Shloka 6

Chapter 7: Dvīpa–Varṣa–Meru-varṇana

Description of the Dvīpa, Varṣas, and Mount Meru

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्या भारत भीष्मपर्वके अन्तर्गत जम्बूखण्डविनिर्माणपर्वमें शूमि आदि परिमाणका विवरणविषयक छठा अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | sarvā maṇimayī bhūmiḥ sūkṣma-kāñcana-vālukā | sarva-ṛtu-sukha-saṃsparśā niṣpaṅkā ca janādhipa | puṣkariṇyaḥ śubhās tatra sukha-sparśā manoramāḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „O Herr der Menschen, der ganze Boden dort besteht aus Edelsteinen; selbst die feinen Sandkörner sind aus zartem Gold. Nirgends gibt es Morast oder Schlamm. Seine Berührung ist in jeder Jahreszeit angenehm. Und die glückverheißenden Lotosteiche dort sind bezaubernd; ihr Wasser fühlt sich wohltuend an.“

Word by Word

• सर्वा: entire, all
• सर्वा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मणिमयी: made of gems
• मणिमयी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणिमय
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भूमिः: ground, land
• भूमिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सूक्ष्म: fine, minute
• सूक्ष्म: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• काञ्चन: golden
• काञ्चन: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• वालुका: sand (fine sand)
• वालुका: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालुका
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऋतु: in (all) seasons
• ऋतु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• सुख: pleasantness, comfort
• सुख: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• संस्पर्शा: having (pleasant) touch
• संस्पर्शा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्पर्श
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• निष्पङ्का: mudless, free from mire
• निष्पङ्का: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्पङ्क
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• जनाधिप: O lord of people (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनाधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुष्करिण्यः: ponds, lotus-lakes
• पुष्करिण्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्करिणी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• शुभाः: auspicious, beautiful
• शुभाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• सुख: pleasantness
• सुख: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• स्पर्शाः: pleasant to touch
• स्पर्शाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पर्श
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मनोरमाः: charming, delightful
• मनोरमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• जनेश्वर: O lord of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• janādhipa (the king addressed, i.e., Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• bhūmi (gem-like land)
• kāñcana-vālukā (golden sand)
• puṣkariṇī (ponds/lakes)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an idealized realm characterized by purity (no mud), harmony (pleasant in all seasons), and abundance (gem-like earth, golden sand). Ethically, it functions as a contrast: while kings wage war for dominion, true prosperity is depicted as a condition of order and auspiciousness rather than mere conquest.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, addressing the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), continues a descriptive passage on sacred/cosmic geography (within the Jambū-khaṇḍa/Jambūdvīpa account), portraying the land and its ponds as wondrously beautiful and pleasant to the touch.