Shloka 16

उपसंहारः, वैष्णवपुराण-प्रशंसा, फलश्रुति, परम्परा-प्रवहः (पाठ-श्रवण-फलम्)

Devanagari script

पुण्याः प्रदेशा मेदिन्याः पुण्या नद्यो ऽथ सागराः पर्वताश् च महापुण्याश् चरितानि च धीमताम्

Transliteration

puṇyāḥ pradeśā medinyāḥ puṇyā nadyo 'tha sāgarāḥ parvatāś ca mahāpuṇyāś caritāni ca dhīmatām

Translation

Holy are the regions of the earth; holy are the rivers, and so too the oceans. Most holy are the mountains—and holy as well are the life-stories and noble deeds of the wise.

Word by Word

• पुण्याः: holy
• पुण्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• प्रदेशाः: regions
• प्रदेशाः: Karta (Subject/Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मेदिन्याः: of the earth
• मेदिन्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन

• पुण्याः: holy
• पुण्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (नद्यः इति)

• नद्यः: rivers
• नद्यः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अथ: and then / also
• अथ: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (particle: 'then/and also')

• सागराः: oceans
• सागराः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पर्वताः: mountains
• पर्वताः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• महापुण्याः: very holy
• महापुण्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महच्च तत् पुण्यम्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (पर्वताः इति)

• चरितानि: deeds / accounts
• चरितानि: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (कृदन्त-निष्पन्न प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• धीमताम्: of the wise
• धीमताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन; गुणवाचक-प्रातिपदिक (wise persons)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Recap of sacred geography and the sanctity of wise deeds

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas (regions)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Earth’s regions, waters, and mountains are holy, and the lives of the wise are likewise holy—worthy of remembrance and emulation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Engage in mindful pilgrimage (or sacred-place remembrance), and regularly read/reflect on saintly lives to shape character and devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Material nature (Bhūmi) and history become vehicles of grace; holiness is not denied to the world but seen as pervaded by the Lord’s auspiciousness.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Earth (Medinī)
• Rivers (Nadī)
• Oceans (Sāgara)
• Mountains (Parvata)
• The Wise (Dhīmat)

FAQs

What is the significance of sacred geography (rivers, oceans, mountains) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the world itself as a field of merit: lands, waters, and mountains are described as intrinsically holy, supporting the Purana’s tirtha-idea that geography participates in dharma and spiritual uplift.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the value of hearing or remembering the deeds (caritāni) of the wise?

By placing ‘caritāni of the dhīmat’ alongside rivers and mountains as ‘mahāpuṇya,’ Parāśara treats sacred biography as spiritually efficacious—ethical exemplars transmit merit and orient the mind toward dharma.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, Book 2’s world-description is Vaishnava in thrust: the ordered cosmos and its sanctifying features are presented as part of Vishnu’s sovereign arrangement, where creation and righteous living converge toward the Supreme Reality.