Shloka 34

Description and Measurements of Śākadvīpa

with Oceans, Mountains, Varṣas, and Rivers

Devanagari script

ततः पुण्या जनपदाश्चत्वारो लोकविश्रुताः । मृगाश्च मशकाश्चैव मानसा मल्लकास्तथा

Transliteration

tataḥ puṇyā janapadāścatvāro lokaviśrutāḥ | mṛgāśca maśakāścaiva mānasā mallakāstathā

Translation

اس کے بعد چار پُنّیہ مَئے دیس ہیں جو دنیا بھر میں مشہور ہیں—مِرگ، مَشَک، مانَسا اور اسی طرح مَلّک۔

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (contextual: temporal setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण): 'thereafter/from that'

• puṇyāḥ: holy/meritorious
• puṇyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying janapadāḥ

• janapadāḥ: countries/regions
• janapadāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (subject: 'regions/countries')
• Type: Noun
• Root: janapada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: jana + pada

• catvāraḥ: four
• catvāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as quantifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catvāri/catur (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral adjective agreeing with janapadāḥ

• lokaviśrutāḥ: world-famous
• lokaviśrutāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka + viśruta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: loke viśrutāḥ ('famed in the world')

• mṛgāḥ: Mṛgas (a people/region)
• mṛgāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); name of a janapada/people-group here

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• maśakāḥ: Maśakas (a people/region)
• maśakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); name of a janapada/people-group here

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात): emphasis/limitation

• mānasāḥ: Mānasas (a people/region)
• mānasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); name of a janapada/people-group here

• mallakāḥ: Mallakas (a people/region)
• mallakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mallaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); name of a janapada/people-group here

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb/particle: 'thus/also/likewise'

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Svarga-khaṇḍa’s dialogue context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: जनपदाश्चत्वारो = जनपदाः + च + चत्वारः; मृगाश्च = मृगाः + च; मशकाश्चैव = मशकाः + च + एव; मल्लकास्तथा = मल्लकाः + तथा

FAQs

What does this verse convey about sacred geography in the Padma Purana?

It enumerates four “puṇya” (merit-bearing) janapadas and emphasizes their fame, framing geography as spiritually significant rather than merely political.

Are Mṛga, Maśaka, Mānasa, and Mallaka people, animals, or places?

In this verse they function as proper names of janapadas (regions). Though the words can have other literal meanings, the grammatical construction presents them as place-names.

What is the practical religious takeaway from listing renowned regions?

Such lists guide the listener toward places associated with merit (puṇya), reinforcing the Purāṇic idea that certain lands and pilgrimages support dharma and spiritual progress.