Shloka 1

Adhyaya 54 — Cosmography of Jambudvipa: Continents, Oceans, Varshas, and Mount Meru

Sanskrit

कrauष्टुकिरुवाच ।

कति द्वीपाः समुद्राः वा पर्वताः वा कति द्विज ।

कियन्ति चैव वर्षाणि तेषां नद्यश्च का मुने ॥

Transliteration

krauṣṭukir uvāca |

kati dvīpāḥ samudrā vā parvatā vā kati dvija |

kiyanti caiva varṣāṇi teṣāṃ nadyaś ca kā mune ||

Translation

କ୍ରୌଷ୍ଟୁକି କହିଲେ—ହେ ଦ୍ୱିଜ! କେତେ ଦ୍ୱୀପ, କେତେ ସମୁଦ୍ର ଓ କେତେ ପର୍ବତ ଅଛି? ଏବଂ କେତେ ବର୍ଷ (ପ୍ରଦେଶ) ଅଛି, ସେମାନଙ୍କର ନଦୀଗୁଡ଼ିକ କେଉଁଗୁଡ଼ିକ, ହେ ମୁନି?

Word by Word

• krauṣṭukiḥ: Krauṣṭuki (the speaker)
• krauṣṭukiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krauṣṭuki (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• kati: how many
• kati: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-संख्याविशेषण (interrogative numeral), बहुवचन-प्रयोग (used with plural noun)

• dvīpāḥ: continents/islands
• dvīpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• samudrāḥ: oceans
• samudrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• parvatāḥ: mountains
• parvatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• kati: how many
• kati: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-संख्याविशेषण (interrogative numeral), बहुवचन-प्रयोग (used with plural noun)

• dvija: O twice-born (brahmin)
• dvija: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• kiyanti: how many/how much (in number)
• kiyanti: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kiyat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-परिमाणविशेषण (interrogative of quantity), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/बहुवचन-समन्वय (agreeing with neuter plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction: 'and')

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• varṣāṇi: years/regions (varṣas)
• varṣāṇi: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• nadyaḥ: rivers
• nadyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction: 'and')

• kā: which/what (fem.)
• kā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• Krauṣṭuki → Mārkaṇḍeya

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred geography
• Dialogue/inquiry

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The Purāṇa models śāstric learning as precise questioning: the student asks for enumerations and names, implying that right understanding begins with clear categories and careful curiosity.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

It introduces the cosmographic expansion that supports Sarga (world-structure) and Manvantara (world-order across time), though this verse itself is the prastāvanā (opening inquiry).

What is the esoteric significance?

Counting dvīpas and mapping rivers can symbolize charting the ‘inner world’—distinct domains of experience and the ‘streams’ (nadīs/flows) through which consciousness moves.