Shloka 17
Adhyāya 6: Pañca-mahābhūta–guṇa-nirdeśa and Sudarśana-dvīpa
Five Elements, Sensory Qualities, and a Cosmographic Island
स पर्वतो महाराज दिव्यपुष्पफलान्वित: । भवनैरावृत: सर्वैर्जाम्बूनदपरिष्कृतै:
sa parvato mahārāja divyapuṣpaphalānvitaḥ | bhavanair āvṛtaḥ sarvair jāmbūnadapariṣkṛtaiḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, gunung itu dikurniai bunga dan buah-buahan surgawi. Ia dikelilingi di segala sisi oleh istana-istana yang dihiasi emas Jāmbūnada, maka gunung itu pun bersinar dengan kemegahan yang luar biasa.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurring contrast between worldly conflict and the vision of higher, radiant realms. By describing a mountain rich in divine produce and gold-adorned dwellings, the narration underscores that power and beauty are transient spectacles within a larger moral universe—inviting the listener (the king) to reflect beyond immediate war-news toward discernment and restraint.
Sañjaya continues his report to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, describing a wondrous mountain scene: it bears celestial flowers and fruits and is surrounded by palatial buildings decorated with Jāmbūnada gold. The passage functions as vivid scene-setting within his broader narration.