Shloka 61

Devanagari script

तत्संज्ञान्य् एव तत्रापि सप्त वर्षाण्य् अनुक्रमात् तत्रापि पर्वताः सप्त वर्षविच्छेदकारिणः

Transliteration

tatsaṃjñāny eva tatrāpi sapta varṣāṇy anukramāt tatrāpi parvatāḥ sapta varṣavicchedakāriṇaḥ

Translation

There too, in proper order, are seven varṣas bearing those very names; and there too are seven mountain ranges that mark the boundaries between the varṣas.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally)

• संज्ञानि: names/designations
• संज्ञानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारणार्थक (emphatic/only)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत् (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• वर्षाणि: regions/tracts (varṣas)
• वर्षाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• अनुक्रमात्: in due order/according to sequence
• अनुक्रमात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/क्रमे (from sequence; in order)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चयार्थ (also)

• पर्वताः: mountains
• पर्वताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत् (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• वर्ष-विच्छेद-कारिणः: causing the division of the varṣas
• वर्ष-विच्छेद-कारिणः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + विच्छेद (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) + णिनि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्षाणां विच्छेदं कुर्वन्ति इति)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas (regions)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The world is presented as an ordered sacred totality, with natural boundaries (mountains) marking divinely structured regions.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Contemplate order (niyati) in nature and cultivate reverence for the cosmos as a meaningful, intelligible whole.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic plurality is meaningful within a single divine governance: the many regions exist as real parts within the Lord’s ordered universe.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Varṣas
• Parvatas (mountain ranges)

FAQs

What is the significance of the seven varṣas and seven mountains in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents them as an ordered cosmic pattern: seven regions repeated “there too,” with seven mountain ranges functioning specifically as boundaries that separate and define those regions.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic geography to Maitreya here?

Parāśara emphasizes sequence and structure—regions are listed “in due order,” and mountains are described by their function (dividing varṣas), showing the world as systematically arranged rather than random.

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

Even when the verse is descriptive geography, the Vishnu Purana’s intent is that such order and repeatable structure in the cosmos points to a governing Supreme Reality—Vishnu—who upholds measure, boundary, and harmony.