Shloka 24

Measure of the Three Worlds, Planetary Spheres, and Sūrya as the Root of Trailokya

Devanagari script

विस्तीर्णं मण्डलं कृत्वा तस्योर्ध्वं चरते शशी / नक्षत्रमण्डलं कृत्स्नं सोमादूर्ध्वं प्रसर्पति

Transliteration

vistīrṇaṃ maṇḍalaṃ kṛtvā tasyordhvaṃ carate śaśī / nakṣatramaṇḍalaṃ kṛtsnaṃ somādūrdhvaṃ prasarpati

Translation

เมื่อก่อเป็นมณฑลอันกว้างใหญ่แล้ว เหนือมณฑลนั้นศศี (จันทร์) โคจรอยู่; และเหนือโสมะ มณฑลนักษัตรทั้งสิ้นแผ่ขยายและทอดยาวต่อไป.

Word by Word

• विस्तीर्णम्: expanded/widened
• विस्तीर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + स्तॄ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘विस्तीर्ण’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मविशेषण—मण्डलम्

• मण्डलम्: orbit/circle
• मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• तस्य: of it/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above/upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of direction)

• चरते: moves
• चरते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• शशी: the Moon
• शशी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; चन्द्रवाचक

• नक्षत्र-मण्डलम्: the circle/region of the stars
• नक्षत्र-मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्स्नम्: entire/whole
• कृत्स्नम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण—नक्षत्रमण्डलम्

• सोमात्: from the Moon/than the Moon
• सोमात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अपादान

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययवत्; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• प्रसर्पति: moves along/extends
• प्रसर्पति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृप् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in Purāṇic cosmography

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Śaśī (Moon)
• Soma
• Nakṣatra-maṇḍala (sphere of lunar mansions)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: by mapping ordered cosmic layers (Moon and Nakṣatra-sphere), the verse reflects a dhārmic vision of a structured universe—supporting the Purāṇic teaching that the Supreme Self is the underlying regulator beyond all moving spheres.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific āsana or mantra is stated; the verse supports dhyāna through cosmic visualization—contemplating the Moon’s course and the nakṣatra-maṇḍala as a meditative aid, consistent with Purāṇic upāsanā and later Ishvara-centered Yoga instructions in the Kurma tradition.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

The verse is cosmographic rather than sectarian; in the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such cosmic order is ultimately governed by the one Īśvara—understood as non-contradictory whether addressed through Vaiṣṇava (Kurma/Vishnu) or Śaiva (Īśvara/Pāśupata) lenses.