Shloka 13

Adhyaya 49: जम्बूद्वीप-मेर्वादि-वर्षपर्वत-वन-सरः-रुद्रक्षेत्र-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

तयोर्मध्ये च विज्ञेयं मेरुमध्यमिलावृतम् दक्षिणेन तु नीलस्य निषधस्योत्तरेण तु

Transliteration

tayormadhye ca vijñeyaṃ merumadhyamilāvṛtam dakṣiṇena tu nīlasya niṣadhasyottareṇa tu

Translation

当知名为伊罗弗利多（Ilāvṛta）的地域居于其间，以须弥山（Meru）为中心——在尼沙陀（Niṣadha）之北、尼罗（Nīla）之南。在这秩然的宇宙中，众生之魂（paśu）应识主宰（Pati）为真实之轴，如同须弥为伊罗弗利多之轴。

Word by Word

• तयोः (tayoḥ): of those two

• मध्ये (madhye): in the middle/between

• च (ca): and

• विज्ञेयम् (vijñeyam): should be known/understood

• मेरु-मध्यम् (meru-madhyam): having Meru as the middle/centered on Meru

• इलावृतम् (ilāvṛtam): Ilāvṛta (a central region)

• दक्षिणेन (dakṣiṇena): to the south of

• तु (tu): indeed

• नीलस्य (nīlasya): of (Mount) Nīla

• निषधस्य (niṣadhasya): of (Mount) Niṣadha

• उत्तरेण (uttareṇa): to the north of

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Ilavrita
• Nila
• Nishadha

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

By describing Meru as the central axis of Ilāvṛta, the verse supports the Shaiva principle of an unshakable center—mirrored in Linga worship where the Linga signifies the cosmic pillar (stambha) and the स्थाणु (Sthāṇu) nature of Shiva as Pati.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Though framed as geography, it implies Shiva-tattva as the stabilizing axis: as Meru orders directions and regions, Pati (Shiva) orders and sustains the cosmos, while paśu (the soul) gains right knowledge by recognizing that center.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A meditative takeaway aligned with Pāśupata Yoga: establish inner steadiness by fixing awareness on the central principle (Pati), just as Ilāvṛta is defined by Meru as its center—useful for dhyāna during Linga-pūjā.