Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 12

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

Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Brahmapurī

Devanagari script

चतुर्ष्वेतेषु चूतजम्बूकदम्बन्यग्रोधाश्चत्वार: पादप प्रवरा: पर्वतकेतव इवाधिसहस्रयोजनोन्नाहास्तावद् विटपविततय: शतयोजनपरिणाहा: ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

caturṣv eteṣu cūta-jambū-kadamba-nyagrodhāś catvāraḥ pādapa-pravarāḥ parvata-ketava ivādhi-sahasra-yojanonnāhās tāvad viṭapa-vitatayaḥ śata-yojana-pariṇāhāḥ.

Translation

在这四座山的峰顶，矗立着如旗杆般的四种胜树：芒果树、阎浮树（玫瑰苹果）、迦檀婆树与榕树。其宽一百由旬，高一千一百由旬，枝叶亦伸展至同等范围。

Synonyms

• चतुःषु: in (the) four
• चतुःषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (गणनाशब्द-प्रयोग), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; 'in four' (स्थाने)

• एतेषु: among these
• एतेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• चूत-जम्बू-कदम्ब-न्यग्रोधाः: (the trees) mango, jambū, kadamba, and banyan
• चूत-जम्बू-कदम्ब-न्यग्रोधाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चूत + जम्बू + कदम्ब + न्यग्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (चारः वृक्ष-नामानि)

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषणम् (वृक्षाः)

• पादप-प्रवराः: the foremost trees
• पादप-प्रवराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादप + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (पादपानां प्रवराः)

• पर्वत-केतवः: as banners of mountains
• पर्वत-केतवः: Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत + केतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (पर्वतानां केतवः)

• इव: like; as if
• इव: Upama (उपमा/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-सूचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• अधि-सहस्र-योजन-उन्नाहाः: more than a thousand yojanas tall
• अधि-सहस्र-योजन-उन्नाहाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधि + सहस्र + योजन + उन्नाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पादप-प्रवराः); 'over a thousand yojanas in height'

• तावत्: so much; to that extent
• तावत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Extent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परिमाण-सूचक अव्यय (adverb of extent)

• विटप-विततयः: the spread of branches
• विटप-विततयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विटप + वितति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (विटपानां विततयः)

• शत-योजन-परिणाहाः: having a girth of a hundred yojanas
• शत-योजन-परिणाहाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + योजन + परिणाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (विटप-विततयः)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Mahārāja Parīkṣit

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the great trees of Jambūdvīpa?

This verse says that in each of the four regions there is a foremost tree—mango, jambu, kadamba, and banyan—immensely tall (over a thousand yojanas) with vast branch-spread and huge trunk circumference.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing Jambūdvīpa to Mahārāja Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva explains the Lord’s ordered creation and sacred geography to broaden Parīkṣit’s understanding of the universe as the Lord’s arrangement, strengthening remembrance and devotion through hearing (śravaṇam).

Practical application of Bhagavatam cosmology in modern life?

Even without mapping every detail, a seeker can take the lesson that creation is vast and purposeful, cultivating humility and God-consciousness by hearing and reflecting on the Lord’s design.