially

• नन्दनम्: Nandana (name of a grove)
• नन्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular (neuter)

• स्मृतम्: is said/recorded
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (क्त, क्तप्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; past passive participle: 'is said/remembered'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Sacred geography and the ordered quarters of the divine realm around Meru/Devaloka

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Characters & Entities

• Caitraratha
• Gandhamādana
• Vaibhrāja
• Nandana
• Svarga (heaven)
• Indra (implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of the four divine forests named in this verse in the Vishnu Purana?

They map the ordered splendor of Svarga by assigning renowned celestial groves to the four directions, presenting heaven as a structured realm rather than a vague paradise.

How does Sage Parāśara explain sacred geography in this context?

Parāśara teaches Maitreya by listing directional placements—east, south, west, and north—showing that cosmic spaces are arranged according to intelligible order and tradition (smṛti).

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

Even when describing Svarga’s pleasures, the Purana frames the cosmos as an ordered manifestation ultimately upheld by the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—within whose sovereignty all realms and directions find their place.