Shloka 13
भूमिगुण-प्रश्नः
Inquiry into the qualities of Earth and the classification of beings
सुदर्शन प्रवक्ष्यामि द्वीपं तु कुरुनन्दन | परिमण्डलो महाराज द्वीपोडसौ चक्रसंस्थित:,कुरुनन्दन! अब मैं सुदर्शन नामक द्वीपका वर्णन करूँगा। महाराज! वह द्वीप चक्रकी भाँति गोलाकार स्थित है
sañjaya uvāca | sudarśanaṃ pravakṣyāmi dvīpaṃ tu kurunandana | parimaṇḍalo mahārāja dvīpo 'sau cakrasaṃsthitaḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : « Ô joie des Kuru, je vais maintenant décrire l’île nommée Sudarśana. Ô grand roi, cette île est parfaitement circulaire, disposée à la manière d’une roue. »
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily serves a descriptive, cosmographic purpose: it models careful, orderly narration to a king—presenting the world as structured and intelligible. Indirectly, it reflects the epic’s concern that rulers understand the larger order (loka-vyavasthā) within which human duty and governance operate.
Within the frame dialogue, Sanjaya addresses King Dhṛtarāṣṭra and announces that he will describe the island named Sudarśana, characterizing it as circular and wheel-like in form.