Shloka 36

सप्तद्वीप-समुद्र-प्रमाणम्: प्लक्षादि-द्वीपवर्णनं, लोकालोक-सीमा, चन्द्र-समुद्र-वृद्धिक्षयः

Devanagari script

उद्भिदो वेणुमांश् चैव स्वैरथो लम्बनो धृतिः प्रभाकरो ऽथ कपिलस् तन्नामा वर्षपद्धतिः

Transliteration

udbhido veṇumāṃś caiva svairatho lambano dhṛtiḥ prabhākaro 'tha kapilas tannāmā varṣapaddhatiḥ

Translation

Udbhida, Veṇumāṃśa, Svairatha, Lambana, Dhṛti, Prabhākara y Kapila: tales son los nombres dispuestos en la sucesión de las varṣas (regiones).

Word by Word

• उद्भिदः: Udbhida (name)
• उद्भिदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्भिद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; नाम (proper name)

• वेणुमान्: Veṇumān (name)
• वेणुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेणुमत् (प्रातिपदिक; वेणु + मतुप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• स्वैरथः: Svairatha (name)
• स्वैरथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वैरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम

• लम्बनः: Lambana (name)
• लम्बनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लम्बन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम

• धृतिः: Dhṛti (name)
• धृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम

• प्रभाकरः: Prabhākara (name)
• प्रभाकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम

• अथ: then/and further
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (sequencing particle)

• कपिलः: Kapila (name)
• कपिलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘नाम’ = name

• वर्षपद्धतिः: the arrangement/order of the varṣas (regions)
• वर्षपद्धतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष + पद्धति (प्रातिपदिक; घटक: वर्ष, पद्धति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वर्षस्य पद्धतिः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Sacred geography: the ordering of dvīpas/varṣas and their subdivisions

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Varshas (regions)

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Jambūdvīpa
• Varṣas

FAQs

What is the significance of listing varṣa names in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse preserves the canonical sequence of regional divisions (varṣas) used in the Purana’s sacred geography, presenting the world as an ordered cosmos rather than a random expanse.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic order in this section?

By systematically naming and sequencing the varṣas, Parāśara frames geography as a structured arrangement—an intelligible map of the world that fits into the Purana’s larger cosmological design.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the cosmological cataloging implies a universe sustained by a higher governing principle—Vishnu as the supreme regulator of order (ṛta/dharma) in creation.