Shloka 1
सप्तद्वीप-समुद्र-प्रमाणम्: प्लक्षादि-द्वीपवर्णनं, लोकालोक-सीमा, चन्द्र-समुद्र-वृद्धिक्षयः
क्षारोदेन यथा द्वीपो जम्बूसंज्ञो ऽभिवेष्टितः संवेष्ट्य क्षारम् उदधिं प्लक्षद्वीपस् तथा स्थितः
kṣārodena yathā dvīpo jambūsaṃjño 'bhiveṣṭitaḥ saṃveṣṭya kṣāram udadhiṃ plakṣadvīpas tathā sthitaḥ
De même que l’île nommée Jambūdvīpa est ceinte par l’océan de sel, ainsi Plakṣadvīpa se tient au-delà, entourant cette mer salée d’un vaste anneau. Ainsi l’ordre des mondes est établi en cercles concentriques, soutenu par la souveraineté cosmique du Seigneur suprême Viṣṇu.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
FAQs
This verse presents the Purāṇic model of ordered, concentric continents and seas, emphasizing a universe arranged in harmony and law—an expression of cosmic order ultimately grounded in the Supreme Lord’s governance.
Parāśara explains it relationally: Plakṣadvīpa lies beyond Jambūdvīpa’s salt ocean and forms the next encircling land-ring, continuing the step-by-step mapping of sacred geography.
Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Vishnu Purana frames cosmic structure as dependent on the Supreme Reality—Vishnu as the sustaining principle behind the universe’s stable order and intelligible design.