Shloka 39
Adhyāya 6: Pañca-mahābhūta–guṇa-nirdeśa and Sudarśana-dvīpa
Five Elements, Sensory Qualities, and a Cosmographic Island
उत्तरोत्तरमेते भ्यो वर्षमुद्रिच्यते गुणै: । आयु:प्रमाणमारोग्यं धर्मतः कामतो<र्थत:,भारतसे आरम्भ करके ये सभी वर्ष आयुके प्रमाण, आरोग्य, धर्म, अर्थ और काम-- इन सभी दृष्टियोंसे गुणोंमें उत्तरोत्तर बढ़ते गये हैं
uttarottaram etebhyo varṣam udṛcyate guṇaiḥ | āyuḥ-pramāṇam ārogyaṃ dharmataḥ kāmato 'rthataḥ |
Sañjaya said: “From these earlier years onward, each succeeding year rose higher in excellence—measured by length of life, by health, and by the gains of dharma, artha, and kāma. Thus, O Bhārata, the course of time advanced with increasing auspicious qualities.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames well-being as multi-dimensional: true ‘increase’ is not only longevity and health, but also growth in dharma (right conduct), artha (ordered prosperity), and kāma (legitimate enjoyment). It implies that ethical order (dharma) is a primary lens for judging the quality of time and life.
Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as Bhārata), describing a progression in which successive periods/years are said to become increasingly endowed with auspicious qualities—longevity, health, and the three human aims (dharma, artha, kāma).