Canto 5: The Creative ImpetusChapter 20: Studying the Structure of the Universe

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.20.2

jambūdvīpo 'yam yāvat-pramāna-vistāras tāvatā kshārodadhinā pariveshtito yathā merur jambv-ākhyena lavanodadhir api tato dvi-guna-viśālena plakshākhyena parikshipto yathā parikhā bāhyopavanena; plaksho jambū-pramāno dvīpākhyākaro hiranmaya utthito yatrāgnir upāste sapta-jihvas tasyādhipatih priyavratātmaja idhmajihvah svam dvīpam sapta-varshāni vibhajya sapta-varsha-nāmabhya ātmajebhya ākalayya svayam ātma-yogenopararāma

SYNONYMS

jambū-dvīpahJambūdvīpa, the island named Jambū; ayam — this; yāvat-pramāna-vistārahas much as the measure of its width, namely 100,000 yojanas (one yojana equals eight miles); tāvatāso much; kshāra-udadhinā — by the ocean of salt water; pariveshtitah — surrounded; yathā — just as; meruhSumeru Mountain; jambū-ākhyena — by the island named Jambū; lavana-udadhih — the ocean of salt water; api — certainly; tatah — thereafter; dvi-guna-viśālena — which is twice as wide; plaksha-ākhyena — by the island named Plaksha; parikshiptah — surrounded; yathā — like; parikhāa moat; bāhya — external; upavanena — by a gardenlike forest; plakshaha plaksha tree; jambū-pramānah — having the height of the jambū tree; dvīpa-ākhyā-karah — causing the name of the island; hiranmayah — magnificently splendorous; utthitah — rising; yatra — where; agniha fire; upāste — is situated; sapta-jihvah — having seven flames; tasya — of that island; adhipatih — the king or master; priyavrata-ātmajah — the son of King Priyavrata; idhma-jihvah — named Idhmajihva; svam — own; dvīpam — island; sapta — seven; varshāni — tracts of land; vibhajya — dividing into; sapta-varsha-nāmabhyah — for whom the seven tracts of land were named; ātmajebhyahto his own sons; ākalayya — offering; svayam — personally; ātma-yogena — by the devotional service of the Lord; upararāmahe retired from all material activities.

TRANSLATION

As Sumeru Mountain is surrounded by Jambūdvīpa, Jambūdvīpa is also surrounded by an ocean of salt water. The breadth of Jambūdvīpa is 100,000 yojanas [800,000 miles], and the breadth of the saltwater ocean is the same. As a moat around a fort is sometimes surrounded by gardenlike forest, the saltwater ocean surrounding Jambūdvīpa is itself surrounded by Plakshadvīpa. The breadth of Plakshadvīpa is twice that of the saltwater ocean — in other words 260,000 yojanas [1,600,000 miles]. On Plakshadvīpa there is a tree shining like gold and as tall as the jambū tree on Jambūdvīpa. At its root is a fire with seven flames. It is because this tree is a plaksha tree that the island is called Plakshadvīpa. Plakshadvīpa was governed by Idhmajihva, one of the sons of Mahārāja Priyavrata. He endowed the seven islands with the names of his seven sons, divided the islands among the sons, and then retired from active life to engage in the devotional service of the Lord.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness