Shloka 6
Chapter 7: Dvīpa–Varṣa–Meru-varṇana
Description of the Dvīpa, Varṣas, and Mount Meru
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्या भारत भीष्मपर्वके अन्तर्गत जम्बूखण्डविनिर्माणपर्वमें शूमि आदि परिमाणका विवरणविषयक छठा अध्याय पूरा हुआ,सर्वा मणिमयी भूमि: सूक्ष्मकाउ्चनवालुका । सर्वर्तुसुखसंस्पर्शा निष्पड़का च जनाधिप । पुष्करिण्य: शुभास्तत्र सुखस्पर्शा मनोरमा: जनेश्वर! वहाँकी सारी भूमि मणिमयी है। वहाँ जो सूक्ष्म बालूके कण हैं, वे सब सुवर्णमय हैं। उस भूमिपर कीचड़का कहीं नाम भी नहीं है। उसका स्पर्श सभी ऋतुओंमें सुखदायक होता है। वहाँके सुन्दर सरोवर अत्यन्त मनोरम होते हैं। उनका स्पर्श सुखद जान पड़ता है
sañjaya uvāca | sarvā maṇimayī bhūmiḥ sūkṣma-kāñcana-vālukā | sarva-ṛtu-sukha-saṃsparśā niṣpaṅkā ca janādhipa | puṣkariṇyaḥ śubhās tatra sukha-sparśā manoramāḥ |
Sañjaya said: O lord of men, the entire ground there is made of gems; even the fine grains of sand are of delicate gold. Nowhere is there any mire or mud. Its touch is pleasant in every season. And the auspicious lotus-ponds there are enchanting; their waters feel delightful to the touch.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.