Shloka 5

Adhyaya 55 — Description of Jambudvipa: The Four Forests, Lakes, and Mountain Ranges Around Mount Meru; Bharata as the Karma-Bhumi

Sanskrit

सूबिन्दुर्मन्दरो वेणुस्तामसो निषधस्तथा । देवशैलश्च पूर्वेण मन्दरस्य महाचलः ॥

Transliteration

sūbindur mandaro veṇus tāmaso niṣadhas tathā | devaśailaś ca pūrveṇa mandarasya mahācalaḥ ||

Translation

Sūbindu, Mandara, Veṇu, Tāmasa y Niṣadha; y al oriente de Mandara se halla la gran montaña Devaśaila.

Word by Word

• sūbinduḥ: Sūbindu (name of a mountain)
• sūbinduḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūbindu (प्रातिपदिक; sū+bindu)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• mandaraḥ: Mandara (name of a mountain)
• mandaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• veṇuḥ: Veṇu (name of a mountain)
• veṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tāmasaḥ: Tāmasa (name of a mountain)
• tāmasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāmasa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• niṣadhaḥ: Niṣadha (name of a mountain)
• niṣadhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (तुल्यार्थक/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• devaśailaḥ: Devaśaila (God-mountain; name)
• devaśailaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devaśaila (प्रातिपदिक; deva+śaila)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• pūrveṇa: on the eastern side
• pūrveṇa: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); used adverbially ‘to the east/by the eastern side’

• mandarasya: of Mandara
• mandarasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahācalaḥ: Mahācala (Great mountain; name)
• mahācalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahācala (प्रातिपदिक; mahā+acala)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Not within Devi Mahatmyam; cosmographic narration (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred Geography

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text emphasizes orientation and relational knowing—places are understood by their position within a sacred order, cultivating a disciplined ‘map’ of reality.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Cosmographic description associated with sarga/pratisarga-style world-structure material (though presented here as a catalogue rather than a creation narrative).

What is the esoteric significance?

Directional placement (east/west/north/south) mirrors ritual mandalas and temple orientation, suggesting a correspondence between cosmic space and sacred practice.