Shloka 54
Varṣa-Parvata-Nivāsinām Varnanam
Description of Regions, Mountains, and Their Inhabitants
अभीसारा उलूताश्न शैवला बाह्विकास्तथा । दार्वी च वानवा दर्वा वातजामरथोरगा:,पुण्ड्र, भर्ग, किरात, सुदृष्ट, यामुन, शक, निषाद, निषध, आनर्त, नैर#ऋत, दुर्गाल, प्रतिमत्स्य, कुन्तल, कोसल, तीरग्रह, शूरसेन, ईजिक, कन्यकागुण, तिलभार, मसीर, मधुमान, सुकन्दक, काश्मीर, सिन्धुसौवीर, गान्धार, दर्शक, अभीसार, उलूत, शैवाल, बाह्लिक, दार्वी, वानव, दर्व, वातज, आमरथ, उरग, बहुवाद्य, सुदाम, सुमल्लिक, वध्र, करीषक, कुलिन्द, उपत्यक, वनायु, दश, पार्श्वरोम, कुशबिन्दु, कच्छ, गोपालकक्ष, जांगल, कुरुवर्णक, किरात, बर्बर, सिद्ध, वैदेह, ताम्रलिप्तक, ओण्ड्, म्लेच्छ, सैसिरिध्र और पार्वतीय इत्यादि
sañjaya uvāca | abhīsārā ulūtāśnaśaivalā bāhlīkās tathā | dārvī ca vānava dārvā vātajāmarathoragāḥ | puṇḍrā bhargāḥ kirātāḥ sudṛṣṭā yāmunāḥ śakāḥ niṣādā niṣadhā ānartā nairṛtā durgālāḥ pratimatsyāḥ kuntalāḥ kosalāḥ tīragrahāḥ śūrasenā ījikāḥ kanyakāguṇā tilabhārā masīrā madhumānāḥ sukandhakāḥ kāśmīrāḥ sindhusauvīrā gāndhārā darśakāḥ | abhīsārā ulūtāḥ śaivalā bāhlīkā dārvī vānava dārva vātaja āmaratha uraga bahuvādyāḥ sudāmāḥ sumallikāḥ vadhraḥ karīṣakāḥ kulindāḥ upatyakāḥ vanāyu daśāḥ pārśvaromāḥ kuśabindavaḥ kacchāḥ gopālakakṣāḥ jāṅgalāḥ kurūvarṇakāḥ kirātāḥ barbarāḥ siddhāḥ vaidehāḥ tāmrāliptakāḥ oṇḍāḥ mlecchāḥ saisiridhrāḥ pārvatīyāś ca ityādayaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: There were also many frontier and mountain peoples—Abhīsāras, Ulūtas, Śaivalas, and Bāhlīkas; the Dārvīs, Vānavas, Dārvas, Vātajas, Āmarathas, and Uragas; Puṇḍras, Bhargas, Kirātas, Sudṛṣṭas, Yāmunas, Śakas, Niṣādas, Niṣadhas, Ānartas, Nairṛtas, Durgālas, Pratimatsyas, Kuntalas, Kosalas, Tīragrahas, Śūrasenas, Ījikas, Kanyakāguṇas, Tilabhāras, Masīras, Madhumānas, Sukandhakas, Kāśmīras, Sindhu-Sauvīras, Gāndhāras, Darśakas—and many others besides. By listing them, Sañjaya conveys the vast, multi-ethnic scale of the armies gathered for the Kurukṣetra war, where diverse communities are drawn into a single conflict, raising the ethical weight of war’s consequences across the whole world known to the epic.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
By enumerating many peoples drawn into the battle, the verse underscores the expansive moral burden of war: violence does not remain local but spreads its suffering and responsibility across diverse communities, making the pursuit of dharma in conflict a matter of world-scale consequence.
Sañjaya continues describing the forces assembled for the Kurukṣetra war, listing numerous regional groups and frontier peoples who have come as part of the armies, emphasizing the vast coalition and the breadth of participation.