Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

त्रिशृङ्गो जारुधिश् चैव उत्तरौ वर्षपर्वतौ पूर्वपश्चायताव् एताव् अर्णवान्तर्व्यवस्थितौ

Transliteration

triśṛṅgo jārudhiś caiva uttarau varṣaparvatau pūrvapaścāyatāv etāv arṇavāntarvyavasthitau

Translation

Triśṛṅga and Jārudhi—these are the two northern boundary mountains of the varṣas; stretching from east to west, they stand within the ocean, marking the limits of the lands.

Word by Word

• त्रिशृङ्गः: Triśṛṅga (three-peaked mountain)
• त्रिशृङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक: त्रि + शृङ्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—द्विगुः (त्रीणि शृङ्गाणि यस्य/त्रिशृङ्गः)

• जारुधिः: Jārudhi (mountain)
• जारुधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जारुधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle: 'indeed/just')

• उत्तरौ: northern (two)
• उत्तरौ: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual); विशेषणम्

• वर्ष: region/varṣa
• वर्ष: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, (समासपूर्वपदत्वेन)

• पर्वतौ: two regional mountains
• पर्वतौ: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वर्षस्य पर्वतौ)

• पूर्व: east(ern)
• पूर्व: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपदत्वेन)

• पश्च: west(ern)
• पश्च: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्च (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द)
• Form: दिक्-अव्यय (west)

• आयतौ: extended
• आयतौ: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual); विशेषणम्

• एतौ: these two
• एतौ: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual); सर्वनाम

• अर्णव: ocean
• अर्णव: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, (समासपूर्वपदत्वेन)

• अन्तर्: within/between
• अन्तर्: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तर् (अव्यय/उपपद)
• Form: उपपद/अव्यय (within/between)

• व्यवस्थितौ: situated
• व्यवस्थितौ: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + √स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Northern boundary mountains of the varṣas and their east–west extension within the oceanic expanse

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Directional boundaries—north as well as other quarters—are integral to the cosmos’ intelligible design and containment.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In practice, establish ‘north-boundaries’: safeguards that prevent spiritual drift and keep conduct within dharmic limits.

Vishishtadvaita: The bounded, articulated world is a real expression of the Lord’s governance; plurality is harmonized within unity.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Sage Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Triśṛṅga
• Jārudhi
• Varṣa-parvatas
• Arṇava (ocean)

FAQs

What is the significance of Triśṛṅga and Jārudhi in the Vishnu Purana?

They are named as northern varṣa-boundary mountains, marking the limits of regional divisions and illustrating the ordered structure of the world.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the world’s structure in this chapter?

He maps Jambudvīpa through named mountains and oceans, presenting geography as a coherent cosmic arrangement rather than random terrain.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇic cosmology implies a divinely sustained order—nature’s boundaries reflect the Supreme Reality’s governance of the universe.