Shloka 3

Devanagari script

एकादश सहस्राणि योजनानां समुच्छितम्‌ । अधो भूमे: सहस्रेषु तावत्स्वेव प्रतिक्ठितम्‌,उग्रश्रवाजी कहते हैं--शौनकजी! तदनन्तर सम्पूर्ण देवता मिलकर पर्वतश्रेष्ठ मन्दराचलको उखाड़नेके लिये उसके समीप गये। वह पर्वत श्रेत मेघखण्डोंके समान प्रतीत होनेवाले गगनचुम्बी शिखरोंसे सुशोभित था। सब ओर फैली हुई लताओंके समुदायने उसे आच्छादित कर रखा था। उसपर चारों ओर भाँति-भाँतिके विहंगम कलरव कर रहे थे। बड़ी-बड़ी दाढ़ोंवाले व्याप्र-सिंह आदि अनेक हिंसक जीव वहाँ सर्वत्र भरे हुए थे। उस पर्वतके विभिन्न प्रदेशोंमें किन्नरगण, अप्सराएँ तथा देवतालोग निवास करते थे। उसकी ऊँचाई ग्यारह हजार योजन थी और भूमिके नीचे भी वह उतने ही सहस्र योजनोंमें प्रतिष्ठित था। जब देवता उसे उखाड़ न सके, तब वहाँ बैठे हुए भगवान्‌ विष्णु और ब्रह्माजीसे इस प्रकार बोले--

Transliteration

ekādaśa sahasrāṇi yojanānāṃ samucchritam | adho bhūmeḥ sahasreṣu tāvat-sv eva pratiṣṭhitam ||

Translation

“It rose to a height of eleven thousand yojanas; and beneath the earth as well it was fixed for the same number of thousands.” (Śaunaka’s words, describing the vast Mandara mountain—so immense that its visible height is matched by its deep foundation—setting the scene for the gods’ attempt to uproot it and their subsequent appeal to Viṣṇu and Brahmā.)

Word by Word

एकादशeleven

सहस्राणिthousands

योजनानाम्of yojanas

समुच्छितम्raised; lofty; elevated

अधःbelow

भूमेःof/from the earth

सहस्रेषुin thousands (i.e., for thousands)

तावत्सुin as many; in that many

एवindeed; just

प्रतिष्ठितम्set; established; fixed

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śaunaka

Mandara (Mandarācala) mountain

yojana (measure of distance)

earth (bhūmi)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes proportion and stability: what appears lofty is equally grounded. In the surrounding narrative, this underscores that even mighty beings (the gods) face limits and must seek higher support—pointing to humility and reliance on divine order when undertaking vast tasks.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka describes the extraordinary magnitude of Mandara mountain—its height and its equally deep foundation—within the episode where the gods attempt to uproot it. Their inability to do so leads them to approach Viṣṇu and Brahmā for assistance.