Shloka 36

Bhu-maṇḍala-varṇanam

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

Devanagari script

पूर्वपश्चिमतो मेरोर्निषधो नीलपर्वतः । दक्षिणोत्तरमायातौ कर्णिकांतर्व्यवस्थितौ

Transliteration

pūrvapaścimato merorniṣadho nīlaparvataḥ | dakṣiṇottaramāyātau karṇikāṃtarvyavasthitau

Translation

Di timur dan barat Gunung Meru terdapat pegunungan Niṣadha dan Nīla. Keduanya memanjang dari selatan ke utara dan berada di bagian dalam perikarp (padma kosmis).

Word by Word

• पूर्वपश्चिमतः: from the east and west sides
• पूर्वपश्चिमतः: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative—source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व-पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय—तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘from the east and west’; द्वन्द्व-समास (पूर्वश्च पश्चिमश्च) + तः

• मेरोः: of Meru
• मेरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• निषधः: Niṣadha (mountain)
• निषधः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; पर्वतनाम

• नीलपर्वतः: Nīla mountain
• नीलपर्वतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील-पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; कर्मधारयः (नीलः पर्वतः)

• दक्षिणोत्तरम्: to the south and north
• दक्षिणोत्तरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Directional adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिण-उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः—द्वन्द्व-समास (दक्षिणं च उत्तरं च) नपुंसकलिङ्ग एकवचन, क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण ‘southward and northward’

• आयातौ: having come/extended
• आयातौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (PPP) प्रथमा, द्विवचन (Dual), पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘having come/arrived’ (agreeing with two mountains)

• कर्णिकायाम्: in the central pericarp/whorl
• कर्णिकायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; (पाठान्तर-सम्भवः: कर्णिकां/कर्णिकायाम्) — here taken as locative ‘in the pericarp/central whorl’

• अन्तः: within
• अन्तः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—स्थानवाचक (adverb) ‘inside/within’

• व्यवस्थितौ: situated, stationed
• व्यवस्थितौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-अव-स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), प्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘situated/placed’ (agreeing with two mountains)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; this verse belongs to a cosmographic description of the lotus-like cosmic geography around Meru (the ‘karṇikā’/pericarp image).

Significance: Frames the universe as an ordered, dharma-supporting manifestation; supports contemplative ‘īśvara-sṛṣṭi’ reflection rather than a specific pilgrimage.

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Niṣadha
• Nīla

FAQs

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

By mapping the cosmos as an ordered, lotus-like structure, the verse points to Śiva’s governance as Pati (the Lord) over the manifested worlds, encouraging contemplative insight into divine order rather than mere worldly wandering.

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

Sacred geography in the Purana supports Saguna devotion by situating the universe within Śiva’s intelligible design; such descriptions prepare the mind for focused worship of the Liṅga as the stable axis (like Meru) of devotion and meditation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is dhyāna on the lotus-cosmos: visualize Meru as the inner axis and offer mental worship to Śiva at the center, repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to steady attention.