Shloka 21
Description of Uttara-Kuru and the Meru-Flank Regions
Bhadrāśva, Sudarśana Jambū, Solar Attendants
योजनानां सहस्रं च शतं च द्विजसत्तमाः । तथा माल्यवतः शृंगे पूर्वे पूर्वानुगांतकाः
yojanānāṃ sahasraṃ ca śataṃ ca dvijasattamāḥ | tathā mālyavataḥ śṛṃge pūrve pūrvānugāṃtakāḥ
Hỡi bậc tối thắng trong hàng nhị sinh, (kích thước) là một nghìn yojana và một trăm yojana. Cũng vậy, trên đỉnh phía đông của Mālyavat, nơi phương Đông, chúng hiện hữu theo thứ tự, nối tiếp nhau.
Unspecified (narrator addressing 'dvijasattamāḥ')
Concept: The cosmos is structured, directional, and sequential—spiritual realities are not random but arranged by divine order (ṛta/dharma).
Application: Cultivate steadiness: approach sādhanā step-by-step ‘in due order’ rather than seeking instant results; honor sacred directions and routines (sandhyā, pradakṣiṇā).
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: mountain
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast Purāṇic map-scene unfolds: the eastern horizon rises into the Mālyavat peak, with successive ridgelines receding ‘one after another’ like steps of a celestial staircase. Tiny luminous settlements cling to the slopes, suggesting measured distances across an immense, orderly cosmos.","primary_figures":["Purāṇic narrator (invisible/voice)","dvijas (listening sages, as witnesses)"],"setting":"Mythic eastern mountain range of Jambūdvīpa; layered peaks, aerial perspective, faint celestial pathways marking yojana-measures.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["lotus pink","pale saffron","sapphire blue","silver mist","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a grand eastern mountain Mālyavat rendered as tiered, symmetrical peaks; gold leaf highlights tracing the ridgelines and yojana ‘measure-lines’; foreground sages (dvijas) seated with palm-leaf manuscripts; rich vermilion and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, ornate border with lotus medallions.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate layered Himalayan-like peaks suggesting Mālyavat; cool blues and soft greens with misty washes; small sage-figures in the foreground listening; fine linework indicating sequential ridges ‘one after another’, lyrical naturalism and refined faces.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines of a monumental mountain with stylized foliage; warm ochres and greens; sages in traditional attire at the base; directional symbolism (east) shown by a rising sun motif; temple-wall aesthetic with rhythmic patterning.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: an eastern landscape framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; stylized mountain tiers; deep indigo sky transitioning to dawn; decorative yojana bands as patterned stripes; peacocks along the border, gold accents emphasizing sacred order."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","distant wind over peaks","conch shell (faint)","silence between measures"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pūrvānugāṃtakāḥ = pūrva + anugāṃtakāḥ (vowel coalescence).
FAQs
It uses the unit 'yojana' to quantify a span (here, 1,100 yojanas), reflecting the Purana’s cosmographic style of describing regions and landmarks with traditional distance measures.
Mālyavat is referenced as a mountain, specifically an eastern peak, used as a geographic marker within the Svarga-khaṇḍa’s regional descriptions.
The verse is primarily descriptive—mapping locations and their order—supporting the Svarga-khaṇḍa’s broader interest in sacred/cosmic geography rather than a direct ethical injunction.