Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

सुरोदकः परिवृतः कुशद्वीपेन सर्वतः शाल्मलस्य तु विस्ताराद् द्विगुणेन समन्ततः

Transliteration

surodakaḥ parivṛtaḥ kuśadvīpena sarvataḥ śālmalasya tu vistārād dviguṇena samantataḥ

Translation

Encircling all around lies the ocean of surā, and it is girdled everywhere by Kuśadvīpa—whose extent on every side is twice that of Śālmaladvīpa.

Word by Word

• सुरोदकः: the Surodaka (sea)
• सुरोदकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरोदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• परिवृतः: surrounded
• परिवृतः: Kriya (क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-√वृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; (परिवृत = surrounded/encircled)

• कुशद्वीपेन: by Kuśadvīpa
• कुशद्वीपेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशद्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; (कुश-नामकः द्वीपः)

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

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

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

• विस्तारात्: in extent (compared to)
• विस्तारात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• द्विगुणेन: by twice (the measure)
• द्विगुणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; (द्विगुण = twice)

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

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Successive dvīpas and their doubling measurements

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Kuśadvīpa
• Śālmaladvīpa
• Surodaka (ocean of surā)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Surodaka (surā) ocean in the Vishnu Purana?

It is one of the concentric oceans that define the ordered cosmic geography, illustrating a universe arranged in measured layers under a single governing principle.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the size relationship between Kuśadvīpa and Śālmaladvīpa?

He states a clear proportional rule: Kuśadvīpa’s extent is twice that of Śālmaladvīpa, reflecting the Purana’s systematic, step-wise expansion of the dvīpas.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the precise, hierarchical arrangement of continents and oceans is presented as part of Vishnu’s sustaining sovereignty—cosmic order as a sign of the Supreme Reality’s governance.