Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

तस्याः समन्ततश् चाष्टौ दिशासु विदिशासु च इन्द्रादिलोकपालानां प्रख्याताः प्रवराः पुरः

Transliteration

tasyāḥ samantataś cāṣṭau diśāsu vidiśāsu ca indrādilokapālānāṃ prakhyātāḥ pravarāḥ puraḥ

Translation

Encircling it on every side—through the eight cardinal directions and the intermediate quarters as well—stand the renowned and foremost cities of the world-guardians, beginning with Indra.

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of that (city)
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• समन्ततः: all around
• समन्ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परितः/सर्वतः-अर्थक (all around)

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

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (पुरः)

• दिशासु: in the directions
• दिशासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• विदिशासु: in the intermediate directions
• विदिशासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

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

• इन्द्रादिलोकपालानाम्: of the world-guardians beginning with Indra
• इन्द्रादिलोकपालानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र + आदि + लोकपाल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (इन्द्र-आदि-लोकपालाः)

• प्रख्याताः: well-known
• प्रख्याताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + √ख्या (धातु) → प्रख्यात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (पुरः)

• प्रवराः: excellent/chief
• प्रवराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (श्रेष्ठाः)

• पुरः: cities
• पुरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर्/पुरः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (वैदिक/पुराण-प्रयोगे); अर्थतः ‘पुर्यः/पुराणि’ = cities

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The directional cities of the Lokapālas surrounding Brahmā’s city

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Directional guardians symbolize that the cosmos is not random but protected and regulated, inviting humans to align with order and restraint.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt ‘dik-smṛti’ in practice—begin undertakings with awareness of responsibility in all directions (toward all beings), cultivating integrity.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic administrators function as empowered agents within the Lord’s body-politic, reinforcing a theistic, ordered universe rather than an impersonal mechanism.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Lokapālas (Guardians of the Directions)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Lokapālas in the Vishnu Purana’s cosmology?

This verse presents the Lokapālas as directional sovereigns whose famed cities mark and stabilize cosmic space, reflecting an ordered universe governed through divine offices.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the structure of space using directions (diśā) and intermediate directions (vidiśā)?

He describes the world as encircled by recognized seats of power in both the eight directions and their in-between quarters, using geography to communicate cosmic organization.

What is the theological importance of mentioning Indra and the Lokapālas here?

Indra and the Lokapālas represent delegated cosmic authority; their placement and prominence imply a universe administered through hierarchical guardianship ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s supreme order.