Shloka 29

Devanagari script

श्वेतं च हरितं चैव जीमूतं रोहितं तथा वैद्युतं मानसं चैव सुप्रभं चातिशोभनम् सप्तैतानि तु वर्षाणि चातुर्वर्ण्ययुतानि वै

Transliteration

śvetaṃ ca haritaṃ caiva jīmūtaṃ rohitaṃ tathā vaidyutaṃ mānasaṃ caiva suprabhaṃ cātiśobhanam saptaitāni tu varṣāṇi cāturvarṇyayutāni vai

Translation

Śveta and Harita, Jīmūta and Rohita; likewise Vaidyuta and Mānasa; and Suprabha, exceedingly radiant—these are the seven Varṣas (regions). In these lands, indeed, the fourfold order of varṇas is found.

Word by Word

• श्वेतम्: Śveta (name)
• श्वेतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; नामरूपेण (वर्ष-नाम)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• हरितम्: Harita (name)
• हरितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नामरूपेण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• जीमूतम्: Jīmūta (name)
• जीमूतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीमूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नामरूपेण

• रोहितम्: Rohita (name)
• रोहितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नामरूपेण

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• वैद्युतम्: Vaidyuta (name)
• वैद्युतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नामरूपेण

• मानसम्: Mānasa (name)
• मानसम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नामरूपेण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• सुप्रभम्: Suprabha (name; 'very bright')
• सुप्रभम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सु-प्रभम् = अत्यन्तं प्रभम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• अतिशोभनम्: Atiśobhana (name; 'exceedingly beautiful')
• अतिशोभनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अति-शोभनम् = अत्यन्तं शोभनम्)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; (एतानि इत्यन्वयः)

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• वर्षाणि: regions/lands (varṣas)
• वर्षाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• चातुर्वर्ण्ययुतानि: endowed with the four social classes
• चातुर्वर्ण्ययुतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समास (चातुर्वर्ण्येन युतानि = endowed with four varṇas)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Enumeration of Śālmaladvīpa’s seven varṣas and the presence of cāturvarṇya within them.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: didactic, classificatory

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas (regions)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma is portrayed as structured social functioning (cāturvarṇya) embedded within the cosmos’ ordered regions.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Read ‘varṇa’ here as dharma-by-aptitude and responsibility: cultivate integrity in one’s duties while honoring the equal spiritual worth of all beings.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic order and social order are both under the Lord’s sovereignty; plurality of roles exists within an underlying unity of dependence on Viṣṇu.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Varṣas (cosmic regions)
• Cāturvarṇya (four varṇas)

FAQs

What is the significance of the seven Varṣas named here in the Vishnu Purana?

They are named cosmic regions used in the Purāṇa’s map of the world, showing that creation is not random but structured—an expression of ordered reality upheld by Vishnu.

How does Sage Parāśara explain universal order in this passage?

By listing the Varṣas and stating they are “endowed with cāturvarṇya,” Parāśara links geography with dharma—social and ethical order appearing as part of the cosmos’ design.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching belongs to a Vishnu-centered cosmology: the intelligible arrangement of worlds and dharma is understood as sustained by the Supreme Lord’s preserving (sthiti) power.