Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 7

The Six Dvīpas Beyond Jambūdvīpa and the Cosmic Boundary of Lokāloka

Devanagari script

प्लक्ष: स्वसमानेनेक्षुरसोदेनावृतो यथा तथा द्वीपोऽपि शाल्मलो द्विगुणविशाल: समानेन सुरोदेनावृत: परिवृङ्क्ते ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

plakṣaḥ sva-samānenekṣu-rasodenāvṛto yathā tathā dvīpo ’pi śālmalo dvi-guṇa-viśālaḥ samānena surodenāvṛtaḥ parivṛṅkte.

Translation

Sebagaimana Plakṣadvīpa dikelilingi lautan air tebu yang selebar pulau itu sendiri, demikian juga pulau seterusnya, Sālmalīdvīpa—dua kali lebih luas—dikelilingi lautan Surā yang selebarnya sama.

Synonyms

• plakṣaḥ: Plaksha-dvipa
• plakṣaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• sva-samānena: equal to itself (in width)
• sva-samānena: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva-samāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• ikṣu-rasa-udena: by the ocean of sugarcane juice
• ikṣu-rasa-udena: Karana (Instrument/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ikṣu-rasa-uda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• āvṛtaḥ: surrounded
• āvṛtaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āvṛta (कृदन्त - आ + वृ)
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative Adverb

• tathā: so / in that way
• tathā: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Correlative Adverb

• dvīpaḥ: island
• dvīpaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• api: also
• api: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/Emphasis

• śālmalaḥ: Shalmala-dvipa
• śālmalaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śālmala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• dvi-guṇa-viśālaḥ: twice as wide
• dvi-guṇa-viśālaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi-guṇa-viśāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• samānena: equal (in width)
• samānena: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• surā-udena: by the ocean of liquor
• surā-udena: Karana (Instrument/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surā-uda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• āvṛtaḥ: surrounded
• āvṛtaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āvṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• parivṛṅkte: surrounds
• parivṛṅkte: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-vṛj (धातु)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Prathama Purusha, Eka Vachana, Atmanepada

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Śālmaladvīpa and its ocean?

This verse states that Śālmaladvīpa is twice the size of the previous island and is surrounded by an ocean of surā (liquor) of equal breadth.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing islands and oceans in Canto 5?

He is explaining Bhū-maṇḍala—the ordered layout of the world-system—so the listener understands the Lord’s vast creation and the scriptural map of the universe.

What is the practical application of Bhagavatam cosmology in modern life?

It cultivates humility and God-consciousness by showing the immensity and design of creation, encouraging one to prioritize bhakti over material preoccupations.