Shloka 11

लोकसंस्थानम्, ग्रहदूरी-प्रमाणम्, ब्रह्माण्डावरणानि, विष्णोः जगत्कारणत्वम्

Devanagari script

त्रैलोक्यम् एतत् कथितम् उत्सेधेन महामुने इज्याफलस्य भूर् एषा इज्या चात्र प्रतिष्ठिता

Transliteration

trailokyam etat kathitam utsedhena mahāmune ijyāphalasya bhūr eṣā ijyā cātra pratiṣṭhitā

Translation

Thus, O great sage, the vertical extent of this threefold universe has been declared. This earth is the very ground of the fruit of sacrifice; and sacrifice itself stands established here.

Word by Word

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karma (Object of kathitam/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of त्रैलोक्यम्)

• कथितम्: has been described
• कथितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) → कथित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (has been described)

• उत्सेधेन: by (its) height/extent
• उत्सेधेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• इज्याफलस्य: of the fruit of the sacrifice
• इज्याफलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इज्या + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूः: the earth
• भूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एषा: this
• एषा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of भूः)

• इज्या: the sacrificial cord/line (ijyā)
• इज्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• प्रतिष्ठिता: is established
• प्रतिष्ठिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + स्था (धातु) → प्रतिष्ठित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्थित्यर्थे (is established)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Summation of the triloka’s vertical extent and the dharmic centrality of Bhū (Earth) as the locus of yajña

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Earthly embodied life is the appointed arena where yajña is established and where sacrificial action yields its ordained fruits.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat daily duties as offerings (yajña-bhāva): work, charity, and worship performed with discipline and dedication to Nārāyaṇa.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the meaningfulness of prakṛti and embodied action within the Lord’s cosmic order—karma can be sanctified as service rather than dismissed as illusory.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Trailokya (three worlds)
• Bhū-loka (Earth)
• Yajña (sacrificial order)

FAQs

What is the significance of Earth (Bhū-loka) in the Vishnu Purana’s cosmology?

This verse highlights Earth as the primary arena where yajña (sacrificial worship) is performed and where its results (ijyā-phala) are realized, linking cosmography to dharma and karma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the purpose of describing the three worlds’ measurements?

By stating the trailokya’s “utsedha” (vertical extent) and then grounding it in yajña, Parāśara frames cosmological description as meaningful because it supports the moral-spiritual economy of action and worship.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Although Vishnu is not named in this line, the Purana’s cosmology is ultimately Vishnu-centered: the ordered universe and the efficacy of yajña are understood as upheld within the sovereign reality of Vishnu, in whom dharma and cosmic structure find stability.