Shloka 36

Varṣa-Parvata-Nivāsinām Varnanam

Description of Regions, Mountains, and Their Inhabitants

Devanagari script

कुमारीमृषिकुल्यां च मारिषां च सरस्वतीम्‌ । मन्दाकिनीं सुपुण्यां च सर्वा गड़ां च भारत

Transliteration

kumārīm ṛṣikulyāṃ ca māriṣāṃ ca sarasvatīm | mandākinīṃ supuṇyāṃ ca sarvā gaḍāṃ ca bhārata

Translation

कुमारीमृषिकुल्यां च मारिषां च सरस्वतीम् । मन्दाकिनीं सुपुण्यां च सर्वा गङ्गां च भारत ॥

Word by Word

कुमारीम्Kumārī (a river/name)

ऋषिकुल्याम्Ṛṣikulya (river; 'sages’ stream')

चand

मारिषाम्Māriṣā (river/name)

चand

सरस्वतीम्Sarasvatī (river/goddess)

मन्दाकिनीम्Mandākinī (river)

सुपुण्याम्very holy/most meritorious

चand

सर्वगङ्गाम्Sarvagāṅgā (name of a river; 'all-Gaṅgā')

चand

भारतO Bhārata

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)

Kumārī (river)

Ṛ

Ṛṣikulyā (river)

Māriṣā (river)

Sarasvatī (river)

Mandākinī (river)

Gaḍā (as printed; river-name)

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 emphasizes reverence for sacred rivers as embodiments of purity and merit (puṇya). Remembering or invoking such tīrthas is presented in the epic tradition as a dharmic act that supports ethical life through purification, restraint, and devotion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya continues a catalog-like narration, listing revered rivers—Kumārī, Ṛṣikulyā, Māriṣā, Sarasvatī, Mandākinī, and others—addressing Dhṛtarāṣṭra (‘Bhārata’). The passage functions as a sacred-geographical enumeration within the broader Bhīṣma Parva context.