Shloka 11

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

Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Brahmapurī

Devanagari script

मन्दरो मेरुमन्दर: सुपार्श्व: कुमुद इत्ययुतयोजनविस्तारोन्नाहा मेरोश्चतुर्दिशमवष्टम्भगिरय उपक्‍ल‍ृप्ता: ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

mandaro merumandaraḥ supārśvaḥ kumuda ity ayuta-yojana-vistāronnāhā meroś catur-diśam avaṣṭambha-giraya upakḷptāḥ.

Translation

మహాపర్వతమైన సుమేరు యొక్క నాలుగు దిక్కులలో మందర, మేరుమందర, సుపార్శ్వ, కుముద అనే నాలుగు పర్వతాలు అతని కటిబంధాల వలె ఆధారంగా నిలిచివున్నాయి. వీటి వెడల్పు, ఎత్తు పది వేల యోజనాలు అని చెప్పబడింది.

Synonyms

• मन्दरः: Mandara (a mountain)
• मन्दरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• मेरुमन्दरः: Meru-mandara (Mandara of Meru)
• मेरुमन्दरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु + मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मेरोः मन्दरः)

• सुपार्श्वः: Supārśva (a mountain)
• सुपार्श्वः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुमुदः: Kumuda (a mountain)
• कुमुदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus; namely
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः; अव्यय, उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक (quotative particle)

• अयुत-योजन-विस्तार-उन्नाहाः: having breadth and height of ten-thousand yojanas
• अयुत-योजन-विस्तार-उन्नाहाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयुत + योजन + विस्तार + उन्नाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (अयुत-योजन = ten-thousand yojanas; विस्तार-उन्नाह = breadth & height) बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; विशेषणम् (गिरयः)

• मेरोः: of Meru
• मेरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• चतुः-दिशम्: the four directions
• चतुः-दिशम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative sense via direction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (चतस्रः दिशः)

• अवष्टम्भ-गिरयः: supporting mountains
• अवष्टम्भ-गिरयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवष्टम्भ + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (अवष्टम्भस्य गिरयः)

• उपकॢप्ताः: arranged; set up
• उपकॢप्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + कृ (धातु) → उपकॢप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (गिरयः)

Characters & Entities

• Mandara
• Merumandara
• Supārśva
• Kumuda
• Mount Meru

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the mountains surrounding Mount Meru?

This verse states that four supporting mountains—Mandara, Merumandara, Supārśva, and Kumuda—stand on the four sides of Mount Meru, each measuring ten thousand yojanas in breadth and height.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing Mount Meru and its supporting mountains to Mahārāja Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva is narrating the Fifth Canto’s cosmological description of Jambūdvīpa, helping Parīkṣit understand the ordered arrangement of the Lord’s creation as part of hearing Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.

How can Bhagavata cosmology be applied in modern devotional life?

By hearing these descriptions with faith and humility, one cultivates remembrance of the Lord as the intelligent organizer of creation, strengthening śraddhā and steadiness in bhakti rather than mere curiosity.