Shloka 14

भूमिगुण-प्रश्नः

Inquiry into the qualities of Earth and the classification of beings

Devanagari script

नदीजलप्रतिच्छन्न: पर्वतैश्नाभ्रसंनिभै: | प्रैश्न विविधाकारै रम्यैर्जनपदैस्तथा

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

nadī-jala-praticchannaḥ parvataiś cābhra-sannibhaiḥ |

prāyaiś ca vividha-ākāraiḥ ramyair janapadaiḥ tathā ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Tanah itu diliputi air daripada banyak sungai dan dihiasi gunung-ganang tinggi laksana awan. Ia juga diserikan oleh wilayah dan penempatan yang pelbagai lagi indah, serta pepohon yang sarat dengan buah dan bunga. Melimpah dengan segala kemakmuran—harta, bijirin, dan sumber—ia dilingkungi di segenap penjuru oleh lautan masin.

Word by Word

• नदी-जल-प्रतिच्छन्नः: covered/overlaid with river-water
• नदी-जल-प्रतिच्छन्नः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिच्छन्न (√छद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पर्वतैः: by/with mountains
• पर्वतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नाभ्र-संनिभैः: resembling clouds
• नाभ्र-संनिभैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संनिभ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रैः: forth/abundantly (particle; context-dependent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र (प्रैः = प्र + एः/ऐः; अव्यय-प्रयोग)

• विविध-आकारैः: with various forms/shapes
• विविध-आकारैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• रम्यैः: with delightful/beautiful (ones)
• रम्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• जनपदैः: with countries/regions
• जनपदैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनपद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: and likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• rivers (nadī)
• mountains (parvata)
• clouds (abhra)
• janapadas/regions (janapada)
• salt ocean (lavaṇa-samudra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ordered abundance of the world—rivers, mountains, fertile regions, and encircling ocean—implying that prosperity and stability arise from a well-structured realm. In the epic context, such descriptions also frame the responsibility of rulers: a land rich in resources is to be protected and governed with restraint rather than devastated by conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing the world/land in vivid geographic imagery—river-watered, mountain-adorned, filled with pleasant regions and settlements, and surrounded by the salt sea—continuing a broader cosmographic account within Bhīṣma Parva.