Shloka 12

लोकसंस्थानम्, ग्रहदूरी-प्रमाणम्, ब्रह्माण्डावरणानि, विष्णोः जगत्कारणत्वम्

Devanagari script

ध्रुवाद् ऊर्ध्वं महर्लोको यत्र ते कल्पवासिनः एकयोजनकोटी तु महर्लोको ऽभिधीयते

Transliteration

dhruvād ūrdhvaṃ maharloko yatra te kalpavāsinaḥ ekayojanakoṭī tu maharloko 'bhidhīyate

Translation

Above Dhruva lies Maharloka—where dwell the kalpa-abiding sages. Maharloka is said to extend for a span of one crore (one koṭi) yojanas.

Word by Word

• ध्रुवात्: from Dhruva (Pole Star)
• ध्रुवात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Desha/Direction (दिशा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• महर्लोकः: Maharloka
• महर्लोकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कल्पवासिनः: the dwellers for a kalpa
• कल्पवासिनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• एकयोजनकोटी: a crore of yojanas (measure)
• एकयोजनकोटी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + योजन + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• महर्लोकः: Maharloka
• महर्लोकः: Karma (Object of abhidhīyate/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Singular)

• अभिधीयते: is called/said
• अभिधीयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Higher lokas above Dhruva, specifically Maharloka and its extent

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva
• Maharloka

FAQs

What is the significance of Maharloka in the Vishnu Purana?

Maharloka is presented as a higher realm above Dhruva, inhabited by sages who remain for the duration of a kalpa, emphasizing the Purana’s layered cosmic order under Vishnu’s governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic measurements like yojanas here?

Parāśara uses yojana-based spans to give a structured, quasi-astronomical scale to the lokas, describing Maharloka as extending one crore yojanas.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the cosmological hierarchy described is part of Vishnu Purana’s vision of a universe ordered, sustained, and ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality—Vishnu.