Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 50
Nāgendra–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Praśna-vidhi and Dharmic Approach on the Gomatī Riverbank
कर्णावाकाशपाताले ललाटं भूतधारिणी । गड़ा सरस्वती श्रोण्यौ भ्रुवावास्तां महोदधी
karṇāv ākāśapātāle lalāṭaṁ bhūtadhāriṇī | gaṅgā sarasvatī śroṇyau bhruvāv āstāṁ mahodadhī ||
វៃសម្បាយនៈបាននិយាយ៖ មេឃ និងលោកក្រោម (បាតាល) ជាត្រចៀកទាំងពីររបស់នាង; ផែនដី—អ្នកទ្រទ្រង់សត្វមានជីវិតទាំងអស់—ជាថ្ងាស។ ទន្លេគង្គា និងសរស្វតី ជានិតំប; ហើយសមុទ្រធំទាំងពីរ ជាចិញ្ចើមទាំងពីរ។
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a cosmic-body metaphor in which Earth and its features are sacred supports of life. Ethically, it implies dharma as stewardship: honoring and protecting the natural order that sustains all beings.
Vaiśaṃpāyana describes a vast, personified cosmic figure (centered on Earth), mapping major realms and waters—sky, netherworld, rivers, and oceans—onto bodily parts to convey the grandeur and integrative structure of the world.