Chapter 84: Brahmā’s Counsel on Tāraka, the Search for Agni, and the Genesis of Skanda
Kārttikeya
सौवर्णा गिरयस्तत्र मणिरत्नशिलोच्चया: । सर्वरत्नमयैर्भान्ति शंगैश्वारुभिरुच्छितै:,वहाँ सोनेके पर्वत तथा मणि और रत्नोंके शैलसमूह हैं, जो अपने मनोहर, ऊँचे तथा सर्वरत्नमय शिखरोंसे सुशोभित होते हैं
sauvarṇā girayas tatra maṇiratnaśilocchrayāḥ | sarvaratnamayair bhānti śṛṅgaiś cārubhir ucchitaiḥ ||
तत्र सौवर्णा गिरयः सन्ति मणिरत्नशिलोच्चयाः। ते सर्वरत्नमयैः शृङ्गैः मनोहरैः उन्नतैश्च समुच्छ्रिताः सुभ्राजन्ते।
व्यास उवाच
The verse primarily conveys the Mahābhārata’s use of sacred geography: extraordinary landscapes symbolize realms shaped by merit and divine order. Such descriptions remind the listener that the moral quality of beings and worlds (puṇya/pāpa, dharma/adharma) is reflected in the very texture of the cosmos.
Vyāsa is narrating a vision-like description of a particular region, emphasizing its supernatural magnificence—golden mountains and jewel-formed peaks—thereby setting an awe-filled scene within the broader discourse of the Anuśāsana Parva.