Shloka 14
Chapter 7: Dvīpa–Varṣa–Meru-varṇana
Description of the Dvīpa, Varṣas, and Mount Meru
तस्य मूर्धाभिषेकस्तु भद्रा श्वस्य विशाम्पते । भद्गसालवन यत्र कालाम्रश्न महाद्रुम:,प्रजानाथ! भद्राश्ववर्षक शिखरपर भद्रशाल नामका एक वन है एवं वहाँ कालाग्र नामक महान् वृक्ष भी है
tasya mūrdhābhiṣekas tu bhadrāśvasya viśāmpate | bhadraśālavanaṃ yatra kālāgraś ca mahādrumaḥ ||
Wahai pelindung rakyat, di tanah Bhadrāśva itu ada suatu wilayah bernama Mūrdhābhiṣeka. Di sana terdapat rimba bernama Bhadraśāla, dan di dalamnya berdiri pohon agung bernama Kālāgra.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily serves a descriptive purpose: it situates the listener within a larger sacred geography. Indirectly, it reflects the epic’s ethical-political worldview in which kingship (addressed as “lord of the people”) is linked to knowledge of the world’s ordered regions and notable sacred/natural landmarks.
Sanjaya is describing a particular region associated with Bhadrāśva-varṣa, naming a locality called Mūrdhābhiṣeka, identifying the Bhadraśāla forest there, and noting a prominent great tree named Kālāgra.