Shloka 2

यमस्य अधिकारभङ्गः — वैष्णवस्य लक्षणम्

Freedom from Yama through Hari-śaraṇāgati

Devanagari script

सप्तद्वीपानि पातालवीथ्यश् च सुमहामुने सप्त लोकाश् च ये ऽन्तःस्था ब्रह्माण्डस्यास्य सर्वतः

Transliteration

saptadvīpāni pātālavīthyaś ca sumahāmune sapta lokāś ca ye 'ntaḥsthā brahmāṇḍasyāsya sarvataḥ

Translation

O great sage, within this cosmic egg (the brahmāṇḍa) on every side abide the seven continents, the pathways of the nether realms (Pātāla), and the seven worlds (lokas) within, arrayed as the ordered domains of the universe.

Word by Word

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; ‘dvīpāni’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• dvīpāni: continents/islands
• dvīpāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• pātālavīthyaḥ: paths/regions of Pātāla (netherworld)
• pātālavīthyaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vīthi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (pātālasya vīthyaḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• su-mahā-mune: O very great sage
• su-mahā-mune: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु-महान् मुनिः)

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; ‘lokāḥ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• lokāḥ: worlds
• lokāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• ye: which, that (those)
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• antaḥsthāḥ: situated inside
• antaḥsthāḥ: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antaḥ (अव्यय/उपपद) + stha (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from √sthā)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (antaḥ sthitāḥ) विशेषणम्

• brahmāṇḍasya: of the cosmic egg (universe)
• brahmāṇḍasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma (प्रातिपदिक) + aṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (brahmaṇaḥ aṇḍam)

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sarvataḥ: on all sides, everywhere
• sarvataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सर्वदिक्/सर्वतः-भावे क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: on all sides)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Structure within the brahmāṇḍa: seven dvīpas, pātāla pathways, and seven lokas

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: earnest

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The universe (brahmāṇḍa) is an ordered totality containing the seven continents, nether pathways, and the seven worlds in a structured hierarchy.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Contemplate cosmic order to cultivate humility and steadiness; use cosmological reflection as a support for dharma and devotion rather than mere curiosity.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic hierarchy is treated as a real, ordered manifestation dependent on Nārāyaṇa as jagat-kāraṇa (both support and source).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Brahmāṇḍa
• Sapta-dvīpa
• Sapta-loka
• Pātāla

FAQs

What is the significance of the sapta-lokas and sapta-dvīpas in the Vishnu Purana?

They present a structured map of reality—seven worlds and seven continents—showing the universe as an ordered, intelligible whole rather than a random expanse.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the universe (brahmāṇḍa) to Maitreya here?

He summarizes that multiple tiers of existence—continents, nether regions, and worlds—are all contained within the brahmāṇḍa, indicating a layered cosmic architecture.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana frames such cosmic order as upheld by the Supreme Reality—Vishnu as the sustaining ground of all worlds and regions.