Shloka 20

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

Sanskrit

विपुलश्च सुपार्श्वश्च केतुपादपशोभिताः ।

कदम्बो मन्दरे केतुर् जम्बुवा गन्धमादने ॥

Transliteration

vipulaśca supārśvaśca ketupādapaśobhitāḥ / kadambo mandare keturjambuva gandhamādane

Translation

விபுலமும் சுபார்ஷ்வமும் கேது மரத்தால் அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. மந்தரத்தில் கடம்ப மரம்; கந்தமாதனத்தில் ஜம்பு மரம் உள்ளது.

Speakers

• Not identifiable from the supplied excerpt (cosmography narration)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred Geography
• Sacred flora (mythic trees)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Nature is presented as sacralized: mountains are not inert masses but living landscapes marked by emblematic trees, encouraging reverence toward the environment as part of cosmic order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sarga/Sthāna-type cosmography: cataloging features (mountains, trees) that constitute the world-description.

What is the esoteric significance?

Trees function as ‘signatures’ of regions—symbols of qualities or powers associated with each quarter—supporting visualization practices where each direction has a distinct emblem.