Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

शाकद्वीपेश्वरस्यापि भव्यस्य सुमहात्मनः सप्तैव तनयास् तेषां ददौ वर्षाणि सप्त सः

Transliteration

śākadvīpeśvarasyāpi bhavyasya sumahātmanaḥ saptaiva tanayās teṣāṃ dadau varṣāṇi sapta saḥ

Translation

Bhavya, the great-souled lord of Śākadvīpa, had indeed seven sons; and to those sons he allotted seven varṣas (regional divisions), establishing their respective domains.

Word by Word

• शाकद्वीपेश्वरस्य: of the lord of Śāka-dvīpa
• शाकद्वीपेश्वरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाकद्वीप + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शाकद्वीपस्य ईश्वरः)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — particle ‘also’

• भव्यस्य: of the noble/auspicious one
• भव्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सुमहात्मनः: of the very great-souled one
• सुमहात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Singular; समासः—कर्मधारय (सुः महात्मा)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; अत्र पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे — numeral ‘seven’ qualifying तनयाः

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण) — particle ‘only/indeed’

• तनयाः: sons
• तनयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तेषाम्: to them/of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन — Pronoun, Genitive, Plural

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• वर्षाणि: regions/varṣas
• वर्षाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्दः; नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनार्थे — numeral ‘seven’ qualifying वर्षाणि

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Subdivision of dvīpas into varṣas and their rulers

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right rulership expresses dharma by orderly delegation and just apportionment, mirroring the cosmos’ structured harmony.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In leadership and family life, distribute responsibilities transparently and proportionately, prioritizing stability and welfare over personal attachment.

Vishishtadvaita: The many rulers and regions function as coordinated parts within one cosmic order sustained by the Supreme—unity-in-diversity as a lived dharmic principle.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: rājadharma (orderly governance)

Key Kings: Bhavya

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Śākadvīpa
• Bhavya

FAQs

What is the significance of dividing Śākadvīpa into seven varṣas in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents the Purāṇic model of cosmic administration: the world is organized into precise regions (varṣas) under rightful rulers, reflecting ordered sovereignty ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s universal governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain political order and inheritance in this context?

By stating that Bhavya assigns seven varṣas to his seven sons, Parāśara depicts dharmic rulership as structured delegation—domains are distributed to maintain stability and harmony within the cosmic map.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this geographic narration?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇa’s geography functions as a theology of order: the world’s divisions and sovereignties are intelligible as manifestations of the Supreme Reality’s sustaining power.