विष्णुपुराणम् — द्वितीयांशे सप्तमोऽध्यायः | viṣṇupurāṇam

मैत्रेय उवाच ।

कथितं भूतलं ब्रह्मन्भमैतदखिलं त्वया ।
भुवर्लोकादिकांल्लोकाञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं मुने ॥

Summary AI O Sage, you have described the entire earth to me. Now, O Muni, I desire to hear about the other worlds beginning with Bhuvarloka.

२.७.२

तथैव ग्रहसंस्थानं प्रमाणानि यथा तथा ।
समाचक्ष्व महाभाग तन्मह्यं परिपृच्छते ॥

Summary AI O Great Soul, please explain to me, who am asking, the positions of the planets and their dimensions exactly as they are.

श्रीपराशर उवाच ।

२.७.३

रविचन्द्रमसोर्यावन्मयूखैरवभास्यते ।
ससमुद्रसरिच्छैला तावती पृथिवी स्मृता ॥

Summary AI The earth, together with its oceans, rivers, and mountains, is said to extend as far as it is illuminated by the rays of the sun and the moon.

२.७.४

यावत्प्रमाणा पृथिवी विस्तारपरिमण्डलात् ।
नभस्तावन्प्रमाणं वै व्यासमण्डलतो द्विज ॥

Summary AI O Dvija, the sky is of the same extent in its diameter as the earth is in its circular circumference.

२.७.५

भूमेर्यो जनलक्षे तु सौरं मैत्रेय मण्डलम् ।
लक्षाद्दिवाकरस्यापि मण्डलं शशिनः स्थितम् ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, the solar orb is situated a hundred thousand yojanas from the earth, and the orb of the moon is located a hundred thousand yojanas beyond the sun.

२.७.६

पूर्णो शतसहस्रे तु योजनानां निशाकरात् ।
नक्षत्रमण्डलं कृत्स्त्रमुपरिष्टात्प्रकाशते ॥

Summary AI At a full hundred thousand yojanas above the moon, the entire circle of the constellations (Nakṣatras) shines forth.

२.७.७

द्वे लक्षे चोत्तरे ब्रह्मन्बुधो नक्षत्रमण्डलात् ।
तावत्प्रमाणभागे तु बुधस्याप्युशनाः स्थितः ॥

Summary AI O Brāhmaṇa, Budha is two hundred thousand yojanas above the lunar mansions, and Uśanas is situated at the same distance above Budha.

२.७.८

अङ्गरकोपि शुक्रस्य तत्प्रमाणे व्यवस्थितः ।
लक्षद्वये तु भौमस्य स्थितो देवपुरोहितः ॥

Summary AI Aṅgāraka is also placed at the same distance from Śukra, and the priest of the gods, Bṛhaspati, is situated two hundred thousand yojanas above Bhauma.

२.७.९

सौरिर्बृहस्पतेश्चोर्ध्वं द्विलक्षे समवस्थितः ।
सप्तर्षिमण्डलं तस्माल्लक्षमेकं द्विजोत्तमा ॥

Summary AI Śani is located two hundred thousand yojanas above Bṛhaspati. O best of the twice-born, the sphere of the Seven Sages (Saptarṣis) is one hundred thousand yojanas beyond that.

२.७.१०

ऋषिभ्यस्तु सहस्राणां शतादूर्ध्वं व्यवस्थितः ।
मेढीभूतः समस्तस्य ज्योतिश्चक्रस्य वै ध्रुवः ॥

Summary AI One hundred thousand yojanas above the Rishis is Dhruva, who serves as the central pivot for the entire celestial sphere of luminaries.

२.७.११

त्रैलोक्यमेतत्कथितमुत्सेधेन महामुने ।
इज्याफलस्य भूरेषा इज्या चात्र प्रतिष्ठिता ॥

Summary AI O great sage, this triple world has been described according to its height. This earth is the field for the fruits of sacrifice, and sacrifice itself is established here.

२.७.१२

ध्रुवादूर्ध्वं महर्लोको यत्र ते कल्पवासिनाः ।
एकयोजनकोटिस्तु यत्र ते कल्पवासिनः ॥

Summary AI One crore yojanas above Dhruva is Maharloka, where those beings reside who remain throughout a Kalpa.

२.७.१३

द्वे कोटी तु जनो लोको यत्र ते ब्रह्मणः सुताः ।
सनन्दनाद्याः प्रथिता मैत्रेयामलचेतसः ॥

Summary AI Two crore yojanas beyond that is Janaloka, where the famous sons of Brahmā, such as Sanandana and others of pure mind, reside.

२.७.१४

चतुर्गणोत्तरे चोर्ध्वं जनलोकात्तपः स्थितः ।
वैराजा यत्र ते देवाः स्थिता दाहविवर्जिताः ॥

Summary AI At a distance four times greater than Janaloka is Tapoloka, where the Vairāja deities dwell, untouched by the cosmic conflagration.

२.७.१५

षड्गुणेनतपोलोकान्सत्यलोको विराजते ।
अपुनर्मारका यत्र ब्रह्मलोको हि संस्मृतः ॥

Summary AI Six times the distance of Tapoloka is Satyaloka, also known as Brahmaloka, where the inhabitants are beyond the reach of death.

२.७.१६

पादगम्यन्तु यत्किञ्चिद्वस्त्वस्ति पृथिवीमयम् ।
स भूर्लोकः समाख्यातो विस्तरो ऽस्य मयोदितः ॥

Summary AI Whatever earthly substance can be traversed on foot is designated as Bhūrloka. I have already described its extent to you.

२.७.१७

भूमिमूर्यान्तरं यच्च सिद्धादिमुनिसेवितम् ।
भुवर्लोकस्तु सो ऽप्युक्तो द्वितीयो मुनिसत्तम ॥

Summary AI O best of sages, the space between the earth and the sun, inhabited by Siddhas and Munis, is called Bhuvarloka, the second world.

२.७.१८

ध्रुवसूर्यान्तरं यच्च नियुतानि चतुर्दश ।
स्वर्लोकः सो ऽपि गदितो लोकसंस्थानचिन्तकैः ॥

Summary AI The interval of fourteen hundred thousand yojanas between the sun and Dhruva is called Svarloka by those who contemplate the arrangement of the worlds.

२.७.१९

त्रैलोक्यमतत्कृतकं मैत्रेय परिपठ्यते ।
जनस्तपस्तथा सत्यमिति चाकृतकं त्रयम् ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, this triad of worlds is called kṛtaka (perishable). Janaloka, Tapoloka, and Satyaloka constitute the akṛtaka (imperishable) triad.

२.७.२०

कृतकाकृतयोर्मध्ये महर्लोक इति स्मृतः ।
शुन्यो भवति कल्पान्ते योत्यन्तं न विनश्यति ॥

Summary AI Between the perishable and imperishable worlds is Maharloka. It is not entirely destroyed at the end of a Kalpa, though it becomes empty of inhabitants.

२.७.२१

एते सप्त मया लोका मैत्रेय कथितास्तव ।
पातालानि च सप्तैव ब्रह्माण्डस्यैष विस्तरः ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, I have described to you these seven worlds and the seven underworlds; such is the extent of the brahmāṇḍa (universal egg).

२.७.२२

एतदण्डकटाहेन तिर्यक्चोध्वमधस्तथा ।
कपित्थस्य यथा बीजं सर्वतो वै समावृतम् ॥

Summary AI Just as the seed of a kapittha fruit is enclosed within its shell, this universe is similarly surrounded by the cosmic shell on all sides—horizontally, above, and below.

२.७.२३

दशोत्तरेण पयसा मैत्रेयाण्डं च तद्वृतम् ।
सर्वोम्बुपरिधानोसौ वह्निना वेष्टितो बहिः ॥

Summary AI O Maitreya, the cosmic egg is enveloped by water ten times its size. This watery layer is itself surrounded on the outside by fire.

२.७.२४

वह्निश्च वायुना वायुर्मैत्रेय नभसा वृतः ।
भूतादिना नभः सो ऽपि महता परिवेष्टितः ।
देशोत्तराम्यशेषाणि मैत्रेयैतानि सप्त वै ॥

Summary AI Fire is enclosed by air, and air by ether. Ether is surrounded by bhūtādi (ego), which is enveloped by mahat (intellect). O Maitreya, each of these seven layers is ten times greater than the one it encompasses.

२.७.२५

महान्तं च समावृत्य प्रधानं समवस्थितम् ।
अनन्तस्य न तस्यान्तः संख्यानं चापि विद्यते ॥

Summary AI Surrounding the mahat is pradhāna (primary matter). Since pradhāna is infinite, it has neither end nor numerical limit.

२.७.२६

तदनन्तमसंख्यातप्रमाणं चापि वै यतः ।
हेतुभूतमशेषस्य प्रकृतिः सा परा मुने ॥

Summary AI O Sage, because it is infinite and immeasurable, it is the supreme prakṛti, the fundamental cause of everything.

२.७.२७

अण्डानां तु सहस्राणां सहस्राण्ययुतानि च ।
ईदृशानां तथा तत्र कोटिकोटिशतानि च ॥

Summary AI In that infinite prakṛti, there are thousands of thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds of millions of such cosmic eggs.

२.७.२८

हारुण्यग्निर्यथा तैलं तिले तद्वत्पुमानपि ।
प्रधाने ऽवस्थितो व्यापी चेतनात्मात्मवेदनः ॥

Summary AI Just as fire resides in wood or oil in sesame seeds, the pervasive puman (spirit), characterized by consciousness and self-knowledge, exists within pradhāna.

२.७.२९

प्रधानं च पुमांश्चैव सर्वभूतात्मभूतया ।
विष्णुशक्त्या महाबुद्धे वृतौ संश्रयधर्मिणौ ॥

Summary AI O wise one, both pradhāna and puman, which share a relationship of mutual dependence, are enveloped by the power of Viṣṇu, who is the soul of all beings.

२.७.३०

तयोः सैव पृथग्भावकारणं संश्रयस्य च ।
क्षोभकारणभूता च सर्गकाले महामते ॥

Summary AI O intelligent one, at the time of creation, that same power is the cause of their separation and their union, acting as the catalyst for universal agitation.

२.७.३१

यथा सक्तं जले वातो बिभर्ति कणिकाशतम् ।
शक्तिः सापि तथा विष्णोः प्रधानपुरुषात्मकम् ॥

Summary AI Just as the wind carries hundreds of water droplets suspended in the air, the power of Viṣṇu sustains the combined nature of pradhāna and puruṣa.

२.७.३२

यथा च पादयौर्मूलस्कन्धशाखादिसंयुतः ।
आदिबीजात्प्रभवति बीजान्यन्यानि वै ततः ॥

Summary AI Just as a tree with its roots, trunk, and branches grows from a primary seed, and from that tree, other seeds are produced.

२.७.३३

प्रभावन्तिततस्तेभ्यः सम्भवन्त्यपरे द्रुमाः ।
तेपि तल्लक्षणद्रव्यकारणानुगता मुने ॥

Summary AI O Sage, from those seeds, other trees arise. These trees also follow the same characteristics and material causes as their predecessors.

२.७.३४

एवमव्याकृतात्पूर्वं जायन्ते महदादयः ।
विशंषान्ता स्ततस्तेभ्यः संभवन्त्यसुरादयः ।
तेभ्यश्च पुत्रास्तेषां च पुत्राणामपरे सुताः ॥

Summary AI Similarly, from the unmanifest (avyākṛta), mahat and other elements down to the gross particulars are born. From them, beings like asuras arise, followed by sons and subsequent generations.

२.७.३५

बीजाद्वृक्षप्ररोहेण यथा नापचयस्तरोः ।
भूतानां भूतसर्गेण नैवास्त्यपचयस्तथा ॥

Summary AI Just as a tree is not diminished by the growth of a new tree from its seed, the primary beings are not depleted by the creation of subsequent beings.

२.७.३६

सन्निधानाद्यथाकाशकालाद्याः कारणं तरोः ।
तथैवापरिणामेव विश्वस्य भगवान्हरिः ॥

Summary AI Just as space and time are causes for a tree's growth simply by their presence, the immutable Lord Hari is the cause of the universe without undergoing change Himself.

२.७.३७

व्रीहिबीजे यथा मूलं नालं पत्राङ्कुरौ तथा ।
काण्डकोषस्तु पुष्पं च क्षीरं तद्वच्च तण्जुलाः ॥

Summary AI Just as within a rice seed lie the root, stalk, leaf, sprout, stem, sheath, flower, milk, and the grain itself.

२.७.३८

तुषाः कणाश्च सन्तो वै यान्त्याविर्भावमात्मनः ।
प्ररोहहेतुसामग्र्यमासाद्य मुनिसत्तम ॥

Summary AI O best of sages, the husks and grains, already existing potentially, manifest themselves when they obtain the necessary conditions for growth.

२.७.३९

तथा कर्मस्वनेकेषु देवाद्याः समवस्थिताः ।
विष्णुशक्तिं समासाद्य प्ररोहमुपयान्ति वै ॥

Summary AI Similarly, the gods and other beings, established in various karmic fruits, attain manifestation by accessing the power of Viṣṇu.

२.७.४०

स च विष्णुः परं ब्रह्म यतः सर्वमिदं जगत् ।
जगच्च यो यत्र चेदं यस्मिंश्च लयमेष्यति ॥

Summary AI That Viṣṇu is the Supreme Brahman, from whom this whole world originates, who is the world itself, in whom it exists, and into whom it will dissolve.

२.७.४१

तद्ब्रह्म तत्परं धाम सदसत्परमं पदम् ।
यस्य सर्वमभेदेन यतश्चैतच्चराचरम् ॥

Summary AI That is Brahman, the supreme abode and the highest state beyond existence and non-existence. Everything exists within Him without distinction, and from Him this entire moving and non-moving universe originates.

२.७.४२

स एव मूल प्रकृतिर्व्यक्तरूपी जगच्च सः ।
तस्मिन्नेव लयं सर्वं याति तत्र च तिष्ठति ॥

Summary AI He alone is the primordial nature (mūlaprakṛti), and He is the universe in its manifested form. Everything dissolves into Him alone and resides within Him.

२.७.४३

कत्ता क्रियाणां स च इज्यते क्रतुः
स एवतत्कर्मफलं च तस्य ।
स्त्रुगादियत्साधनमप्यशेषं
हरेर्न किञ्चिव्द्यतिरिक्तमस्ति ॥

Summary AI He is the doer of all actions, the sacrifice that is offered, and the fruit of those deeds. From the sacrificial ladle (sruk) to every other instrument, nothing whatsoever exists that is separate from Hari.

इति श्रीविष्णुमहापुराणे द्वितीयेऽंशे सप्तमो ऽध्यायः ।

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