Shloka 1

मन्वन्तर-क्रमः (अतीत-सप्तमन्वन्तराः) तथा मन्वन्तरावताराः

Devanagari script

कथिता गुरुणा सम्यग् भूसमुद्रादिसंस्थितिः सूर्यादीनां च संस्थानं ज्योतिषाम् अपि विस्तरात्

Transliteration

kathitā guruṇā samyag bhūsamudrādisaṃsthitiḥ sūryādīnāṃ ca saṃsthānaṃ jyotiṣām api vistarāt

Translation

ਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਨੇ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਹੀ ਧਰਤੀ, ਸਮੁੰਦਰ ਆਦਿ ਦੀ ਠੀਕ ਬਣਤਰ ਅਤੇ ਸੂਰਜ ਆਦਿ ਜੋਤੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਸਥਿਤੀ ਵਿਸਥਾਰ ਨਾਲ ਦੱਸੀ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• कथिता: was described
• कथिता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथित (कृदन्त; √कथ् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) — 'having been told/said'

• गुरुणा: by the teacher
• गुरुणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental — 'by the teacher'

• सम्यक्: properly, correctly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• भू-समुद्र-आदि-संस्थितिः: the arrangement of earth, ocean, etc.
• भू-समुद्र-आदि-संस्थितिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/समाहारार्थक-निर्देश: 'भू-समुद्र-आदीनां संस्थितिः' — arrangement/position of earth, ocean, etc.

• सूर्य-आदीनाम्: of the sun and others
• सूर्य-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; 'of the sun and others'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• संस्थानम्: the form/structure
• संस्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here as another subject-item coordinated with 'संस्थितिः'

• ज्योतिषाम्: of the luminaries
• ज्योतिषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; 'of the luminaries'

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (also/even)

• विस्तरात्: in detail
• विस्तरात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/अव्ययीभावार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative — 'in detail/at length' (lit. 'from विस्तार')

Speaker

Sage Parasara (continuing his discourse to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Recap that earth–ocean divisions and the stations of the Sun and other luminaries have already been taught; transition to the next requested topic.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: orderly, authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas

Characters & Entities

• Guru (teacher)
• Sun (Surya)
• Jyotis (luminaries)

FAQs

What is the significance of describing the earth, oceans, and luminaries in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse signals a systematic cosmological account: the Purana presents the world’s ordered structure as intelligible and governed, setting the stage for later teachings on time-cycles and dharma.

How does Sage Parasara explain the cosmic arrangement in this section?

He presents it as a careful, detailed exposition—earth and oceans first, then the Sun and other luminaries—framing cosmology as a coherent system rather than scattered myths.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s cosmology functions as a theology of order: the stable placement of worlds and lights reflects a universe sustained under the Supreme Reality that Vaishnava tradition identifies with Vishnu.