Shloka 4
Qualities of the Five Great Elements; Description of Sudarśana-dvīpa and Mount Meru
भूमिरापस्तथा वायुरग्निराकाशमेव च । गुणोत्तराणि सर्वाणि तेषां भूमिः प्रधानतः
bhūmirāpastathā vāyuragnirākāśameva ca | guṇottarāṇi sarvāṇi teṣāṃ bhūmiḥ pradhānataḥ
पृथ्वी, जल, वायु, अग्नी आणि आकाश—या सर्वांचे गुण उत्तरोत्तर वाढत जातात; तरीही त्यांमध्ये पृथ्वीला प्रधान मानले जाते।
Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within the Adhyāya context)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भूमिरापस् = भूमिः + आपः; वायुरग्निराकाशम् = वायुः + अग्निः + आकाशम्; गुणोत्तराणि = गुण + उत्तराणि (समास/सन्धि); आकाशमेव = आकाशम् + एव.
FAQs
It lists earth, water, wind, fire, and ether and states that they are arranged with progressively increasing qualities (guṇas), presenting a graded cosmological schema.
In many Indian cosmological explanations, earth is treated as the most concrete and supportive element—closely tied to stability and embodied life—so it is described as primary among the elements.
This verse is mainly philosophical/cosmological, explaining elemental theory and the hierarchy of qualities rather than narrating devotion or ritual practice.