Shloka 27

Śākadvīpa–Pramāṇa–Varṇana

Measurements and Description of Śākadvīpa

Devanagari script

द्वीपेषु तेषु सर्वेषु प्रजानां कुरुसत्तम । ब्रह्मचर्येण सत्येन प्रजानां हि दमेन च

Transliteration

dvīpeṣu teṣu sarveṣu prajānāṁ kurusattama | brahmacaryeṇa satyena prajānāṁ hi damena ca ||

Translation

ହେ କୁରୁଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ! ସେ ସମସ୍ତ ଦ୍ୱୀପରେ ପ୍ରଜାମାନେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ, ସତ୍ୟ ଓ ଦମ (ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ-ସଂଯମ) ଦ୍ୱାରା ହିଁ ଧାରିତ ଓ ନିୟମିତ ରହନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

द्वीपेषुin the islands/continents

तेषुin those

सर्वेषुin all

प्रजानाम्of the subjects/people

कुरुसत्तमO best of the Kurus

ब्रह्मचर्येणby celibacy/continence

सत्येनby truthfulness

प्रजानाम्of the subjects/people

हिindeed/for

दमेनby self-control/restraint

चand

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Kurusattama (address to Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

dvīpas (islands/continents)

prajā (subjects/people)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that a stable and righteous society depends on personal and public virtues—brahmacarya (disciplined conduct), satya (truthfulness), and dama (self-restraint). These are presented as foundational supports for the well-being of the people.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing to Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as ‘best of the Kurus’) the moral conditions by which people across various dvīpas are maintained—emphasizing virtue-based order rather than mere force or wealth.