Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 53, Shloka 11

Adhyaya 53 — Rudrasarga and the Measure of the Manvantaras: Svayambhuva Manu, Priyavrata’s Line, and the Seven Dvipas

Sanskrit

यैरियं पृथिवी सर्वा सप्तद्वीपा सपर्वता ।

ससमुद्राकरवती प्रतिवर्षं निवेशिता ॥

Transliteration

yair iyaṃ pṛthivī sarvā saptadvīpā saparvatā |

sasamudrākaravatī prativarṣaṃ niveśitā ||

Translation

由他们，这整个大地——由七大洲及其群山，并有海洋与矿藏——得以安置众生并加以分配，按一一varṣa（各区域）而定。

Word by Word

• yaiḥ: by whom
• yaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); relative pronoun

• iyam: this
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• pṛthivī: earth
• pṛthivī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarvā: entire
• sarvā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with pṛthivī

• sapta-dvīpā: with seven continents/islands
• sapta-dvīpā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + dvīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); द्विगु-समास: 'having seven islands' (as epithet of pṛthivī)

• sa-parvatā: together with mountains
• sa-parvatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/सम्-उपसर्गवत्, अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); अव्ययीभाव: 'together with mountains'

• sa-samudra-ākara-vatī: having oceans and rich resources
• sa-samudra-ākara-vatī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + samudra (प्रातिपदिक) + ākara (प्रातिपदिक) + vatī (प्रत्यय)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); compound meaning 'possessing oceans and mines/treasures' (vatī = possessive suffix)

• prati-varṣam: each year
• prati-varṣam: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण—काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव), accusative sense: 'year by year/each year'

• niveśitā: was settled/established
• niveśitā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + viś (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत—क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with pṛthivī

Speakers

• Narrative section (cosmic geography exposition)

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Geography
• Kingship
• World-order

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The world is portrayed as governable through dharmic organization—settlement and division are not mere conquest but structured stewardship of land and resources.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sarga/Pratisarga-adjacent cosmography (description of the world’s structure) and Manvantara-linked administration of the earth by Manu’s line.

What is the esoteric significance?

Seven dvīpas can be read as a template of completeness (saptaka symbolism), suggesting a total cosmic order where geography mirrors layered planes of experience.