Shloka 6

Bhu-maṇḍala-varṇanam

Description of the Earth-Maṇḍala, the Seven Continents, and Meru

Devanagari script

मूले षोडशसाहस्रः कर्णिकाकार संस्थितः । हिमवान् हेमकूटश्च निषधश्चास्य दक्षिणे

Transliteration

mūle ṣoḍaśasāhasraḥ karṇikākāra saṃsthitaḥ | himavān hemakūṭaśca niṣadhaścāsya dakṣiṇe

Translation

اس کی جڑ میں ‘شودشساہسر’ نامی پہاڑ کنول کی کرنیکا کی مانند قائم ہے۔ اس کے جنوب میں ہِموان، ہیمکُوٹ اور نِشدھ کے پہاڑ ہیں۔

Word by Word

• मूले: at the base
• मूले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (sixteen), अव्ययवत्; समासाङ्ग

• साहस्रः: sixteen-thousand (in measure)
• साहस्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (षोडश-साहस्रः = sixteen-thousand)

• कर्णिका: pericarp/lotus-whorl
• कर्णिका: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग

• आकारः: shape/form
• आकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कर्णिकायाः आकारः = shape like a karnikā)

• संस्थितः: is situated/placed
• संस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हिमवान्: Himavān (Himalaya)
• हिमवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हेमकूटः: Hemakūṭa
• हेमकूटः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेम + कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (हेमः कूटः = golden peak)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निषधः: Niṣadha (mountain)
• निषधः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्य: of this/of it
• अस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दक्षिणे: to the south/on the southern side
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha

Sthala Purana: Himavān is invoked as the southern range; in Śaiva sacred geography the Himalayan belt is the abode of Śiva and Umā. Kedāra is celebrated as Śiva’s high-mountain seat where the Lord grants anugraha to ascetics; Purāṇas narrate Śiva’s manifestation in the Himalayas and the sanctity of Kedāra as a place of tapas and liberation.

Significance: Pilgrimage to the Himalayan Śiva-sthāna is held to purify sins and strengthen vairāgya; Kedāra-darśana is traditionally linked with liberation-oriented merit and completion of Śaiva yātrā.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Meru’s basal formation likened to lotus pericarp; naming of southern mountain chains (Himavān, Hemakūṭa, Niṣadha)

Characters & Entities

• Himavān
• Hemakūṭa
• Niṣadha
• Ṣoḍaśasāhasra

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse uses lotus imagery (karṇikā/pericarp) to present the world-structure as an ordered, contemplative mandala—supporting a Shaiva view that the cosmos is an intelligible field for dharma and yoga under Pati (Shiva), not a random expanse.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By mapping sacred directions and foundational supports, it frames pilgrimage and worship as entering a sanctified cosmic order; such ordered space culminates in devotion to Saguna Shiva (including Linga worship) as the indwelling Lord who upholds and pervades all regions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna using lotus-mandala visualization—contemplating the ‘root’ and directions—then centering awareness on Shiva as the inner Pati; this can be paired with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) for steadiness.