Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

त्रिकूटः शिशिरश् चैव पतंगो रुचकस् तथा निषधाद्या दक्षिणतस् तस्य केसरपर्वताः

Transliteration

trikūṭaḥ śiśiraś caiva pataṃgo rucakas tathā niṣadhādyā dakṣiṇatas tasya kesaraparvatāḥ

Translation

To its southern side stand the Kesaraparvata mountains—Trikūṭa, Śiśira, Pataṅga, Rucaka, and those beginning with Niṣadha.

Word by Word

• त्रिकूटः: Trikūṭa (three-peaked, name)
• त्रिकूटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular (masc); द्विगु-समास: त्रयः कूटाः यस्य

• शिशिरः: Śiśira (name)
• शिशिरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular (masc)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/निश्चयार्थक (particle of emphasis)

• पतंगः: Pataṅga (name)
• पतंगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular (masc)

• रुचकः: Rucaka (name)
• रुचकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular (masc)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'also')

• निषधाद्याः: those beginning with Niṣadha
• निषधाद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषध + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; nominative plural (masc); समास: निषधः आदिः येषां ते (headed by Niṣadha)

• दक्षिणतः: to the south (of)
• दक्षिणतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिणतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिक्-प्रवृत्तिनिमित्तक (directional adverb: 'to the south of')

• तस्य: of it/of him (of Meru)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; genitive singular (pronoun)

• केसरपर्वताः: the Kesarā mountains
• केसरपर्वताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केसर + पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; nominative plural (masc); समास: केसर-नामकाः पर्वताः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Directional arrangement of Meru’s boundary mountains: the southern Kesaraparvatas

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Trikūṭa
• Śiśira
• Pataṅga
• Rucaka
• Niṣadha
• Kesaraparvatas

FAQs

What is the significance of the Kesaraparvatas in the Vishnu Purana?

They are described as fringe or boundary mountain ranges—“mane-like”—marking and stabilizing the ordered geography of Jambudvipa within the cosmic arrangement.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the structure of the world in this section?

Through a systematic listing of continents, regions, and their defining mountains, Parāśara presents geography as a cosmic blueprint—an ordered layout rather than mere physical terrain.

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

Even when the verse lists mountains, the Purāṇic intent is that cosmic order and stability ultimately rest in Vishnu’s sovereignty—geography becomes a map of a divinely sustained universe.