Shloka 21
Śākadvīpa–Pramāṇa–Varṇana
Measurements and Description of Śākadvīpa
क्रौज्चस्य कुशलो देशो वामनस्य मनोनुग: । मनोनुगात् परश्नोष्णो देश: कुरुकुलोद्वह,क्रौंचपर्वतके निकट कुशल नामक देश है। वामन-पर्वतके पास मनोनुग देश है। कुरुकुलश्रेष्ठ! मनोनुगके बाद उष्ण देश आता है
krauñcasya kuśalo deśo vāmanasya manonugaḥ | manonugāt paraśnoṣṇo deśaḥ kurukulodvaha ||
Wika ni Sañjaya: “Malapit sa bundok na Krauñca naroon ang lupain na tinatawag na Kuśala. Malapit sa bundok na Vāmana ang bayang Manonuga. O pinakadakila sa angkan ng Kuru, lampas sa Manonuga ay dumarating ang lupain na tinatawag na Uṣṇa.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive rather than prescriptive: it models careful, sequential knowledge of lands and landmarks. In the epic’s ethical frame, such ordered description supports the ideal of a ruler or listener being well-informed about the world—an aspect of prudent governance and disciplined understanding.
Sañjaya continues a catalog of regions, naming territories in relation to notable mountains and indicating their order: Kuśala near Krauñca, Manonuga near Vāmana, and then Uṣṇa beyond Manonuga, while addressing the listener as ‘foremost of the Kurus’ (Kurukulodvaha).