Shloka 39
Adhyāya 6: Pañca-mahābhūta–guṇa-nirdeśa and Sudarśana-dvīpa
Five Elements, Sensory Qualities, and a Cosmographic Island
उत्तरोत्तरमेते भ्यो वर्षमुद्रिच्यते गुणै: । आयु:प्रमाणमारोग्यं धर्मतः कामतो<र्थत:
uttarottaram etebhyo varṣam udṛcyate guṇaiḥ | āyuḥ-pramāṇam ārogyaṃ dharmataḥ kāmato 'rthataḥ |
Sañjaya berkata: “Bermula dari tahun-tahun terdahulu itu, setiap tahun yang menyusul meningkat lebih tinggi dalam keunggulan—diukur pada panjang usia, kesihatan, serta perolehan dharma, artha, dan kāma. Demikianlah, wahai Bhārata, perjalanan waktu bergerak maju dengan sifat-sifat bertuah yang kian bertambah.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames well-being as multi-dimensional: true ‘increase’ is not only longevity and health, but also growth in dharma (right conduct), artha (ordered prosperity), and kāma (legitimate enjoyment). It implies that ethical order (dharma) is a primary lens for judging the quality of time and life.
Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as Bhārata), describing a progression in which successive periods/years are said to become increasingly endowed with auspicious qualities—longevity, health, and the three human aims (dharma, artha, kāma).