Shloka 2

भारतवर्षमहात्म्यम् — कर्मभूमित्वम्, नवभेदाः, कुलपर्वताः-नद्यः-जनपदाः, युगचक्रविशेषः, यज्ञपुरुषविष्णुपूजा

Devanagari script

नवयोजनसाहस्रो विस्तारो ऽस्य महामुने कर्मभूमिर् इयं स्वर्गम् अपवर्गं च गच्छताम्

Transliteration

navayojanasāhasro vistāro 'sya mahāmune karmabhūmir iyaṃ svargam apavargaṃ ca gacchatām

Translation

O great sage, this region extends for nine thousand yojanas. This indeed is the field of action (karma-bhūmi) for beings—those who, through their deeds, proceed to heaven, and those who attain liberation as well.

Word by Word

• nava-yojana-sāhasraḥ: nine-thousand-yojana (in extent)
• nava-yojana-sāhasraḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + yojana (प्रातिपदिक) + sāhasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: नव-योजन-साहस्र (द्विगु-समास; 'nine-thousand yojanas'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vistāraḥ: extent/breadth
• vistāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vistāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• mahāmune: O great sage
• mahāmune: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: महा-मुनि (कर्मधारय), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• karma-bhūmiḥ: land of action (ritual/works)
• karma-bhūmiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: कर्म-भूमि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• iyam: this
• iyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• svargam: heaven
• svargam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं (प्रयोगे नपुंसकवत्), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• apavargam: liberation
• apavargam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apavarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• gacchatām: of those who go/attain
• gacchatām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The extent of Bhārata-varṣa and its special status as karmabhūmi leading to svarga or apavarga

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas (regions)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhārata-varṣa is the arena where embodied beings can, through rightly directed action, attain either heavenly results or liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Perform duties as worship (īśvara-arpana), refine intention, and orient karma toward mokṣa rather than mere enjoyment.

Vishishtadvaita: Apavarga is attained not by negating the world but by consecrating action within the Lord’s order—mokṣa as communion/service to Viṣṇu.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Bhārata-varṣa

FAQs

What is the significance of Bhārata-varṣa being called karmabhūmi in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that Bhārata-varṣa is the primary realm where deliberate action (karma) is performed in a way that yields decisive spiritual results—either heavenly enjoyment (svarga) or liberation (apavarga).

How does Sage Parāśara explain the link between karma and liberation here?

Parāśara frames liberation as a destination reachable through rightly ordered life and practice within the karmic sphere—implying that disciplined action, aligned with dharma and higher knowledge, can culminate in apavarga.

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

By defining the world-order where karma leads to svarga or moksha, the Purana implicitly situates Vishnu as the sovereign regulator of cosmic law—under whose governance moral causality and final release become possible.