Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

भारताः केतुमालाश् च भद्राश्वाः कुरवस् तथा पत्राणि लोकपद्मस्य मर्यादाशैलबाह्यतः

Transliteration

bhāratāḥ ketumālāś ca bhadrāśvāḥ kuravas tathā patrāṇi lokapadmasya maryādāśailabāhyataḥ

Translation

Bhārata, Ketumāla, Bhadrāśva, and likewise Kuru—these are the petals of the world-lotus, situated beyond the boundary mountains that mark its ordained limits.

Word by Word

• भारताः: the Bhāratas (a region/people)
• भारताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• केतुमालाः: Ketumālas (a region)
• केतुमालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतुमाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

• भद्राश्वाः: Bhadrāśvas (a region/people)
• भद्राश्वाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्राश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (भद्र + अश्व)

• कुरवः: Kurūs
• कुरवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/also')

• पत्राणि: petals/leaves
• पत्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• लोकपद्मस्य: of the world-lotus
• लोकपद्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपद्म (प्रातिपदिक: लोक + पद्म)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य पद्मम्)

• मर्यादा: boundary/limit
• मर्यादा: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); (समासपूर्वपदत्वेन)

• शैल: mountain
• शैल: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); (समासपूर्वपदत्वेन)

• बाह्यतः: from outside/beyond
• बाह्यतः: Adhikarana/Apadana (Locative/Ablative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बाह्यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial ablative sense: 'from outside/externally')

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Sacred geography and the ordered divisions (varṣas) of Jambūdvīpa as a lotus-like world-structure

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The world is not random but patterned as a lotus with divinely fixed boundaries (maryādā), revealing an intelligible cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Contemplate the universe as purposeful order (ṛta/dharma) and align one’s life with boundaries that sustain harmony.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic structure is a real, meaningful mode (prakāra) of the Supreme’s ordered manifestation, not mere illusion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Sage Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Bhārata-varṣa
• Ketumāla-varṣa
• Bhadrāśva-varṣa
• Kuru-varṣa
• Maryādā-śailas (boundary mountains)
• Loka-padma (world-lotus)

FAQs

What is the significance of describing regions as 'petals of the world-lotus' in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames the universe as a deliberately ordered sacred structure—like a lotus—where the named varṣas are not random lands but integral parts of a coherent cosmic design.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the idea of cosmic boundaries (maryādā-śailas)?

By placing these varṣas 'outside the boundary mountains,' Parāśara presents the world as having ordained limits and divisions, reinforcing that creation operates within defined cosmic order.

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

Even without naming Vishnu directly, the verse reflects the Purāṇic view that the cosmos is intelligible and structured—an expression of the Supreme Lord’s sustaining sovereignty that underlies the universe’s form and function.