Shloka 8

Yuga-Lakṣaṇa and Varṣa-Pramāṇa Inquiry (युगलक्षण–वर्षप्रमाण–प्रश्न)

Devanagari script

शाकद्दीपं च वक्ष्यामि यथावदिह पार्थिव । शृणु मे त्वं यथान्यायं ब्रुवतः कुरुनन्दन,राजन! अब मैं शाकद्वीपका यथावत्‌ वर्णन आरम्भ करता हूँ। कुरुनन्दन! मेरे इस न्यायोचित कथनको आप ध्यान देकर सुनें

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

śākadvīpaṃ ca vakṣyāmi yathāvad iha pārthiva |

śṛṇu me tvaṃ yathānyāyaṃ bruvataḥ kurunandana ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「王よ、いまここに、しかるべき順序に従ってシャーカドヴィーパを余すところなく述べよう。クル族の喜びよ、礼法と正しい筋道にかなって語る私の言葉を、心して聞け。」

Word by Word

शाकद्वीपम्Śākadvīpa (the island/continent named Śāka)

चand

वक्ष्यामिI shall describe / I will tell

यथावत्properly, in due manner

इहhere (in this context)

पार्थिवO king

शृणुhear, listen

मेof me / my

त्वम्you

यथाas, in the manner that

न्यायम्properly, according to rule/justice (as an adverbial accusative)

ब्रुवतःof (me) speaking / while (I am) speaking

कुरुनन्दनO joy of the Kurus (descendant of Kuru)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'pārthiva')

Kuru lineage (addressed as 'kurunandana')

Śākadvīpa

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes disciplined, rule-governed speech: a narrator should present knowledge ‘yathāvat’ (accurately) and ‘yathānyāyam’ (in proper order and propriety), and the listener—especially a ruler—should attend carefully. It models ethical communication and responsible transmission of tradition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya signals a transition into cosmographical description, announcing that he will now explain Śākadvīpa in proper detail, and he urges the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) to listen attentively.