Shloka 2
Chapter 7: Dvīpa–Varṣa–Meru-varṇana
Description of the Dvīpa, Varṣas, and Mount Meru
संजय उवाच दक्षिणेन तु नीलस्य मेरो: पाश्वे तथोत्तरे । उत्तरा: कुरवो राजन् पुण्या: सिद्धनिषेविता:,संजयने कहा--राजन्! नीलगिरिसे दक्षिण तथा मेरुपर्वतके उत्तरभागमें पवित्र उत्तर कुरुवर्ष है, जहाँ सिद्ध पुरुष निवास करते हैं
sañjaya uvāca dakṣiṇena tu nīlasya meroḥ pārśve tathottare | uttarāḥ kuravo rājan puṇyāḥ siddhaniṣevitāḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, di selatan gunung Nīla dan juga pada lereng utara Gunung Meru terletak tanah suci bernama Uttara-Kuru, suatu wilayah keramat yang sering diziarahi dan didiami para siddha (makhluk yang telah sempurna).”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames certain regions as intrinsically sacred due to their association with siddhas (perfected beings), implying that holiness is tied to purity of place and the presence of realized ascetics—an ethical reminder that spiritual attainment sanctifies environments and guides human reverence.
Sañjaya is describing the mythic geography of the world, locating Uttara-Kuru relative to Nīla and Meru, and characterizing it as a holy realm inhabited by siddhas, as part of a broader cosmographical account within Bhīṣma Parva.