Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.1.33
Sthāna· The universe in orderOceans Surround Islands Entrusted to Sons
“The seven oceans respectively contain salt water, sugarcane juice, liquor, clarified butter, milk, emulsified yogurt, and sweet drinking water. All the islands are completely surrounded by these oceans, and each ocean is equal in breadth to the island it surrounds. Mahārāja Priyavrata, the husband of Queen Barhiṣmatī, gave sovereignty over these islands to his respective sons, namely Āgnīdhra, Idhmajihva, Yajñabāhu, Hiraṇyaretā, Ghṛtapṛṣṭha, Medhātithi and Vītihotra. Thus they all became kings by the order of their father.”
What the purport teaches
- The seven oceans contain salt water, sugarcane juice, liquor, clarified butter, milk, emulsified yogurt and sweet drinking water. Each completely surrounds its island.
- Each ocean has the same breadth as the island it surrounds, but not the same length. The purport calculates the first island’s breadth as 100,000 yojanas, or 800,000 miles.
- Priyavrata entrusted the islands respectively to Āgnīdhra, Idhmajihva, Yajñabāhu, Hiraṇyaretā, Ghṛtapṛṣṭha, Medhātithi and Vītihotra. These sons became kings by their father’s order.
Try this today
List the seven ocean substances in order, then note that each ocean matches its island in breadth.
Ask yourself
Can I distinguish what the text says about an ocean’s breadth from what it says about its length?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.