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Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Bhūrloka-Vyavasthā — The Seven Dvīpas, Seven Oceans, and the Meru-Centered Order of Jambūdvīpa

मेरोश्चतुर्दिशं तत्र नवसाहस्त्रविस्तृतम् / इलावृतं महाभागाश्चात्वारस्तत्र पर्वताः / विष्कम्भा रचिता मेरोर्योजनायुतमुच्छ्रिताः

meroścaturdiśaṃ tatra navasāhastravistṛtam / ilāvṛtaṃ mahābhāgāścātvārastatra parvatāḥ / viṣkambhā racitā meroryojanāyutamucchritāḥ

അവിടെ മേരു പർവ്വതത്തിന്റെ നാലു ദിക്കുകളിലുമായി ഇലാവൃതം ഒൻപതിനായിരം യോജന വ്യാപ്തിയിൽ വ്യാപിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. ഓ മഹാഭാഗന്മാരേ, മേറുവിന് താങ്ങുതൂണുകളെന്നപോലെ നാല് പർവ്വതങ്ങൾ സ്ഥാപിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു; അവ പത്തായിരം യോജന ഉയരമുള്ളവയാണ്.

meroḥof Meru
meroḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootmeru (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
catur-diśam(to) the four directions / on all four sides
catur-diśam:
Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
TypeNoun
Rootcatur (प्रातिपदिक) + diś (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine stem diś; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; 'towards the four directions/around on four sides' (as extent)
tatrathere
tatra:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatra (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)
nava-sāhastra-vistṛtamspread to nine thousand (in extent)
nava-sāhastra-vistṛtam:
Viseṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootnava (प्रातिपदिक) + sāhasra (प्रातिपदिक) + vistṛta (कृदन्त, √stṛ 'to spread' PPP)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound adjective qualifying ilāvṛtam
ilā-vṛtamIlāvṛta
ilā-vṛtam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootilā (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛta (कृदन्त, √vṛ PPP)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
mahā-bhāgāḥO greatly fortunate ones
mahā-bhāgāḥ:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootmahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative, Plural; संबोधन
cātvāraḥfour
cātvāraḥ:
Viseṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootcatvāri (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural; numeral agreeing with parvatāḥ
tatrathere
tatra:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatra (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)
parvatāḥmountains
parvatāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootparvata (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
viṣkambhāḥsupports/buttresses (supporting mountains)
viṣkambhāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣkambha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
racitāḥconstructed/placed
racitāḥ:
Viseṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Root√rac (धातु; 'to arrange/construct') (कृदन्त: PPP क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural; PPP agreeing with viṣkambhāḥ/parvatāḥ
meroḥof Meru
meroḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootmeru (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
yojana-āyutamten thousand yojanas
yojana-āyutam:
Karma (कर्म/परिमाण)
TypeAdjective
Rootyojana (प्रातिपदिक) + āyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular; measure-phrase 'ten-thousand yojanas' used as extent
ucchritāḥlofty/raised
ucchritāḥ:
Viseṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootud-√śri (धातु) (कृदन्त: PPP क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural; agreeing with viṣkambhāḥ/parvatāḥ

Sūta (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

M
Meru
I
Ilāvṛta

FAQs

This verse is primarily cosmographical rather than directly metaphysical; it frames the world-order around Meru as a structured, intelligible cosmos—often used in Purāṇas as a contemplative support for seeing creation as governed by Īśvara’s ordinance (niyati).

No explicit yoga practice is taught in this verse; however, Purāṇic sacred geography commonly functions as a dhyāna-aid—visualizing Meru and the central region (Ilāvṛta) as a stable axis can support steadiness (dhāraṇā) and a sense of cosmic order.

The verse does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; it contributes to the shared Purāṇic worldview in which the same supreme governance (Īśvara) is expressed through multiple theological lenses, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s broader Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis.