Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

लावणस्य समुद्रस्य विष्कम्भो द्विगुण: स्मृत: । नानाजनपदाकीर्णो मणिविद्रुमचित्रित:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

lāvaṇasya samudrasya viṣkambho dviguṇaḥ smṛtaḥ |

nānājanapadākīrṇo maṇividrumacitritaḥ ||

Translation

உப்புக் கடலின் அகலம் (ஜம்பூத்வீபத்தை விட) இரட்டிப்பாகக் கருதப்படுகிறது. அது பல நாடுகள், ஜனபதங்களால் நிரம்பி, மணிகளாலும் பவளங்களாலும் வண்ணமயமாக அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Word by Word

• लावणस्य: of the salt (ocean)
• लावणस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लावण (लवण)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• समुद्रस्य: of the ocean
• समुद्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विष्कम्भः: extent/diameter (breadth)
• विष्कम्भः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्कम्भ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विगुणः: twofold, double
• द्विगुणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विगुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्मृतः: is considered/said to be
• स्मृतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• नाना: various, many kinds of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना

• जनपद: by/with countries (kingdoms)
• जनपद: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनपद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आकीर्णः: filled, crowded
• आकीर्णः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• मणि: with gems
• मणि: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विद्रुम: with corals
• विद्रुम: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्रुम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• चित्रितः: variegated/adorned
• चित्रितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चित्रि (or √चित्र् in denominative usage)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Lavaṇa-samudra (Salt Ocean)
• Janapadas (realms/provinces)
• Maṇi (gems)
• Vidruma (coral)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse conveys a traditional cosmological measure and a vision of the world as ordered and richly endowed. Ethically, it supports the Mahābhārata’s broader aim of situating human action—especially royal duty—within a vast, structured cosmos remembered through authoritative tradition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing the world’s geography in a cosmological register: the salt ocean encircling the central landmass is said to be double in breadth and filled with many regions, embellished with gems and coral.