Varaha Purana 88.3 — Adhyaya 88, Shloka 3
Account of the Extents of Śālmaladvīpa, Gomedadvīpa, and Puṣkaradvīpa
घृतसमुद्रमावृत्य व्यवस्थितस्तद्विस्तारो द्विगुणस्तत्र च सप्त पर्वताः प्रधानास्तावन्ति वर्षाणि तावत्यो नद्यः । तत्र च पर्वताः । सुमहान् पीतःशातकुम्भात् सार्वगुणसौवर्णरोहितसुमनसकुशल ----- जाम्बूनदवैद्युता इत्येते कुलपर्वता वर्षाणि चेति । अथ षष्ठं गोमेदं कथ्यते । शाल्मलं यथा सुरोदेनावृतं तद्वत् सुरोदोऽपि तद्द्विगुणेन गोमेदेनावृतः । तत्र च प्रधानपर्वतौ द्वावेव । एकस्य तावत्तावसरः । अपरश्च कुमुद इति । समुद्रश्चेक्षुरसस्तद्द्विगुणेन पुष्करेणावृतः । तत्र च पुष्कराख्ये मानसो नाम पर्वतः । तदपि द्विधा छिन्नं वर्षं तत्प्रमाणेन च । स्वादोदकेनावृतम् । ततश्च कटाहम् । एतत् पृथिव्याः प्रमाणम् । ब्रह्माण्डस्य च सकटाहविस्तारप्रमाणम् । एवंविधानामण्डानां परिसंख्यां न विद्यते । एतानि कल्पे कल्पे भगवान् नारायणः क्रोडरूपी रसातलान्तःप्रविष्टानि दंष्ट्रैकैनोद्धृत्य स्थितौ स्थापयति । एष वः कथितो मार्गो भूमेरायामविस्तरः । स्वस्ति वोऽस्तु गमिष्यामि कैलासं निलयं द्विजाः
ghṛtasamudram āvṛtya vyavasthitas tadvistāro dviguṇas tatra ca sapta parvatāḥ pradhānās tāvanti varṣāṇi tāvatyo nadyaḥ | tatra ca parvatāḥ | sumahān pītaḥśātakumbhāt sārva-guṇa-sauvarṇa-rohita-sumanasa-kuśala ----- jāmbūnada-vaidyutā ity ete kulaparvatā varṣāṇi ceti | atha ṣaṣṭhaṃ gomedaṃ kathyate | śālmalaṃ yathā surodenāvṛtaṃ tadvat surodo 'pi taddviguṇena gomedena vṛtaḥ | tatra ca pradhānaparvatau dvāv eva | ekasya tāvat tāvasaraḥ | aparaś ca kumuda iti | samudraś cekṣurasaḥ taddviguṇena puṣkareṇāvṛtaḥ | tatra ca puṣkarākhye mānaso nāma parvataḥ | tad api dvidhā chinnaṃ varṣaṃ tatpramāṇena ca | svādodakenāvṛtam | tataś ca kaṭāham | etat pṛthivyāḥ pramāṇam | brahmāṇḍasya ca sakaṭāhavistārapramāṇam | evaṃvidhānām aṇḍānāṃ parisaṃkhyā na vidyate | etāni kalpe kalpe bhagavān nārāyaṇaḥ kroḍarūpī rasātalāntaḥpraviṣṭāni daṃṣṭraikainoddhṛtya sthitau sthāpayati | eṣa vaḥ kathito mārgo bhūmer āyāmavistaraḥ | svasti vo 'stu gamiṣyāmi kailāsaṃ nilayaṃ dvijāḥ
เมื่อถูกโอบล้อมด้วยมหาสมุทรฆฤตะ (เนยใส) ความกว้างใหญ่ของมันถูกกำหนดให้เป็นสองเท่า; ณ ที่นั้นมีภูเขาประธานเจ็ดลูก มีแคว้น (วรรษะ) เท่านั้น และมีแม่น้ำเท่านั้นด้วย ภูเขาในที่นั้น—สุมหาน ปีตะ ศาตกุมภะ สารวคุณะ เสาวรรณะ โรหิตะ สุมะนะส กุศละ … ชามพูนทะ ไวทยุตะ—เหล่านี้เป็นภูเขาขอบเขต (กุลปर्वต) และแคว้นก็เป็นไปในทำนองเดียวกัน บัดนี้กล่าวถึงทวีปที่หกคือ โคเมทะ ดังที่ศาลมลทวีปถูกโอบล้อมด้วยมหาสมุทรสุโรท (สุรา) ฉันใด มหาสมุทรสุโรทก็ถูกโอบล้อมด้วยโคเมทะเป็นสองเท่าฉันนั้น ที่นั่นมีภูเขาประธานเพียงสองลูก: ลูกหนึ่งชื่อ ตาวัตตาวสระ อีกลูกชื่อ กุมุทะ มหาสมุทรเป็นอิกษุรสะ (น้ำอ้อย) ถูกโอบล้อมด้วยปุษกระเป็นสองเท่า ในทวีปชื่อปุษกระมีภูเขาชื่อ มานสะ แคว้นนั้นก็ถูกแบ่งเป็นสองส่วนตามสัดส่วน ถูกโอบล้อมด้วยมหาสมุทรสวาโททกะ (น้ำหวาน) แล้วจึงถึงกะฏาหะ (หม้อ/คูหาจักรวาล) นี่คือมาตราของแผ่นดิน และเป็นมาตราของความกว้างแห่งพรหมาณฑะพร้อมด้วยขอบเขตดุจหม้อ จำนวนพรหมาณฑะรูปไข่เช่นนี้ไม่อาจรู้ได้ ในแต่ละกัลป์ พระภควานนารายณ์ทรงอวตารเป็นวราหะ เสด็จลงสู่ที่สุดแห่งรสาตละ แล้วยกสิ่งเหล่านี้ขึ้นด้วยงาเดียว ตั้งไว้ให้มั่นคง ดังนี้ได้บอกทางแห่งความยาวและความกว้างของแผ่นดินแก่ท่านทั้งหลายแล้ว ขอความสวัสดีจงมีแก่ท่าน; โอ้ทวิชะทั้งหลาย เราจักไปสู่ไกรลาส อันเป็นนิวาสสถานของเรา
Rudra
Varaha Avatara Context: {"is_varaha_focus":true,"aspect_highlighted":"cosmic_power","boar_form_detail":"Varāha as ‘kroḍa-rūpī’ (boar-formed) Nārāyaṇa; lifts from Rasātala with a single tusk (daṃṣṭrā-eka).","earth_interaction":"Restorative act: entering Rasātala, raising the earth/universes and establishing them in stability (sthiti)."}
Bhu Devi Dialogue: {"is_dialogue":true,"speaker_role":"instructor","bhu_devi_state":"reassured"}
Mathura Mandala: {"is_mathura_related":false}
Dharma Shastra: {"has_dharma_rule":false}
Vrata Mahatmya: {"has_vrata":false}
Cosmic Boar Symbolism: {"has_symbolism":true,"symbolic_interpretation":"Varāha signifies the stabilizing intelligence (Nārāyaṇa) that retrieves ‘fallen’ order from the depths (rasātala) and re-establishes cosmic measure (pramāṇa) and support (ādhāra).","yajna_varaha_imagery":"Single tusk as the ‘lever/pillar’ of re-establishment; descent-as-ritual ‘pravṛtti’ into the depths and ascent as ‘udgama’ restoring the world’s layers (dvīpa–samudra).","vedantic_connection":"Implied īśvara-kartṛtva: the cosmos’ measure and persistence depend on Bhagavān; multiplicity of brahmāṇḍas hints at ananta-śakti and the contingency of worlds upon the sustaining Lord."}
Philosophical Teaching: {"has_teaching":true,"teaching_type":"theology of preservation (sthiti)","core_concept":"Cosmic order and even ‘measure’ (pramāṇa) are upheld by the Lord; worlds are many and uncountable, yet each is stabilized by divine agency.","practical_application":"When faced with ‘falling into depths’ (personal or social), emulate the Varāha principle: descend with courage, lift what is essential, and re-establish steadiness through disciplined action and devotion."}
Subject Matter: ["Cosmology","Geography","Earth Restoration Narrative"]
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: mythic cosmological stratification (continents, oceans, underworld, cosmic enclosure)
Related Themes: 87.87.1–87.87.2 (dvīpa/ocean sequencing); 89.89.1 (Earth’s theological inquiry that can follow from such cosmology)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A grand cosmic cross-section: concentric oceans and dvīpas leading to the underworld; Varāha plunges into Rasātala and lifts the world(s) with one tusk, setting them back into stable alignment beneath the cosmic ‘cauldron’ boundary.","item_prompts":["Varāha with one prominent tusk lifting a globe/earth","Rasātala as dark-blue depth","concentric rings of oceans (ghee, surā, ikṣurasa, svādodaka)","Puṣkara dvīpa with Mānasa mountain","cosmic kaṭāha rim like a vast bowl"],"kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: powerful Varāha in profile emerging from deep blue underworld, earth balanced on a single tusk; concentric ocean bands as decorative rings; bold reds/ochres for divine body, stylized waves and lotuses.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Varāha central, earth as jeweled sphere on tusk; heavy gold-leaf halo and ocean rings; embossed kaṭāha rim; rich ornamentation emphasizing divine sovereignty.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined Varāha with detailed jewelry and soft shading; transparent layered oceans; earth rendered with delicate continents; dramatic but elegant chiaroscuro for Rasātala.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari: narrative split-scene—upper concentric world and lower underworld; Varāha rising diagonally with earth on tusk; lyrical clouds and stylized waves, bright mineral palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"majestic, expansive, concluding benediction","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium-slow","voice_tone":"sonorous, elevated, authoritative"}
FAQs
It links cosmographic measurement (dvīpas, oceans, brahmāṇḍa extent) with the Varāha earth-restoration motif, central to the Varāha Purāṇa’s identity and to Purāṇic environmental imaginaries.
Purāṇic locales: Gomeda and Puṣkara dvīpas, oceans such as Ikṣurasa and Svādodaka, and the netherworld Rasātala; these are conceptual geographies within the text.
Implicit philosophical instruction emphasizes cosmic maintenance and stewardship: stability (sthiti) is restored through responsible divine action, framing preservation as a valued principle.
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