Shloka 14

भूमिगुण-प्रश्नः

Inquiry into the qualities of Earth and the classification of beings

Devanagari script

नदीजलप्रतिच्छन्न: पर्वतैश्नाभ्रसंनिभै: | प्रैश्न विविधाकारै रम्यैर्जनपदैस्तथा

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

nadī-jala-praticchannaḥ parvataiś cābhra-sannibhaiḥ |

prāyaiś ca vividha-ākāraiḥ ramyair janapadaiḥ tathā ||

Translation

แผ่นดินนั้นถูกปกคลุมด้วยสายน้ำแห่งนานานที และงามด้วยภูผาสูงตระหง่านดุจหมู่เมฆ อีกทั้งประดับด้วยแว่นแคว้นและนครอันรื่นรมย์หลากรูปหลากนาม

Word by Word

• नदी-जल-प्रतिच्छन्नः: covered/overlaid with river-water
• नदी-जल-प्रतिच्छन्नः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिच्छन्न (√छद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पर्वतैः: by/with mountains
• पर्वतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नाभ्र-संनिभैः: resembling clouds
• नाभ्र-संनिभैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संनिभ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रैः: forth/abundantly (particle; context-dependent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र (प्रैः = प्र + एः/ऐः; अव्यय-प्रयोग)

• विविध-आकारैः: with various forms/shapes
• विविध-आकारैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• रम्यैः: with delightful/beautiful (ones)
• रम्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• जनपदैः: with countries/regions
• जनपदैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनपद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: and likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• rivers (nadī)
• mountains (parvata)
• clouds (abhra)
• janapadas/regions (janapada)
• salt ocean (lavaṇa-samudra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ordered abundance of the world—rivers, mountains, fertile regions, and encircling ocean—implying that prosperity and stability arise from a well-structured realm. In the epic context, such descriptions also frame the responsibility of rulers: a land rich in resources is to be protected and governed with restraint rather than devastated by conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing the world/land in vivid geographic imagery—river-watered, mountain-adorned, filled with pleasant regions and settlements, and surrounded by the salt sea—continuing a broader cosmographic account within Bhīṣma Parva.