Shloka 49

Devanagari script

तत्रापि देवगन्धर्वसेविताः सुमनोरमाः वर्षाचला महाबुद्धे तेषां नामानि मे शृणु

Transliteration

tatrāpi devagandharvasevitāḥ sumanoramāḥ varṣācalā mahābuddhe teṣāṃ nāmāni me śṛṇu

Translation

There too, O great-minded one, are delightful regional mountains, frequented and attended by Devas and Gandharvas. Now hear from me their names.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also)

• देवगन्धर्वसेविताः: frequented/served by gods and Gandharvas
• देवगन्धर्वसेविताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव + गन्धर्व + सेवित (सेव् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोगः (past passive participle)

• सुमनोरमाः: very delightful
• सुमनोरमाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + मनोहर/रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• वर्षाचलाः: the Varṣa-mountains (mountains of the regions)
• वर्षाचलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष + अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• महाबुद्धे: O great-minded one
• महाबुद्धे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नामानि: names
• नामानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

• मे: to me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; ‘मम’ का संक्षिप्त रूप

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The mountains (varṣācalas) associated with the varṣas of Krauñca-dvīpa and their names

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: compassionate

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The natural world is not merely physical terrain but a sacred theatre where higher beings participate, inviting reverence toward creation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Approach mountains/forests with ritual mindfulness—silence, gratitude, non-harm—seeing nature as sanctified space.

Vishishtadvaita: Nature’s beauty and inhabitedness affirm a real, value-laden cosmos as the Lord’s body, worthy of reverent engagement.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Gandharvas
• Varṣa mountains (Varṣācalas)

FAQs

What is the significance of varṣācalas (regional mountain ranges) in the Vishnu Purana?

They structure the Purāṇic map of the world, marking and defining the varṣas (regions) and showing how cosmic order is expressed through sacred geography.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the world’s geography to Maitreya here?

Parāśara frames the description as a narrated catalogue—he signals a transition by telling Maitreya to listen as he lists the names of the varṣa-mountains, integrating mythic inhabitants like Devas and Gandharvas into the terrain.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the ordered cosmos—its regions, ranges, and divine presences—functions as a manifestation of the Supreme’s sovereignty, a world-system sustained by Vishnu’s governing reality.