Shloka 34

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

श्रूयन्ते गिरयश् चामी वने ऽस्मिन् कामरूपिणः तत् तद् रूपं समास्थाय रमन्ते स्वेषु सानुषु

Transliteration

śrūyante girayaś cāmī vane 'smin kāmarūpiṇaḥ tat tad rūpaṃ samāsthāya ramante sveṣu sānuṣu

Translation

ஓ மைத்ரேயா, இந்தக் காட்டிலேயே சில மலைகள் விரும்பிய வடிவம் எடுக்கும் ‘காமரூபிகள்’ என்று கேள்விப்படுகிறோம். அவை அந்தந்த வடிவங்களை ஏற்று, தம் சரிவுகளில் மகிழ்ந்து விளையாடுகின்றன.

Word by Word

श्रूयन्तेare heard

गिरयःmountains

चand

अमीthese (those)

वनेin the forest

अस्मिन्in this

कामरूपिणःshape-shifting at will

तत्that

तत्that (each)

रूपम्form

समास्थायhaving assumed

रमन्तेthey sport, delight

स्वेषुin their own

सानुषुon the ridges/peaks

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Mountains

Forest (vana)

Maitreya

Sage Parasara

FAQs

What is the significance of shape-shifting mountains in the Vishnu Purana?

They illustrate the Purāṇic idea that creation contains lawful marvels (adbhuta) within a divinely sustained cosmic order, where even landscapes can manifest extraordinary powers.

How does Sage Parāśara explain wonders of the world to Maitreya in this section?

He narrates features of forests, mountains, and regions as part of Bhuvana-kośa teaching—using reported tradition (“it is heard”) to map sacred geography and its marvels.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the framework is Vaishnava: the world’s stability and its wonders arise under the supreme governance of Vishnu as the sustaining Reality.