Shloka 20

Adhyaya 54 — Cosmography of Jambudvipa: Continents, Oceans, Varshas, and Mount Meru

Sanskrit

विपुलश्च सुपार्श्वश्च केतुपादपशोभिताः ।

कदम्बो मन्दरे केतुर् जम्बुवा गन्धमादने ॥

Transliteration

vipulaśca supārśvaśca ketupādapaśobhitāḥ / kadambo mandare keturjambuva gandhamādane

Translation

വിപുലയും സുപാർശ്വവും കേതു വൃക്ഷംകൊണ്ട് ശോഭിതങ്ങളാണ്. മന്ദരത്തിൽ കടംബ വൃക്ഷം; ഗന്ധമാദനത്തിൽ ജംബു വൃക്ഷം ഉണ്ട്.

Speakers

• Not identifiable from the supplied excerpt (cosmography narration)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred Geography
• Sacred flora (mythic trees)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Nature is presented as sacralized: mountains are not inert masses but living landscapes marked by emblematic trees, encouraging reverence toward the environment as part of cosmic order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sarga/Sthāna-type cosmography: cataloging features (mountains, trees) that constitute the world-description.

What is the esoteric significance?

Trees function as ‘signatures’ of regions—symbols of qualities or powers associated with each quarter—supporting visualization practices where each direction has a distinct emblem.