Shloka 5

Description and Measurements of Śākadvīpa

with Oceans, Mountains, Varṣas, and Rivers

Devanagari script

लवणस्य समुद्रस्य विष्कंभो द्विगुणः स्मृतः । नानाजनपदाकीर्णो मणिविद्रुमचित्रितः

Transliteration

lavaṇasya samudrasya viṣkaṃbho dviguṇaḥ smṛtaḥ | nānājanapadākīrṇo maṇividrumacitritaḥ

Translation

塩の大海の広さはその二倍と説かれ、多くの国土に満ち、宝珠と珊瑚によって荘厳されている。

Word by Word

• लवणस्य: of salt (saline)
• लवणस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• समुद्रस्य: of the ocean
• समुद्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्कंभः: diameter/width
• विष्कंभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्कंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्विगुणः: double
• द्विगुणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वौ गुणौ यस्य)

• स्मृतः: is said/considered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः—‘कथितः/उक्तः’ (is said)

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adjective/adverb) अर्थे—‘विविध’

• जनपदाकीर्णः: filled with many countries/regions
• जनपदाकीर्णः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जनपद + आकीर्ण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जनपदैः आकीर्णः); आकीर्ण = आ + कृ (धातु) क्त

• मणिविद्रुमचित्रितः: adorned with gems and corals
• मणिविद्रुमचित्रितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणि + विद्रुम + चित्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार-तत्पुरुषः (मणि-विद्रुमैः चित्रितः); चित्रित = चित्र् (धातु) क्त

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (contextual Purāṇic dialogue likely Pulastya speaking to Bhīṣma in Svarga-khaṇḍa, but not explicit from the single verse).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: river

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: जनपदाकीर्णः = जनपद + आकीर्णः; मणिविद्रुमचित्रितः = मणि + विद्रुम + चित्रितः (समास)

FAQs

What is the “Salt Ocean” (Lavaṇa-samudra) in Purāṇic cosmography?

In Purāṇic world-descriptions, the Lavaṇa-samudra is one of the great encircling oceans described as surrounding continental regions; it is characterized by salty waters and vast dimensions.

What does “viṣkambha” mean here, and what does “dviguṇaḥ” indicate?

Viṣkambha commonly means breadth/diameter/width in cosmographic measurement. Dviguṇaḥ indicates that this breadth is stated to be twice (twofold) relative to a referenced standard in the surrounding passage.

Does this verse teach a direct ethical or devotional lesson (bhakti)?

Not directly. This verse is primarily descriptive—mapping the world’s features and abundance. Indirectly, such cosmography serves a Purāṇic purpose of situating sacred history and pilgrimage geography within an ordered universe.