Shloka 84

Devanagari script

वर्षद्वयं तु मैत्रेय भौमः स्वर्गो ऽयम् उत्तमः सर्वस्य सुखदः कालो जरारोगादिवर्जितः पुष्करे धातकीषण्डे महावीरे च वै मुने

Transliteration

varṣadvayaṃ tu maitreya bhaumaḥ svargo 'yam uttamaḥ sarvasya sukhadaḥ kālo jarārogādivarjitaḥ puṣkare dhātakīṣaṇḍe mahāvīre ca vai mune

Translation

But, O Maitreya, two regions (varṣas) are renowned as an excellent heaven upon the earth itself. There time bestows happiness on all, free from old age, disease, and the like: in Puṣkara, in Dhātakīkhaṇḍa, and also in Mahāvīra, O sage.

Word by Word

• वर्षद्वयम्: two regions (two varṣas)
• वर्षद्वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (द्वे वर्षे)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन

• भौमः: earthly
• भौमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भौम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• स्वर्गः: heaven
• स्वर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshya (Head-term/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक-सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• उत्तमः: excellent
• उत्तमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• सुखदः: giver of happiness
• सुखदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक, √दा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (सुखं ददाति इति)

• कालः: time / age
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• जरारोगादिवर्जितः: free from old age, disease, etc.
• जरारोगादिवर्जितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक) + रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त, √वृज्/वर्ज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (जरा-रोग-आदि-वर्जित = ‘free from old age, disease, etc.’)

• पुष्करे: in Pushkara
• पुष्करे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• धातकीषण्डे: in the Dhātakī grove
• धातकीषण्डे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातकी (प्रातिपदिक) + षण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (धातकी-षण्ड = ‘grove of dhātakī’)

• महावीरे: in (the region called) Mahāvīra
• महावीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मह (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (महान् वीरः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of exceptionally blissful regions (bhauma-svarga) within the dvīpa-varṣa schema

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: descriptive and laudatory

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Purāṇa posits graded zones of experience where kāla (time) operates differently, yielding realms free from common suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Contemplate impermanence and suffering as time-bound conditions; cultivate devotion and sāttvika living to taste ‘bhauma-svarga’ as inner freedom even amid time.

Vishishtadvaita: Freedom-from-affliction is ultimately grounded in nearness to Bhagavān’s order; bliss is relational (śeṣa-śeṣi) rather than impersonal annihilation.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Parāśara
• Puṣkara
• Dhātakīkhaṇḍa (Dhātakīṣaṇḍa)
• Mahāvīra

FAQs

What is the significance of an “earthly heaven” (bhauma-svarga) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights that certain cosmic regions are described as svarga-like even while being “on earth,” characterized by freedom from decay and disease—showing that Purāṇic cosmology maps spiritual merit and cosmic order onto geography.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the qualities of specific varṣas to Maitreya?

Parāśara presents a descriptive cosmography: he names particular regions (varṣas/khaṇḍas) and summarizes their defining conditions—here, universal happiness and absence of aging and illness—within the ongoing instructional dialogue to Maitreya.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana frames cosmic geography and its “fortunate realms” as part of Vishnu’s ordered universe—where well-being and freedom from affliction reflect the sustaining sovereignty of the Supreme Lord.