Shloka 11

Bhu-maṇḍala-varṇanam

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

Devanagari script

इलावृतं तु तन्मध्ये तन्मध्ये मेरुरुच्छ्रितः । मेरोश्चतुर्द्दिशं तत्र नवसाहस्रमुच्छ्रितम्

Transliteration

ilāvṛtaṃ tu tanmadhye tanmadhye merurucchritaḥ | meroścaturddiśaṃ tatra navasāhasramucchritam

Translation

Ngay giữa Ilāvṛta là núi Meru cao vút. Chung quanh Meru về cả bốn phương, có vùng đất vươn lên đến độ cao chín nghìn do-tuần.

Word by Word

• इलावृतम्: Ilāvṛta (region)
• इलावृतम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इलावृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; varṣa-name

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; but/indeed)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of इलावृतम्)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied स्थानम्)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मेरुः: Meru (mountain)
• मेरुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उच्छ्रितः: lofty; risen high
• उच्छ्रितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + श्रि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे विशेषण (raised/lofty)

• मेरोः: of Meru
• मेरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• चतुःदिशम्: in the four directions; on all four sides
• चतुःदिशम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (चतस्रः दिशः = four directions; 'in four directions/around')

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• नवसाहस्रम्: nine thousand
• नवसाहस्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/measure-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (nine thousand) संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• उच्छ्रितम्: raised; high (in height)
• उच्छ्रितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + श्रि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied प्रमाणम्/उत्सेधम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana’s cosmography to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Ilāvṛta
• Mount Meru

FAQs

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

By describing the ordered center (Ilāvṛta and Meru), the Purana points to an intelligible cosmic structure governed by Pati (Shiva), encouraging contemplative clarity and reverence for the divine order that supports dharma and liberation.

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

Sacred geography in the Shiva Purana frames the world as Shiva’s manifested order (saguṇa governance). Such descriptions support pilgrimage, temple orientation, and devotional contemplation where the cosmos itself is viewed as upheld by Shiva’s power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple takeaway is dhyāna on the cosmic axis (Meru) as a symbol of inner steadiness—paired with japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to align the mind with Shiva as the sustaining Lord.