Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

एष द्वीपः समुद्रेण सुरोदेन समावृतः विस्ताराच् छाल्मलस्यैव समेन तु समन्ततः

Transliteration

eṣa dvīpaḥ samudreṇa surodena samāvṛtaḥ vistārāc chālmalasyaiva samena tu samantataḥ

Translation

This continent (dvīpa) is encircled by the ocean of surā; and in its full extent it is, on every side, equal in measure to Śālmala-dvīpa.

Word by Word

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• द्वीपः: island/continent
• द्वीपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• समुद्रेण: by/with the ocean
• समुद्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• सुरोदेन: by the Suroda (sea)
• सुरोदेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• समावृतः: surrounded
• समावृतः: Kriya (क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-√वृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; (समावृत = surrounded)

• विस्तारात्: in extent/with respect to size (from the standpoint of extent)
• विस्तारात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative); एकवचन

• शाल्मलस्य: of Śālmali (dvīpa)
• शाल्मलस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्मलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• समेन: with equal (measure)
• समेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; (सम = equal)

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

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: परितः-अर्थक-अव्यय (adverb; ‘on all sides’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Ring-ocean and dvīpa measurements in Purāṇic cosmography

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Śālmala-dvīpa

FAQs

What is the significance of the oceans (like the surā-ocean) in the Vishnu Purana’s cosmology?

They mark concentric cosmic boundaries around each dvīpa, expressing a deliberate, ordered universe—an order ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s sovereign sustaining power.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the structure of the world in this section?

Parāśara presents a systematic description: each dvīpa is surrounded by a distinct ocean and is compared by measure to adjacent dvīpas, creating a layered, intelligible cosmographic model.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this geographical description?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇic map functions as a theology of order: the stable measures and boundaries imply a cosmos sustained and governed by the Supreme Reality, Vishnu.