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of the sun which moves from South to North and the outer circles of mandalas to inner circles of mandalas. Here we can say that mandala means the place or circumference in which sun revolves.
Similarly the text explains about chandramandala. There are five chandramandala in Jambūdwīpa. Its width 56/61 yojana, area thrice in width and length. The length is 28/61 yojana akhyata. When moon rotates from candramandala to sarvyabāhyantara mandala, it covers the area of 5073 7744/ 13725 yojanas in each second. During this the people of Bharatārdha kņētra can see the moon in a distance of 47263, 21/60 yojana. Similarly in Jambūdwīpa kņētra there are two nakṣatramandalas in the distance of two yojanas between them. The text also explains the circumference of nakṣatra mandala and so on. So here we can say it is the symbolism expressed mathematically to count the distance, circumference etc. it is also a symbolism of jyotișya Šāstra because it studies the planet and its effect on the living being.
General meaning
In general mandala means a symbol which is drawn by priests using vermillion and turmeric to attain mokșa. Here mandala means to get the concentration or to imagine the area from which we have to come out. Significance of mandala.
We can give the significance in three concepts. Loukika, Aloukika and Dārśanika. In loukika when we see the picture of Jambūdwīpa we get to know that we are living in a place where there are six mountains, seven places, 14 rivers, and 6 ponds. And we will also come to know about their measurement. In Dārśanika this Jambūdwīpa is made of six dravyas (jīva, pudgala, dharma, adharma, akāśa, kāla, five astikāyas, Jīvastikāya, dharma adharmāstikāya and akaśastikāya) and so on. It gives knowledge about sruști, jeeva jagath. In aloukika we come to know about the srușți jīva jagat, the formation of Jambūdwīpa, where we are and where we will go next.
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