Shloka 21
Śākadvīpa–Pramāṇa–Varṇana
Measurements and Description of Śākadvīpa
क्रौज्चस्य कुशलो देशो वामनस्य मनोनुग: । मनोनुगात् परश्नोष्णो देश: कुरुकुलोद्वह,क्रौंचपर्वतके निकट कुशल नामक देश है। वामन-पर्वतके पास मनोनुग देश है। कुरुकुलश्रेष्ठ! मनोनुगके बाद उष्ण देश आता है
krauñcasya kuśalo deśo vāmanasya manonugaḥ | manonugāt paraśnoṣṇo deśaḥ kurukulodvaha ||
संजय म्हणाला—क्रौंच पर्वताजवळ ‘कुशल’ नावाचा देश आहे. वामन पर्वताच्या सान्निध्यात ‘मनोनुग’ देश आहे. कुरुकुलश्रेष्ठा! मनोनुगच्या पुढे ‘उष्ण’ देश येतो.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive rather than prescriptive: it models careful, sequential knowledge of lands and landmarks. In the epic’s ethical frame, such ordered description supports the ideal of a ruler or listener being well-informed about the world—an aspect of prudent governance and disciplined understanding.
Sañjaya continues a catalog of regions, naming territories in relation to notable mountains and indicating their order: Kuśala near Krauñca, Manonuga near Vāmana, and then Uṣṇa beyond Manonuga, while addressing the listener as ‘foremost of the Kurus’ (Kurukulodvaha).