Shloka 43
The Glory of Bhārata-varṣa: Enumerating Mountains, Rivers, and Regions
अटवीशेखराश्चैव मेरुभूताश्च सत्तमाः । उपावृतानुपावृताः सुराष्ट्राः केकयास्तथा
aṭavīśekharāścaiva merubhūtāśca sattamāḥ | upāvṛtānupāvṛtāḥ surāṣṭrāḥ kekayāstathā
ยังมี อฏวีเศขระ และเมรุภูตผู้ประเสริฐ; อีกทั้ง อุปาวฤตะ และอนุปาวฤตะ, สอุราษฏระ และเคกยะ ด้วย
Unspecified (narrative catalogue within the Svarga-khaṇḍa dialogue context)
Concept: Earthly polities are situated within a larger cosmic architecture (Meru-centered order), implying a moral cosmos overseen by the divine.
Application: See daily life as part of a larger sacred order; align actions with dharma through regular observances (ekādaśī, dāna, pūjā) regardless of where one lives.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A towering golden Meru rises at the center, while at its foothills a ring of lands appears like petals—Saurāṣṭra as a sea-kissed peninsula with temple spires, Kekaya as a northwest plain with horse banners. Mythic clans—Merubhūtas, Upāvṛtas, Anupāvṛtas—stand as guardian figures along the mountain’s terraces, suggesting a cosmos arranged in concentric sanctity.","primary_figures":["Mount Meru (personified/central axis)","Merubhūtas (guardian clan figures)","Personified Saurāṣṭra","Personified Kekaya"],"setting":"Cosmic Meru-mandala with concentric continents/lands, sea rim, and cloud rings","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["molten gold","turquoise sea","lapis lazuli","coral red","ivory"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: colossal Mount Meru in the center with embossed gold leaf terraces; guardian Merubhūtas in jeweled armor; Saurāṣṭra shown as a turquoise peninsula with temple gopuras, Kekaya as bannered plains; thick gold borders, ruby and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, symmetrical mandala composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant Meru rising amid cool blue clouds; concentric lands painted as delicate petals—coastal Saurāṣṭra with boats and shrines, Kekaya with horsemen; refined faces, soft gradients, lyrical naturalism, fine inscriptions and floral margins.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines of Meru with tiered bands; stylized guardian figures (Merubhūtas) with characteristic eyes; saturated reds/yellows/greens; coastal and plain motifs simplified into iconic forms within a temple-wall mandala frame.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central golden Meru-lotus with concentric rings; Saurāṣṭra depicted with sea waves and temple silhouettes, Kekaya with horses and flags; deep blue ground, gold detailing, intricate floral borders, peacocks and lotus motifs filling negative space."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft conch shell","temple bells","high silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अटवीशेखराश्चैव = अटवीशेखराः + च + एव; मेरुभूताश्च = मेरुभूताः + च
FAQs
It lists groups/peoples (tribes or regional communities) such as the Saurāṣṭras and Kekayas as part of a broader geographical or ethnographic catalogue in the Svarga-khaṇḍa.
Not directly. This śloka functions primarily as a catalogue of names; its value is contextual—preserving traditional memory of regions and peoples referenced in Purāṇic geography.
They connect Purāṇic literature to identifiable cultural-geographical zones (Saurāṣṭra in western India; Kekaya associated with northwestern regions in epic sources), helping readers map textual tradition to historical geography.