Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

चतुर्दशसहस्राणि योजनानां महापुरी मेरोर् उपरि मैत्रेय ब्रह्मणः प्रथिता दिवि

Transliteration

caturdaśasahasrāṇi yojanānāṃ mahāpurī meror upari maitreya brahmaṇaḥ prathitā divi

Translation

O Maitreya, above Mount Meru, in heaven, there is the famed great city of Brahmā, extending for fourteen thousand yojanas.

Word by Word

• चतुर्दशसहस्राणि: fourteen thousand
• चतुर्दशसहस्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दश + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (चतुर्दश सहस्राणि)

• योजनानाम्: of yojanas
• योजनानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• महापुरी: the great city
• महापुरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + पुरी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती पुरी)

• मेरोः: of Meru
• मेरोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• उपरि: above/on
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-स्थानवाचक (on/above)

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• प्रथिता: renowned/celebrated
• प्रथिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + √था (धातु) → प्रथित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (महापुरी)

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The celestial city of Brahmā situated above Meru and its extent

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Purāṇa maps a layered universe where higher abodes correspond to subtler governance, with Brahmā’s city presiding above the cosmic axis.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use the vertical cosmography as a meditative ladder—cultivating purity and responsibility as one ‘ascends’ in conduct and intention.

Vishishtadvaita: Hierarchical worlds can be read as graded modes of the Lord’s governance, preserving unity-in-diversity within the cosmic body.

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Meru
• Brahmā
• Brahmapurī (city of Brahmā)

FAQs

What is the significance of Brahmā’s city (Brahmapurī) being described above Meru in the Vishnu Purana?

It situates Brahmā’s administrative realm at the cosmic axis (Meru), expressing a graded universe where higher lokas are ordered around a central sacred geography.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic space and measurement in this section?

He presents the universe through precise yojana-based dimensions and placements (such as ‘above Meru’), using measurable description to communicate cosmic structure and hierarchy.

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

Even while Brahmā’s city and measurements are described, the Vishnu Purana frames such realms as operating within Vishnu’s sovereign cosmic order—Vishnu as the ultimate reality underlying creation and its governance.