Vamana Purana — Structure of Jambudvipa, Shloka 3

The Structure of Jambudvipa: Nine Varshas, Navadvipa Bharata, Mountains, Rivers, and Peoples

Devanagari script

मध्ये त्विलावृतो वर्षो भद्रश्वः पूर्वतो ऽद्भुतः पूर्व उत्तरतश्चापि हिरण्यो राक्षसेश्वर

Transliteration

madhye tvilāvṛto varṣo bhadraśvaḥ pūrvato 'dbhutaḥ pūrva uttarataścāpi hiraṇyo rākṣaseśvara

Translation

中央为伊罗弗利多（Ilāvṛta）之域；其东为奇妙的跋陀罗湿婆（Bhadrāśva）；其东北为希兰尼亚（Hiraṇya），罗刹（Rākṣasa）之主。

Word by Word

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• tu: indeed
• tu: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (but/indeed)

• ilā-vṛtaḥ: Ilāvṛta (region)
• ilā-vṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ilā (प्रातिपदिक)+vṛta (कृदन्त; √vṛ 'to cover/encircle')
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• varṣaḥ: country/region (varṣa)
• varṣaḥ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• bhadra-śvaḥ: Bhadrāśva (region)
• bhadra-śvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)+śva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• pūrvataḥ: to the east
• pūrvataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrvataḥ (अव्यय; pūrva+tas)
• Form: दिक्कालवाचक-अव्यय (directional adverb)

• adbhutaḥ: wonderful
• adbhutaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• pūrvaḥ: (the region) Pūrvā (eastern)
• pūrvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (elliptic: varṣaḥ understood)

• uttarataḥ: to the north
• uttarataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uttarataḥ (अव्यय; uttara+tas)
• Form: दिक्कालवाचक-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• api: also
• api: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-निपात (also/even)

• hiraṇyaḥ: Hiraṇya (region)
• hiraṇyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hiraṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (elliptic: varṣaḥ understood)

• rākṣasa-īśvara: O lord of the Rākṣasas
• rākṣasa-īśvara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)+īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (typical frame; not explicit in this verse excerpt)

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Purāṇic Cosmology
• World-structure (dvīpa-varṣa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The passage situates human and non-human realms within an ordered cosmos, emphasizing that creation is structured (niyati) and intelligible, inviting reverence rather than mere curiosity.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is primarily within Sarga (cosmic structure/creation description) and supports the Purāṇic cosmographical mapping of continents and regions.

What is the symbolic significance?

Ilāvṛta as the ‘middle’ functions as a symbolic axis of the world; the directional varṣas indicate a mandala-like ordering of space, where geography mirrors cosmic hierarchy.