Shloka 7
Bhu-maṇḍala-varṇanam
Description of the Earth-Maṇḍala, the Seven Continents, and Meru
नीलः श्वेतश्च शृङ्गी च उत्तरे वर्षपर्वताः । दशसाहस्रिकं ह्येते रत्नवंतोऽरुणप्रभाः
nīlaḥ śvetaśca śṛṅgī ca uttare varṣaparvatāḥ | daśasāhasrikaṃ hyete ratnavaṃto'ruṇaprabhāḥ
Di wilayah utara terdapat pegunungan varṣa bernama Nīla, Śveta, dan Śṛṅgī. Rangkaian ini membentang sepuluh ribu yojana, kaya permata, dan bercahaya dengan sinar kemerahan.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
FAQs
By portraying the northern mountains as vast and jewel-radiant, the Purana frames the cosmos as pervaded by ordered splendor under Pati (Shiva). For a seeker, such grandeur encourages reverence while also reminding that even the most brilliant worldly “gems” remain within creation and are ultimately transcended in Shiva-realization.
The verse supplies sacred-cosmological context: the world’s luminous forms (mountains, radiance, jewels) are manifestations within Saguna reality. Linga-worship gathers that dispersed sense of sacredness into one focused symbol, directing the mind from outer marvels toward Shiva as the indwelling Lord of all regions.
A practical takeaway is contemplative “bhāvanā”: meditate on nature’s vastness and brilliance as Shiva’s vibhūti (manifest glory), then steady the mind with japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” converting awe of creation into devotion and inner stillness.