Shloka 3

सप्तद्वीप-समुद्र-प्रमाणम्: प्लक्षादि-द्वीपवर्णनं, लोकालोक-सीमा, चन्द्र-समुद्र-वृद्धिक्षयः

Devanagari script

सप्त मेधातिथेः पुत्राः प्लक्षद्वीपेश्वरस्य वै ज्येष्ठः शान्तभयो नाम शिशिरस् तदनन्तरः

Transliteration

sapta medhātitheḥ putrāḥ plakṣadvīpeśvarasya vai jyeṣṭhaḥ śāntabhayo nāma śiśiras tadanantaraḥ

Translation

Medhātithi, the lord of Plakṣadvīpa, indeed had seven sons. The eldest was named Śāntabhaya, and after him came Śiśira.

Word by Word

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: विशेषण (Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable-like numeral used adjectivally)

• मेधातिथेः: of Medhātithi
• मेधातिथेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधातिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• प्लक्षद्वीपेश्वरस्य: of the lord of Plakṣadvīpa
• प्लक्षद्वीपेश्वरस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लक्षद्वीप + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; प्लक्षद्वीपस्य ईश्वरः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; Genitive singular

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• ज्येष्ठः: the eldest
• ज्येष्ठः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; superlative adjective; Nominative singular

• शान्तभयः: Śāntabhaya (proper name)
• शान्तभयः: कर्ता (Apposition to eldest)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्त + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शान्तं भयम् यस्य/शान्तभयः’ (name); Nominative singular

• नाम: by name
• नाम: सम्बन्ध (Name marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-निपात (quotative/‘by name’)

• शिशिरः: Śiśira
• शिशिरः: कर्ता (Apposition/list item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; proper name; Nominative singular

• तदनन्तरः: next after him
• तदनन्तरः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तस्य अनन्तरः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; ‘next after that’; agrees with शिशिरः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Rulers and subdivisions (sons/varṣa-lords) of Plakṣadvīpa

Teaching: Historical

Quality: cataloguing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas

Dynasty & Genealogy

Key Kings: Medhātithi, Śāntabhaya, Śiśira

Characters & Entities

• Medhātithi
• Plakṣa-dvīpa
• Śāntabhaya
• Śiśira

FAQs

What is the significance of Plakṣa-dvīpa in the Vishnu Purana?

Plakṣa-dvīpa is one of the major dvīpas described in the Purana’s cosmography, illustrating how the world is ordered into regions governed by appointed lineages, reflecting dharma and cosmic administration.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dynastic order in the dvīpas?

He lists the ruling figure for each dvīpa and then names the heirs, using genealogy as a narrative tool to show continuity of sovereignty and the structured governance of the cosmos.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the cosmographic order and legitimate succession it records are presented as operating within Vishnu’s sustaining sovereignty (sthiti), where the universe functions through divinely grounded law and hierarchy.