Shloka 1

Śākadvīpa–Pramāṇa–Varṇana

Measurements and Description of Śākadvīpa

Devanagari script

# द्वादशोड् ध्याय: कुश

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | uttareṣu ca kauravya dvīpeṣu śrūyate kathā | evaṃ tatra mahārāja bruvataḥ śṛṇu nibodha me ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O scion of the Kurus, O king, there is a traditional account heard regarding the northern islands. Now, as I relate it, listen attentively and understand from me.”

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular

• उत्तरेषु: in the northern
• उत्तरेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

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

• कौरव्य: O descendant of Kuru
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव्य
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• द्वीपेषु: in the islands/continents
• द्वीपेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वीप
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• श्रूयते: is heard / is said to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada (Passive sense)

• कथा: a story/account
• कथा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• एवम्: thus / in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• तत्र: there / in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ब्रुवतः: of (me) speaking / while (I) speak
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Shatr (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• शृणु: hear
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• निबोध: understand / take note
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-बुध्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: of me / from me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular, First

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by vocatives kauravya, mahārāja)
• Northern dvīpas (islands/continents)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds śravaṇa (attentive listening) and nibodha (clear understanding) as prerequisites for receiving traditional knowledge, framing cosmographic description as a disciplined transmission from narrator to king.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya transitions to a new topic—accounts about the northern dvīpas—and invites Dhṛtarāṣṭra to listen as he begins describing what is traditionally heard about those regions.