Vamana Purana — Structure of Jambudvipa, Shloka 31

The Structure of Jambudvipa: Nine Varshas, Navadvipa Bharata, Mountains, Rivers, and Peoples

Devanagari script

दुग्धोदा नलिनी रेव वारिसेना कलस्वना एतास्त्वपि महानद्यः सह्यपादविनिर्गताः

Transliteration

dugdhodā nalinī reva vārisenā kalasvanā etāstvapi mahānadyaḥ sahyapādavinirgatāḥ

Translation

ทุคโธทา นลินี เรวา วาริเสนา และกละสวะนา—แม่น้ำยิ่งใหญ่เหล่านี้ก็อุบัติจากเชิงเขาสหยะเช่นกัน

Word by Word

• दुग्धोदा: (river) Dugdhodā
• दुग्धोदा: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य-निर्देशः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध-उदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नदी-नाम

• नलिनी: (river) Nalinī
• नलिनी: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य-निर्देशः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नलिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नदी-नाम

• रेवा: (river) Revā (Narmadā)
• रेवा: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य-निर्देशः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नदी-नाम

• वारिसेना: (river) Vārisenā
• वारिसेना: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य-निर्देशः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि-सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नदी-नाम

• कलस्वना: (river) Kalasvanā
• कलस्वना: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य-निर्देशः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल-स्वना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नदी-नाम

• एताः: these
• एताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/विरोधार्थक-अन्वय (particle: but/indeed)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: also/even)

• महानद्यः: great rivers
• महानद्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सह्यपादविनिर्गताः: issuing from the Sahya mountain’s slopes
• सह्यपादविनिर्गताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह्य-पाद-विनिर्गत (कृदन्त; √निर्गम्/निर्गच्छ् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-विशेषण (past passive participle): ‘having come forth’

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (typical frame for this section; verse is catalogic)

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Tīrtha-Māhātmya
• Purāṇic Catalogues

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse sacralizes the natural landscape: rivers are presented as ‘great’ and worthy of reverence, supporting the Purāṇic ethic that purity, pilgrimage, and gratitude toward life-sustaining waters are dhārmic duties.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily within ‘Bhūmi/Deśa-varṇana’ (a common Purāṇic sub-genre often grouped under sarga-related cosmography/geography rather than dynastic history). It functions as tīrtha-oriented geographical enumeration.

What is the symbolic significance?

Rivers ‘issuing from’ a mountain symbolize dharma flowing from a stable source: the Sahya stands for firmness; the rivers represent disseminated purity and merit (puṇya) available to the world through sacred geography.