Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 26

Bhū-maṇḍala as a Lotus: Jambūdvīpa, Ilāvṛta, and the Meru System

Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Brahmapurī

Devanagari script

कुरङ्गकुररकुसुम्भवैकङ्कत्रिकूटशिशिरपतङ्गरुचकनिषधशिनीवासकपिलशङ्खवैदूर्यजारुधिहंसऋषभनागकालञ्जरनारदादयो विंशतिगिरयो मेरो: कर्णिकाया इव केसरभूता मूलदेशे परित उपक्‍ल‍ृप्ता: ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

kuraṅga-kurara-kusumbha-vaikaṅka-trikūṭa-śiśira-pataṅga-rucaka-niṣadha-śinīvāsa-kapila-śaṅkha-vaidūrya-jārudhi-haṁsa-ṛṣabha-nāga-kālañjara-nāradādayo viṁśati-girayo meroḥ karṇikāyā iva kesara-bhūtā mūla-deśe parita upakḷptāḥ.

Translation

Quanh chân núi Meru, các dãy núi khác được sắp đặt mỹ lệ như những sợi nhụy bao quanh đài sen. Tên chúng là: Kuraṅga, Kurara, Kusumbha, Vaikaṅka, Trikūṭa, Śiśira, Pataṅga, Rucaka, Niṣadha, Sinīvāsa, Kapila, Śaṅkha, Vaidūrya, Jārudhi, Haṁsa, Ṛṣabha, Nāga, Kālañjara và Nārada.

Synonyms

• kuraṅga-kurara-kusumbha-vaikaṅka-trikūṭa-śiśira-pataṅga-rucaka-niṣadha-śinīvāsa-kapila-śaṅkha-vaidūrya-jārudhi-haṁsa-ṛṣabha-nāga-kālañjara-nārada-ādayaḥ: Kuraṅga, Kurara, Kusumbha, Vaikaṅka, Trikūṭa, Śiśira, Pataṅga, Rucaka, Niṣadha, Śinīvāsa, Kapila, Śaṅkha, Vaidūrya, Jārudhi, Haṁsa, Ṛṣabha, Nāga, Kālañjara, Nārada and others
• kuraṅga-kurara-kusumbha-vaikaṅka-trikūṭa-śiśira-pataṅga-rucaka-niṣadha-śinīvāsa-kapila-śaṅkha-vaidūrya-jārudhi-haṁsa-ṛṣabha-nāga-kālañjara-nārada-ādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuraṅga + kurara + kusumbha + vaikaṅka + trikūṭa + śiśira + pataṅga + rucaka + niṣadha + śinīvāsa + kapila + śaṅkha + vaidūrya + jārudhi + haṁsa + ṛṣabha + nāga + kālañjara + nārada + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); समाहार-द्वन्द्व/नामसमूहः; ‘…आदयः’ = ‘and others’

• viṁśati-girayaḥ: the twenty mountains
• viṁśati-girayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṁśati + giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); द्विगु-समासः (संख्यापूर्वकः)

• meroḥ: of Meru
• meroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• karṇikāyāḥ: of the pericarp (of a lotus)
• karṇikāyāḥ: Upamāna-sambandha (उपमान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya (उपमा-अव्यय)

• kesara-bhūtāḥ: having become (like) stamens
• kesara-bhūtāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kesara + bhūta (भू धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘bhūta’ = ‘become’; विशेषणम् viṁśati-girayaḥ प्रति

• mūla-deśe: at the base region
• mūla-deśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla + deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• paritaḥ: all around
• paritaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paritaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• upakḷptāḥ: are arranged/placed
• upakḷptāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + kḷp (कॢप् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः—‘arranged/placed’ (as predicate of subject)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Mahārāja Parīkṣit
• Mount Meru
• Kuraṅga
• Kurara
• Kusumbha
• Vaikaṅka
• Trikūṭa
• Śiśira
• Pataṅga
• Rucaka
• Niṣadha
• Śinīvāsa
• Kapila
• Śaṅkha
• Vaidūrya
• Jārudhi
• Haṁsa
• Ṛṣabha
• Nāga
• Kālañjara
• Nārada

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the mountains surrounding Mount Meru?

In Canto 5, Chapter 16, this verse states that twenty prominent mountains are arranged around the base of Mount Meru, compared to the filaments around the central whorl of a lotus.

Why is Mount Meru described with a lotus analogy in the Bhagavatam?

Śukadeva uses the lotus image to convey order and sacred design: Meru is like the lotus center, and the surrounding mountains are like filaments, emphasizing purposeful cosmic arrangement under the Lord’s governance.

How can Bhagavatam cosmology be applied in modern spiritual life?

It trains the mind to see the universe as structured and meaningful, encouraging humility and devotion—shifting attention from mere material geography to remembrance of the Supreme Lord who sustains all worlds.