Vamana Purana — Structure of Jambudvipa, Shloka 4

The Structure of Jambudvipa: Nine Varshas, Navadvipa Bharata, Mountains, Rivers, and Peoples

Devanagari script

पूर्वदक्षिणतश्चापि किंनरो वर्ष उच्यते भारतो दक्षिणे प्रोक्तो हरिर्दक्षिणपशचिमे

Transliteration

pūrvadakṣiṇataścāpi kiṃnaro varṣa ucyate bhārato dakṣiṇe prokto harirdakṣiṇapaśacime

Translation

Au sud-est se trouve, dit-on, la région des Kiṃnara. Au sud est proclamée Bhārata. Au sud-ouest se tient Hari (une région ou un quartier portant ce nom).

Word by Word

• pūrva-dakṣiṇataḥ: to the southeast
• pūrva-dakṣiṇataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)+dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)+tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: दिक्वाचक-अव्यय (directional adverb: southeast)

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• api: also
• api: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• kiṃnaraḥ: Kiṃnara (region)
• kiṃnaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṃnara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (elliptic: varṣaḥ understood)

• varṣaḥ: region
• varṣaḥ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्, धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• bhārataḥ: Bhārata (region)
• bhārataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (elliptic: varṣaḥ understood)

• dakṣiṇe: in the south
• dakṣiṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (direction as place)

• proktaḥ: is said / is declared
• proktaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्, धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• hariḥ: Hari (region)
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (elliptic: varṣaḥ understood)

• dakṣiṇa-paścime: in the southwest
• dakṣiṇa-paścime: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)+paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (direction as place)

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (typical frame; not explicit in this verse excerpt)

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Purāṇic Cosmology
• Bhārata-varṣa

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Bhārata’s placement within the cosmic map underscores its ritual-centrality in Purāṇic thought: it is the arena where dharma, karma, and liberation-oriented practice are foregrounded.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This belongs to Sarga-oriented cosmography (description of the world’s divisions), serving as a structural catalogue rather than narrative genealogy.

What is the symbolic significance?

Directional assignment (SE/S/SW) reflects a sacral cartography: beings (Kiṃnaras) and human realms (Bhārata) are positioned in a graded cosmic space, implying different modes of existence and dharmic capacity.