Shloka 36

सप्तद्वीप-समुद्र-प्रमाणम्: प्लक्षादि-द्वीपवर्णनं, लोकालोक-सीमा, चन्द्र-समुद्र-वृद्धिक्षयः

Devanagari script

उद्भिदो वेणुमांश् चैव स्वैरथो लम्बनो धृतिः प्रभाकरो ऽथ कपिलस् तन्नामा वर्षपद्धतिः

Transliteration

udbhido veṇumāṃś caiva svairatho lambano dhṛtiḥ prabhākaro 'tha kapilas tannāmā varṣapaddhatiḥ

Translation

ឧទ្ធភិទ វេណុមាន្ស ស្វೈរថ លំបន ធ្រឹតិ ប្រភាករ និង កបិល—ទាំងនេះជានាមវರ್ಷ (តំបន់) ដែលរៀបតាមលំដាប់។

Word by Word

उद्भिदःUdbhida (name)

वेणुमान्Veṇumān (name)

चand

एवindeed/also

स्वैरथःSvairatha (name)

लम्बनःLambana (name)

धृतिःDhṛti (name)

प्रभाकरःPrabhākara (name)

अथthen/and further

कपिलःKapila (name)

तत्that

नामname

वर्षपद्धतिःthe arrangement/order of the varṣas (regions)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Parāśara

Maitreya

Jambūdvīpa

Varṣas

FAQs

What is the significance of listing varṣa names in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse preserves the canonical sequence of regional divisions (varṣas) used in the Purana’s sacred geography, presenting the world as an ordered cosmos rather than a random expanse.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic order in this section?

By systematically naming and sequencing the varṣas, Parāśara frames geography as a structured arrangement—an intelligible map of the world that fits into the Purana’s larger cosmological design.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the cosmological cataloging implies a universe sustained by a higher governing principle—Vishnu as the supreme regulator of order (ṛta/dharma) in creation.