Shloka 32
सप्तद्वीप-समुद्र-प्रमाणम्: प्लक्षादि-द्वीपवर्णनं, लोकालोक-सीमा, चन्द्र-समुद्र-वृद्धिक्षयः
देवानाम् अत्र सांनिध्यम् अतीव सुमनोरमे शाल्मलिश् च महावृक्षो नाम निर्वृतिकारकः
devānām atra sāṃnidhyam atīva sumanorame śālmaliś ca mahāvṛkṣo nāma nirvṛtikārakaḥ
In that exceedingly delightful and mind-enchanting region, the presence of the gods is felt close at hand; and there stands the great tree called Śālmali, a bestower of deep contentment and repose.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Description of dvīpas and their notable features (trees, divine presences)
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: revealing
Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas
FAQs
In this verse, Śālmali is presented as a mighty cosmic tree whose very presence brings nirvṛti—inner ease and satisfaction—marking the region as divinely charged and spiritually restorative.
Parāśara depicts certain regions as inherently “deva-sānnidhya” zones—places where the divine presence is naturally manifest—emphasizing that cosmic order includes gradations of sacredness and proximity to higher beings.
Even when describing devas and celestial wonders, the Vishnu Purana frames the cosmos as an ordered reality ultimately sustained by the Supreme—Vishnu—within whom such realms, beings, and their blissful qualities find their ground.