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Shloka 37

The Six Dvīpas Beyond Jambūdvīpa and the Cosmic Boundary of Lokāloka

स लोकत्रयान्ते परित ईश्वरेण विहितो यस्मात्सूर्यादीनां ध्रुवापवर्गाणां ज्योतिर्गणानां गभस्तयोऽर्वाचीनांस्त्रींल्लोकानावितन्वाना न कदाचित्पराचीना भवितुमुत्सहन्ते तावदुन्नहनायाम: ॥ ३७ ॥

sa loka-trayānte parita īśvareṇa vihito yasmāt sūryādīnāṁ dhruvāpavargāṇāṁ jyotir-gaṇānāṁ gabhastayo ’rvācīnāṁs trīḻ lokān āvitanvānā na kadācit parācīnā bhavitum utsahante tāvad unnahanāyāmaḥ.

ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണന്റെ പരമ ഇച്ഛയാൽ ‘ലോകാലോക’ പർവ്വതം ഭൂഃ, ഭുവഃ, സ്വഃ എന്ന ത്രിലോകങ്ങളുടെ പുറം അതിരായി സ്ഥാപിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു, സൂര്യാദി ജ്യോതിഗണങ്ങളുടെ കിരണങ്ങൾ ആ പരിധിക്കുള്ളിൽ മാത്രം വ്യാപിക്കേണ്ടതിന്. സൂര്യനിൽ നിന്ന് ധ്രുവലോകം വരെ ഉള്ള എല്ലാ ദീപ്തിമാനങ്ങളും ത്രിലോകങ്ങളിൽ പ്രകാശം വിതറുമ്പോഴും, ഈ പർവ്വതപരിധി കടക്കാൻ അവർക്കു കഴിയില്ല; കാരണം ഇത് ധ്രുവലോകത്തേക്കാൾ പോലും ഉയർന്ന് കിരണങ്ങളെ തടയുന്നു.

saḥthat (mountain)
saḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
loka-traya-anteat the boundary of the three worlds
loka-traya-ante:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootloka (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: loka-traya = three worlds; ante = at the end/boundary
paritaḥall around
paritaḥ:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootparitas (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय); adverb (all around)
īśvareṇaby the Lord
īśvareṇa:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootīśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
vihitaḥordained/arranged
vihitaḥ:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvi-√dhā (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त, PPP), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with saḥ
yasmātfrom which/because of which
yasmāt:
Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun indicating cause
sūrya-ādīnāmof the sun and others
sūrya-ādīnām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootsūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: sūrya-ādi = sun and others
dhruva-apavargāṇāmhaving fixed courses
dhruva-apavargāṇām:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdhruva (प्रातिपदिक) + apavarga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); karmadhāraya: dhruva-apavarga = having fixed courses/paths
jyotiḥ-gaṇānāmof the groups of luminaries
jyotiḥ-gaṇānām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootjyotis (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: group of luminaries
gabhastayaḥrays
gabhastayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgabhasti (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
arvācīnānthis-side/near-side
arvācīnān:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootarvācīna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying lokān
trīnthree
trīn:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral qualifying lokān
lokānworlds
lokān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootloka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
āvitanvānāḥspreading/expanding
āvitanvānāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootā-√tan (धातु)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with gabhastayaḥ
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय); negation
kadācitever/at any time
kadācit:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkadācit (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय); adverb (time)
parācīnāḥturned away/backward-facing
parācīnāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootparācīna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); predicate adjective of gabhastayaḥ
bhavitumto become
bhavitum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Rootbhū (धातु)
FormInfinitive (तुमुन्), expressing purpose/complement
utsahantedare/are able
utsahante:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootut-√sah (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)
tāvatto that extent/so far
tāvat:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottāvat (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय); correlating measure word (so much/so far)
unnahana-āyāmaḥits extent/measure (height/length)
unnahana-āyāmaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootunnahana (प्रातिपदिक) + āyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: measure/extent (āyāma) of ‘unnahana’ (height/expanse)

When we speak of loka-traya, we refer to the three primary planetary systems — Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Svaḥ — into which the universe is divided. Surrounding these planetary systems are the eight directions, namely east, west, north, south, northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest. Lokāloka Mountain has been established as the outer boundary of all the lokas to distribute the rays of the sun and other luminaries equally throughout the universe.

Ī
Īśvara (Supreme Lord)
S
Sūrya (Sun-god)
D
Dhruva

FAQs

This verse says the universe has a divinely established limit at the edge of the three worlds, set by the Supreme Lord, beyond which even the sun’s rays cannot extend.

He highlights that cosmic motion is regulated—luminaries follow fixed paths centered around Dhruva—showing an ordered universe governed by the Lord rather than random movement.

It encourages humility and faith in divine order: just as cosmic forces move within God-given limits, a devotee lives within dharma and aligns daily life with higher purpose.