Shloka 28

Measure of the Three Worlds, Planetary Spheres, and Sūrya as the Root of Trailokya

Devanagari script

सार्धकोटिस्तथा सप्त नियुतान्यधिकानि तु / योजनानां तु तस्याक्षस्तत्र चक्रं प्रतिष्ठितम्

Transliteration

sārdhakoṭistathā sapta niyutānyadhikāni tu / yojanānāṃ tu tasyākṣastatra cakraṃ pratiṣṭhitam

Translation

Gandar (axle)nya berukuran tujuh koṭi yojana, dengan tambahan niyuta lagi; pada gandar itulah roda kosmik ditegakkan dengan kukuh.

Word by Word

• सार्धकोटिः: one and a half crores
• सार्धकोटिः: Karta/Measure (कर्ता/परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार्ध + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; अव्ययीभाव: सार्ध (अव्यय ‘with/and a half’) + कोटि

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय; adverb

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या; indeclinable-like numeral used adjectivally

• नियुतानि: niyutas (ten-thousands)
• नियुतानि: Karma/Measure (कर्म/परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Nominative/Accusative plural (as measure)

• अधिकानि: additional
• अधिकानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; agreeing with नियुतानि; ‘additional’

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: पदार्थ-विशेषणार्थक-अव्यय; particle

• योजनानाम्: of yojanas
• योजनानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: particle

• तस्य: of that (chariot)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular ‘of it/of his’

• अक्षः: axle
• अक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय; locative adverb ‘there’

• चक्रम्: wheel
• चक्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Nominative/Accusative singular

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: is fixed/placed
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle ‘set/placed/established’

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana to the sages, describing the cosmographic system)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• cakra (cosmic wheel)
• akṣa (axle)
• yojana (measure)
• koṭi
• niyuta

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

This verse is primarily cosmographic, describing the world-system’s measurements; indirectly, it supports the Purana’s view that the ordered cosmos rests on an underlying sustaining principle—later identified theologically as Īśvara—though the Atman is not explicitly discussed here.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No direct Yoga practice is taught in this verse; its function is to map the cosmic order. In Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis, such cosmology frames dhyāna by giving the meditator a structured vision of the universe upheld by Īśvara.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

The verse itself does not name Shiva or Vishnu; it contributes to the shared Puranic cosmology that both Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions interpret as the manifestation of the one divine Lord (Īśvara) who sustains the cosmic order.