Shloka 8

Yuga-Lakṣaṇa and Varṣa-Pramāṇa Inquiry (युगलक्षण–वर्षप्रमाण–प्रश्न)

Devanagari script

शाकद्दीपं च वक्ष्यामि यथावदिह पार्थिव । शृणु मे त्वं यथान्यायं ब्रुवतः कुरुनन्दन,राजन! अब मैं शाकद्वीपका यथावत्‌ वर्णन आरम्भ करता हूँ। कुरुनन्दन! मेरे इस न्यायोचित कथनको आप ध्यान देकर सुनें

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

śākadvīpaṃ ca vakṣyāmi yathāvad iha pārthiva |

śṛṇu me tvaṃ yathānyāyaṃ bruvataḥ kurunandana ||

Translation

ਹੇ ਪਾਰਥਿਵ ਰਾਜਨ! ਹੁਣ ਮੈਂ ਇੱਥੇ ਸ਼ਾਕਦਵੀਪ ਦਾ ਯਥਾਵਤ ਵਰਣਨ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ। ਹੇ ਕੁਰੂਨੰਦਨ! ਮੈਂ ਜੋ ਨਿਆਂਸੰਗਤ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਕਹਿ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ, ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਧਿਆਨ ਨਾਲ ਸੁਣੋ।

Word by Word

• शाकद्वीपम्: Śākadvīpa (the island/continent named Śāka)
• शाकद्वीपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाकद्वीप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall describe / I will tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यथावत्: properly, in due manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्

• इह: here (in this context)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• पार्थिव: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शृणु: hear, listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• न्यायम्: properly, according to rule/justice (as an adverbial accusative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रुवतः: of (me) speaking / while (I am) speaking
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Present active participle (Śatṛ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• कुरुनन्दन: O joy of the Kurus (descendant of Kuru)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'pārthiva')
• Kuru lineage (addressed as 'kurunandana')
• Śākadvīpa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes disciplined, rule-governed speech: a narrator should present knowledge ‘yathāvat’ (accurately) and ‘yathānyāyam’ (in proper order and propriety), and the listener—especially a ruler—should attend carefully. It models ethical communication and responsible transmission of tradition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya signals a transition into cosmographical description, announcing that he will now explain Śākadvīpa in proper detail, and he urges the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) to listen attentively.