Shloka 21

Meru-Topography: Cities of Brahmā and the Dikpālas; Descent of Gaṅgā; Varṣa-Lotus and Boundary Mountains

Devanagari script

तस्या उत्तरदिग्भागे वायोरपि महापुरी / नाम्ना गन्धवती पुण्या तत्रास्ते ऽसौ प्रभञ्जनः

Transliteration

tasyā uttaradigbhāge vāyorapi mahāpurī / nāmnā gandhavatī puṇyā tatrāste 'sau prabhañjanaḥ

Translation

ทางทิศเหนือของแดนนั้น ยังมีมหานครของพระวายุ นามว่า ‘คันธวตี’ อันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ณ ที่นั้นเองประทับอยู่พระประภัญชนะ ผู้เป็นลมอันเกรียงไกร.

Word by Word

• tasyāḥ: of that (city)
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) — ‘महापुर्याः’ इत्यर्थे

• uttara-dik-bhāge: in the northern quarter/part
• uttara-dik-bhāge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + diś (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (उत्तरायां दिशि भागः); सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• vāyoḥ: of Vāyu
• vāyoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (Particle) — अपि = also

• mahā-purī: the great city
• mahā-purī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• gandhavatī: (named) Gandhavatī
• gandhavatī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandhavatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) — नगरनाम

• puṇyā: holy
• puṇyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) — विशेषणम्

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (Adverb)

• āste: dwells
• āste: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ās (आस् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• asau: that (one)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) — सर्वनाम

• prabhañjanaḥ: Prabhañjana (Wind)
• prabhañjanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhañjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) — वायोः नाम

Speaker

Primary narrator (Sūta) relating the Purāṇic cosmography/geography as taught in the Kurma Purana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Prabhanjana
• Gandhavati

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily cosmographic rather than directly metaphysical; it situates divine powers (like Vāyu/Prabhañjana) within an ordered sacred geography, implying a cosmos governed by intelligible divine principles under the Supreme.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga technique is taught in this line; its function is to frame the sacred, ordered universe in which dharma and later Kurma Purana teachings (including Pāśupata-oriented discipline) are to be practiced.

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

It does not directly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; however, by presenting a shared Purāṇic cosmic order of deities and their abodes, it supports the Kurma Purana’s broader integrative theology where sectarian deities operate within one overarching sacred reality.