Shloka 28

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

Sanskrit

फलानि यानि वै जम्ब्वाः गन्धमादनपर्वते ।

गजदेहप्रमाणानि पतन्ति गिरिमूर्धनि ॥

Transliteration

phalāni yāni vai jambvāḥ gandhamādana-parvate | gaja-deha-pramāṇāni patanti giri-mūrdhani ||

Translation

ഗന്ധമാദന പർവതത്തിലെ ജംബൂവൃക്ഷഫലങ്ങൾ—ഓരോന്നും ആനയുടെ ശരീരത്തോളം വലുതായി—പർവതശിഖരത്തിൽ പതിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• फलानि: fruits
• फलानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन

• यानि: which
• यानि: Anuyogi (अनुयोगी/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis

• जम्ब्वाः: of the Jambu (tree)
• जम्ब्वाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्बू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• गन्धमादन-पर्वते: on Mount Gandhamādana
• गन्धमादन-पर्वते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धमादन (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गन्धमादनस्य पर्वते)

• गज-देह-प्रमाणानि: of the size of an elephant’s body
• गज-देह-प्रमाणानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गजस्य देहस्य प्रमाणम् इव)

• पतन्ति: fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• गिरि-मूर्धनि: on the mountain-top
• गिरि-मूर्धनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (गिरेः मूर्धनि)

Speakers

• Cosmography narration within Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa (speaker not explicit in excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Mythic Geography
• Marvels (adbhuta)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The hyperbolic scale communicates abundance and the ‘otherness’ of cosmic realms. It subtly teaches humility: human scale is not the measure of all existence.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sthāna: features of continents and mountains; also supports Purāṇic cosmography as a sub-genre.

What is the esoteric significance?

Gigantic fruits suggest concentrated ‘essences’ (rasa) of a higher plane; the falling of fruits can symbolize descent of higher vitality into the manifest world.