Shloka 8

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

Sanskrit

जम्बुद्वीपस्य संस्थानं प्रवक्ष्येऽहं निबोध मे ।

लक्षमेकं योजनानां वृत्तौ विस्तारदैर्घ्यतः ॥

Transliteration

jambudvīpasya saṃsthānaṃ pravakṣye 'haṃ nibodha me | lakṣam ekaṃ yojanānāṃ vṛttau vistāra-dairghyataḥ ||

Translation

เราจักพรรณนาลักษณะของชัมพูทวีป จงฟังเราเถิด ขอบเขตรอบด้านมีหนึ่งแสนโยชน์ และทั้งความกว้างกับความยาวก็มีประมาณเท่านั้นเช่นกัน।

Word by Word

• जम्बुद्वीपस्य: of Jambu-dvīpa
• जम्बुद्वीपस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्बु (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जम्बोः द्वीपः)

• संस्थानम्: shape/form
• संस्थानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रवक्ष्ये: I will describe
• प्रवक्ष्ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निबोध: understand/heed
• निबोध: Prayojaka (प्रयोजक/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मे: to me / from me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Genitive/Dative), एकवचन; अत्र सम्बोधनार्थे ‘to me/from me’

• लक्षम्: a lakh (100,000)
• लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (लक्षम्)

• योजनानाम्: of yojanas
• योजनानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वृत्तौ: in circumference / as circumference
• वृत्तौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; अत्र ‘परिधौ/वृत्तपरिमाणे’

• विस्तार: breadth/extent
• विस्तार: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (stem in compound); समासाङ्ग

• दैर्घ्यतः: in terms of length
• दैर्घ्यतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative used adverbially), एकवचन; ‘-तः’ अव्ययीभावार्थ (with respect to)

Speakers

• Unnamed Purāṇic narrator describing cosmic geography (frame-speakers not explicit in this excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred Geography
• Purāṇic Measurements
• Jambudvipa

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

By framing geography as teachable knowledge, the Purāṇa models śravaṇa (attentive listening) and transmission of tradition as a dharmic act.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is 'Sthāna'—the Purāṇic mapping of the world with standard measures and divisions.

What is the esoteric significance?

Measurements in Purāṇic cosmology often function as contemplative supports—vast scales shift attention from the personal to the cosmic, aiding disidentification from the limited self.