Bhū-maṇḍala as a Lotus: Jambūdvīpa, Ilāvṛta, and the Meru System
Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Brahmapurī
जठरदेवकूटौ मेरुं पूर्वेणाष्टादशयोजनसहस्रमुदगायतौ द्विसहस्रं पृथुतुङ्गौ भवत: । एवमपरेण पवनपारियात्रौ दक्षिणेन कैलासकरवीरौ प्रागायतावेवमुत्तरतस्त्रिशृङ्गमकरावष्टभिरेतै: परिसृतोऽग्निरिव परितश्चकास्ति काञ्चनगिरि: ॥ २७ ॥
jaṭhara-devakūṭau meruṁ pūrveṇāṣṭādaśa-yojana-sahasram udagāyatau dvi-sahasraṁ pṛthu-tuṅgau bhavataḥ; evam apareṇa pavana-pāriyātrau dakṣiṇena kailāsa-karavīrau prāg-āyatāv evam uttaratas triśṛṅga-makarāv aṣṭabhir etaiḥ parisṛto ’gnir iva paritaś cakāsti kāñcana-giriḥ.
須弥山の東にはジャタラ山とデーヴァクータ山があり、南北に一万八千ヨージャナ伸びる。同様に西にはパヴァナ山とパーリヤートラ山、南にはカイラーサ山とカラヴィーラ山(東西に)、北にはトリシュリンガ山とマカラ山(東西に)がおなじ長さで延びている。これらはいずれも幅と高さが二千ヨージャナ。八つの山に囲まれた黄金の須弥山は、火のように輝く。
This verse states that Mount Meru (also called Kāñcana-giri, the golden mountain) is encircled by eight major mountains—Jaṭhara, Devakūṭa, Pavana, Pāriyātra, Kailāsa, Karavīra, Triśṛṅga, and Makara—arranged by direction, making Meru shine like fire surrounded on all sides.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is speaking to King Parīkṣit, detailing the sacred geography and cosmic layout described in the Fifth Canto.
The verse encourages a sacred vision of creation—seeing the universe as ordered and purposeful—helping a devotee cultivate humility, wonder, and remembrance of the Supreme Lord behind cosmic structure.