Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

Sapta-dvīpa Cosmography and the Vision of Śvetadvīpa–Vaikuṇṭha

Devanagari script

प्लक्षद्वीपप्रमाणं तु द्विगुणेन समन्ततः / संवेष्ट्येक्षुरसाम्भोधिं शाल्मलिः संव्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

plakṣadvīpapramāṇaṃ tu dviguṇena samantataḥ / saṃveṣṭyekṣurasāmbhodhiṃ śālmaliḥ saṃvyavasthitaḥ

Translation

ແຕ່ ຊາລມະລີ-ທະວີບ ມີຂະໜາດເປັນສອງເທົ່າຂອງ ປລັກສະ-ທະວີບ ທຸກດ້ານ; ແລະມັນຕັ້ງຢູ່ໂດຍລ້ອມຮອບມະຫາສະໝຸດທີ່ນ້ຳຄ້າຍນ້ຳອ້ອຍ.

Word by Word

• प्लक्षद्वीपप्रमाणम्: the measure of Plakṣadvīpa
• प्लक्षद्वीपप्रमाणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; measure/extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लक्षद्वीप + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (measure of Plakṣadvīpa)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• द्विगुणेन: by (being) double
• द्विगुणेन: Karana (करण/Measure-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (गुण-शब्दः), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु (twofold)

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘on all sides’)

• संवेष्ट्य: having surrounded
• संवेष्ट्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘having surrounded’

• इक्षुरसाम्भोधिम्: the ocean of sugarcane-juice
• इक्षुरसाम्भोधिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इक्षुरस + अम्भोधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (ocean consisting of sugarcane-juice)

• शाल्मलिः: Śālmali (continent)
• शाल्मलिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्मलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संव्यवस्थितः: is situated/stands
• संव्यवस्थितः: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle; क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्थित्यर्थ (is situated/placed)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) relating the Purāṇic cosmography to the sages (Naimiṣāraṇya frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Plakṣa-dvīpa
• Śālmalī-dvīpa
• Ikṣu-rasa ocean (Sugarcane-juice ocean)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

This verse is primarily cosmographic, mapping dvīpas and oceans; indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic vision of an ordered cosmos that can be contemplated as a manifestation of īśvara’s sustaining power rather than a direct teaching on Ātman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught in this verse; however, Purāṇic cosmography is often used as a support for dhyāna (contemplation) on the structured universe as part of devotional and yogic reflection found elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

The verse does not mention Śiva or Viṣṇu directly; its contribution is contextual—cosmography forms the shared theological backdrop in which the Kurma Purana later presents Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis and īśvara-centered teachings.