Shloka 7

Adhyaya 55 — Description of Jambudvipa: The Four Forests, Lakes, and Mountain Ranges Around Mount Meru; Bharata as the Karma-Bhumi

Sanskrit

श्वेतोदरः समूलश्च वसुधारश्च रत्नवान् । एकशृङ्गो महाशैलो राजशालः पिपाठकः ॥

Transliteration

śvetodaraḥ samūlaś ca vasudhāraś ca ratnavān | ekaśṛṅgo mahāśailo rājaśālaḥ pipāṭhakaḥ ||

Translation

ശ്വേതോദര, സമൂല, വസുധാര, രത്നവാൻ; ഏകശൃംഗ, മഹാശൈലം, രാജശാല, പിപാഠക—ഇവയും ഈ എണ്ണത്തിലുളള പർവതങ്ങളാണ്.

Word by Word

• śvetodaraḥ: Śvetodara (White-bellied; name of a mountain)
• śvetodaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvetodara (प्रातिपदिक; śveta+udara)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• samūlaḥ: Samūla (with roots/base; name of a mountain)
• samūlaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samūla (प्रातिपदिक; sa+mūla)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• vasudhāraḥ: Vasudhāra (Bearer of wealth/earth; name of a mountain)
• vasudhāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhāra (प्रातिपदिक; vasu+dhāra)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• ratnavān: Ratnavān (gem-bearing; name of a mountain)
• ratnavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratnavat (प्रातिपदिक; ratna+vat)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); possessive -vān (मतुप्/वन् प्रत्यय)

• ekaśṛṅgaḥ: Ekaśṛṅga (single-peaked; name of a mountain)
• ekaśṛṅgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekaśṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक; eka+śṛṅga)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahāśailaḥ: Mahāśaila (great rock/mountain; name)
• mahāśailaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahāśaila (प्रातिपदिक; mahā+śaila)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• rājaśālaḥ: Rājaśāla (royal śāla-tree / royal hall; name of a mountain)
• rājaśālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājaśāla (प्रातिपदिक; rāja+śāla)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• pipāṭhakaḥ: Pipāṭhaka (name of a mountain)
• pipāṭhakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pipāṭhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Not within Devi Mahatmyam; cosmographic narration (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred Geography

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The repeated stress on abundance (Ratnavān) and stability (Vasudhāra) reflects a worldview where the earth is sustained by cosmic order, inviting gratitude and restraint.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Cosmography tied to the Purana’s account of the world’s arrangement—supportive of sarga/pratisarga-type description.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘One-peaked’ (Ekaśṛṅga) can suggest ekāgratā (one-pointedness): the stable axis in a world of multiplicity, mirroring Meru’s centrality.