Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42

Sṛṣṭi-varṇana, Bhārata-khaṇḍa-mahātmya, and Jagad-bhūgola

Creation, Glory of Bhārata, and World Geography

Devanagari script

द्वीपाश्च सप्त विप्रेन्द्र द्वीपे कुलाचलाः । बाह्या नद्यश्च विख्याता जनाश्चामरसन्निभाः ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

dvīpāśca sapta viprendra dvīpe kulācalāḥ | bāhyā nadyaśca vikhyātā janāścāmarasannibhāḥ || 42 ||

Translation

噢，最胜婆罗门啊，有七大洲（dvīpa）；每一洲各有其主要山脉。又有著名的外缘诸河；彼处之人被说为如不死者（阿摩罗）般光辉卓绝。

Word by Word

• dvīpāḥ: islands/continents
• dvīpāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saptan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• viprendra: O Lord of Brahmins
• viprendra: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viprendra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (Sambodhana), Singular

• dvīpe: in the island (in each island)
• dvīpe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (Distributive sense implied)

• kulācalāḥ: principal mountains
• kulācalāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kulācala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• bāhyāḥ: outer/external
• bāhyāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• nadyaḥ: rivers
• nadyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• vikhyātāḥ: famous/renowned
• vikhyātāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikhyāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• janāḥ: people
• janāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• amarasannibhāḥ: resembling gods
• amarasannibhāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amarasannibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Dvipa (Sapta-dvipa concept)
• Kulacala (chief mountains)
• Amaras (devas/immortals)

FAQs

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

It frames the universe as an ordered, sacred structure—seven dvīpas with their mountains and rivers—encouraging reverence for cosmic order (ṛta) and the divine design underlying creation.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Indirectly, it supports bhakti by presenting the world as Vishnu-governed cosmic arrangement; contemplating such ordered creation becomes a basis for श्रद्धा (faith) and devotional remembrance of the Lord as the sustainer.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This verse aligns most with traditional cosmographical knowledge used alongside Jyotiṣa (astral/cosmic ordering) and Purāṇic geography, which inform calendrical and pilgrimage (tīrtha) orientation rather than grammar or ritual procedure directly.