Shloka 9

Bhū-maṇḍala as a Lotus: Jambūdvīpa, Ilāvṛta, and the Meru System

Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Brahmapurī

Devanagari script

एवं दक्षिणेनेलावृतं निषधो हेमकूटो हिमालय इति प्रागायता यथा नीलादयोऽयुतयोजनोत्सेधा हरिवर्षकिम्पुरुषभारतानां यथासङ्ख्यम् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

evaṁ dakṣiṇenelāvṛtaṁ niṣadho hemakūṭo himālaya iti prāg-āyatā yathā nīlādayo ’yuta-yojanotsedhā hari-varṣa-kimpuruṣa-bhāratānāṁ yathā-saṅkhyam.

Translation

Demikian juga, di selatan Ilāvṛta-varṣa terbentang dari timur ke barat tiga gunung besar: Niṣadha, Hemakūṭa dan Himālaya. Seperti gunung Nīla dan lainnya, ketinggian masing-masing ialah sepuluh ribu yojana. Gunung-gunung ini menandai sempadan Hari-varṣa, Kimpuruṣa-varṣa dan Bhārata-varṣa menurut turutan.

Synonyms

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• दक्षिणेन: to the south
• दक्षिणेन: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: दिशानिर्देशे तृतीया-एकवचनवत् अव्ययीभावार्थः; 'to the south'

• इलावृतम्: Ilāvṛta
• इलावृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इलावृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निषधः: Niṣadha (mountain)
• निषधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पर्वतनाम

• हेमकूटः: Hemakūṭa (mountain)
• हेमकूटः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमकूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पर्वतनाम

• हिमालयः: Himālaya (mountain)
• हिमालयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमालय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पर्वतनाम

• इति: namely
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative)

• प्राक्-आयताः: extending eastward
• प्राक्-आयताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय) + आयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (गिरयः) इति अध्याहारः

• यथा: as/just like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (comparative/according as)

• नील-आदयः: Nīla and others
• नील-आदयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष — 'नीलः आदिः येषाम्' (Nīla and others); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अयुत-योजन-उत्सेधाः: having a height of ten thousand yojanas
• अयुत-योजन-उत्सेधाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयुत (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष — 'अयुतयोजनानाम् उत्सेधः' (height of ten-thousand yojanas); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (गिरयः) इति विशेषणम्

• हरि-वर्ष-किम्पुरुष-भारताणाम्: of Hari-varṣa, Kimpuruṣa, and Bhārata
• हरि-वर्ष-किम्पुरुष-भारताणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिवर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + किम्पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative) of three varṣa-names; षष्ठी, बहुवचन; (मर्यादागिरयः) इति सम्बन्धः

• यथा-सङ्ख्यम्: in due order
• यथा-सङ्ख्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + सङ्ख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव — 'according to the order/number' (adverb)

Characters & Entities

• Ilāvṛta-varṣa
• Niṣadha
• Hemakūṭa
• Himālaya
• Nīla
• Hari-varṣa
• Kimpuruṣa-varṣa
• Bhārata-varṣa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Ilāvṛta-varṣa and the mountains around it?

This verse states that to the south of Ilāvṛta-varṣa lie the Niṣadha, Hemakūṭa, and Himālaya ranges, extending east–west, each about ten thousand yojanas high, forming the borders of Hari-varṣa, Kimpuruṣa-varṣa, and Bhārata-varṣa respectively.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing mountains like Niṣadha and Himālaya to Mahārāja Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva is systematically narrating the Bhāgavatam’s sacred cosmology of Jambūdvīpa—its varṣas and natural boundaries—so Parīkṣit can understand the ordered arrangement of the Lord’s creation and the place of Bhārata-varṣa within it.

How can devotees apply Bhagavatam cosmology teachings in modern life?

By seeing the world as an organized, purposeful creation of Bhagavān, one cultivates humility and gratitude, and remembers that Bhārata-varṣa is especially meant for dharma and bhakti—encouraging a life oriented toward devotion rather than mere consumption.