Shloka 33

Bhu-maṇḍala-varṇanam

Description of the Earth-Maṇḍala, the Seven Continents, and Meru

Devanagari script

सुनीलनिषधौ यौ तौ माल्यवद्गन्धमादनौ । तेषां मध्यगतो मेरुः कर्णिकाकारसंस्थितः

Transliteration

sunīlaniṣadhau yau tau mālyavadgandhamādanau | teṣāṃ madhyagato meruḥ karṇikākārasaṃsthitaḥ

Translation

Entre los montes Sunīla y Niṣadha, y (entre) Mālyavat y Gandhamādana, se alza el monte Meru en el centro mismo, dispuesto como el pericarpio de un loto—soporte central del orden del mundo.

Word by Word

• सुनील-निषधौ: Sunīla and Niṣadha (two mountains)
• सुनील-निषधौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; with ‘यौ तौ’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुनील (प्रातिपदिक) + निषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; समासः—सुनीलः च निषधः च (द्वन्द्वः)

• यौ: which (two)
• यौ: Anvaya-sambandha (अन्वय/Relative link)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• तौ: those (two)
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता/Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• माल्यवत्-गन्धमादनौ: Mālyavat and Gandhamādana (two mountains)
• माल्यवत्-गन्धमादनौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to previous pair)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माल्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्धमादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; समासः—माल्यवान् च गन्धमादनः च (द्वन्द्वः)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• मध्यगतः: situated in the middle
• मध्यगतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘मेरुः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (गम्-धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—मध्ये गतः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः)

• मेरुः: Meru
• मेरुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्णिका-आकार-संस्थितः: standing in the form of a pericarp (of a lotus)
• कर्णिका-आकार-संस्थितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of ‘मेरुः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (स्था-धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्णिकायाः आकारः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) + तस्मिन् संस्थितः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषभावः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Cosmographic Meru-as-lotus-pericarp is a pan-Purāṇic image; not a Jyotirliṅga origin. It can, however, be read as the archetype of the axis mundi mirrored by temple śikhara and liṅga as the central ‘support’.

Significance: Supports dhyāna on the cosmic center (madhya) and the temple as a microcosm; encourages inward centering as a form of pilgrimage (antar-yātrā).

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Axis-mundi cosmography: Meru at the center like the lotus pericarp (karṇikā), implying ordered worlds around a central support.

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Sunila
• Nishadha
• Malyavat
• Gandhamadana

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

Meru is portrayed as the unmoving center—like a lotus core—symbolizing the inner axis of steadiness. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it hints that liberation arises by turning from the changing periphery (pāśa) to the central reality (Pati, Shiva) through stable awareness.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Meru as the central support parallels the Liṅga as the cosmic pillar (stambha) that anchors the worlds. Saguna worship trains the mind to rest on a single sacred center—Shiva as the stabilizing Lord—until insight matures toward His transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use a simple dhyāna: visualize a radiant central pillar within the heart or spine as “inner Meru,” while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya). Keep the mind fixed at the center, as the verse emphasizes centrality and steadiness.