Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 2
Plakṣaprasravaṇa–Kārapacana tīrtha-varṇana and Nārada’s war briefing (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 53)
पुरा च राजर्षिवरेण धीमता बहूनि वर्षाण्यमितेन तेजसा । प्रकृष्टमेतत् कुरुणा महात्मना ततः कुरुक्षेत्रमितीह पप्रथे
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
purā ca rājarṣivareṇa dhīmatā bahūni varṣāṇy amitena tejasā |
prakṛṣṭam etat kuruṇā mahātmanā tataḥ kurukṣetram itīha paprathe ||
வைசம்பாயனன் கூறினான்— “பழங்காலத்தில் அளவற்ற ஒளியுடனும் ஞானத்துடனும் விளங்கிய அரசரிஷிகளில் சிறந்த மகாத்மா குரு, பல ஆண்டுகள் இந்த நிலத்தை மிகச் சிறப்பாக உழுது வளப்படுத்தினார். அதனால் இவ்வுலகில் இது ‘குருக்ஷேத்திரம்’ என்ற பெயரால் புகழ்பெற்றது।”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links a place’s sanctity and fame to sustained righteous effort: Kurukṣetra is revered because a virtuous king-sage, Kuru, labored there for years, implying that dharmic action can consecrate land and memory.
Vaiśampāyana explains the origin of the name “Kurukṣetra,” stating that in ancient times King Kuru cultivated and developed this region for many years, and thus it became widely known by that name.
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