Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 22

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

Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Brahmapurī

Devanagari script

यस्तु महाकदम्ब: सुपार्श्वनिरूढो यास्तस्य कोटरेभ्यो विनि:सृता: पञ्चायामपरिणाहा: पञ्च मधुधारा: सुपार्श्वशिखरात्पतन्त्योऽपरेणात्मानमिलावृतमनुमोदयन्ति ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

yas tu mahā-kadambaḥ supārśva-nirūḍho yās tasya koṭarebhyo viniḥsṛtāḥ pañcāyāma-pariṇāhāḥ pañca madhu-dhārāḥ supārśva-śikharāt patantyo ’pareṇātmānam ilāvṛtam anumodayanti.

Translation

ସୁପାର୍ଶ୍ୱ ପର୍ବତର ପାର୍ଶ୍ୱରେ ‘ମହାକଦମ୍ବ’ ନାମକ ଏକ ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ ବିଶାଳ ବୃକ୍ଷ ଅଛି। ତାହାର କୋଟରରୁ ପାଞ୍ଚଟି ମଧୁଧାରା ବାହାରେ; ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ଧାରା ପାଞ୍ଚ ବ୍ୟାମ ପ୍ରସ୍ଥ। ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକ ସୁପାର୍ଶ୍ୱ ଶିଖରରୁ ନିରନ୍ତର ପତିତ ହୋଇ ପଶ୍ଚିମ ଦିଗରୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରି ସମଗ୍ର ଇଲାବୃତ-ବର୍ଷକୁ ଚାରିଦିଗରେ ପ୍ରବାହିତ ହୋଇ ଭିଜାଇ ଦିଏ; ଫଳରେ ସମସ୍ତ ଭୂମି ମଧୁର ସୁଗନ୍ଧରେ ପରିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହୁଏ।

Synonyms

• yaḥ: which/who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• mahā-kadambaḥ: the great kadamba tree
• mahā-kadambaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + kadamba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; (समासः: महान् कदम्बः = कर्मधारय)

• supārśva-nirūḍhaḥ: grown on Supārśva (mountain)
• supārśva-nirūḍhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: supārśva (प्रातिपदिक) + ni-√ruh/√rudh? (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘grown/risen’; (समासः: सुपार्श्वे निरूढः = सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• yāḥ: which (streams)
• yāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• tasya: of it/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन

• koṭarebhyaḥ: from the hollows
• koṭarebhyaḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/ablative); बहुवचन

• viniḥsṛtāḥ: issuing forth
• viniḥsṛtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-niḥ-√sṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘gone out’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; मधुधाराः विशेषयति

• pañca-āyāma-pariṇāhāḥ: of five-yōjana extent
• pañca-āyāma-pariṇāhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या) + āyāma (प्रातिपदिक) + pariṇāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; (समासः: पञ्च आयामाः/परिणाहाः यस्याः = द्विगु-बहुव्रीहिवत् प्रयोग; ‘five yojanas in length and breadth’)

• pañca: five
• pañca: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; प्रथमा; बहुवचनार्थे (five)

• madhu-dhārāḥ: streams of honey
• madhu-dhārāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; (समासः: मधोः धारा = षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• supārśva-śikharāt: from the peak of Supārśva
• supārśva-śikharāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: supārśva (प्रातिपदिक) + śikhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी; एकवचन; (समासः: सुपार्श्वस्य शिखरम् = षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• patantyaḥ: falling down
• patantyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pat (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; मधुधाराः विशेषयति

• apareṇa: by another (course/side)
• apareṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन; ‘by the other/next (side/way)’

• ātmānam: itself
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; (स्व-आत्मन्)

• ilāvṛtam: Ilāvṛta (region)
• ilāvṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ilāvṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; देशनाम

• anumodayanti: they gladden/please
• anumodayanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√mud (धातु)
• Form: लट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन

Purport

The distance between one hand and another when one spreads both his arms is called a vyāma. This comes to about eight feet. Thus each of the rivers was about forty feet wide, making a total of about two hundred feet.

Characters & Entities

• Ilāvṛta (Ilāvṛta-varṣa)
• Supārśva (mountain)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Ilāvṛta-varṣa in Canto 5?

In Canto 5, the Bhāgavatam describes Ilāvṛta-varṣa as a wondrous region within Jambūdvīpa, beautified by extraordinary natural features—here, honey streams falling from Mount Supārśva are said to delight the land.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing honey streams and mountains to Mahārāja Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva is answering Parīkṣit’s inquiries about the structure of the universe by detailing Jambūdvīpa’s varṣas and mountains, presenting sacred geography as part of the Bhāgavatam’s cosmological narration.

What is the practical application of Bhagavatam cosmology for a modern devotee?

It cultivates humility and reverence for the Lord’s vast creation, helping a devotee shift from self-centered thinking to God-centered remembrance (smaraṇa) and gratitude.