Shloka 253
Draupadī’s Instruction on Marital Conduct and Household Discipline (चित्तग्रहण-उपदेश)
एता नद्यस्तु धिष्ण्यानां मातरो या: प्रकीर्तिता: । सिन्धुनद, पंचनद, देविका, सरस्वती, गंगा, शतकुम्भा, सरयू, गण्डकी, चर्मण्वती, मही, मेध्या, मेधातिथि, ताम्रवती, वेत्रवती, कौशिकी, तमसा, नर्मदा, गोदावरी, वेणा, उपवेणा, भीमा, वडवा, भारती, सुप्रयोगा, कावेरी, मुर्मुरा, तुंगवेणा, कृष्णवेणा, कपिला तथा शोणभद्र “-ये सब नदियाँ और नद हैं, जो अग्नियोंके उत्पत्ति-स्थान कहे गये हैं
etā nadyas tu dhiṣṇyānāṃ mātaro yāḥ prakīrtitāḥ | sindhunadaḥ pañcanadaḥ devikā sarasvatī gaṅgā śatakumbhā sarayū gaṇḍakī carmaṇvatī mahī medhyā medhātithiḥ tāmravatī vetravatī kauśikī tamasā narmadā godāvarī veṇā upaveṇā bhīmā vaḍavā bhāratī suprayogā kāverī murmūrā tuṅgaveṇā kṛṣṇaveṇā kapilā tathā śoṇabhadraḥ ||
Wika ni Mārkaṇḍeya: “Ang mga ilog na ito ay ipinupuri bilang ‘mga ina’ ng mga dhiṣṇya—mga banal na dambana ng apoy, na pinagmumulan kung saan itinatatag at pinananatili ang mga apoy ng ritwal: ang Sindhu, Pañcanada, Devikā, Sarasvatī, Gaṅgā, Śatakumbhā, Sarayū, Gaṇḍakī, Carmaṇvatī, Mahī, Medhyā, Medhātithi, Tāmravatī, Vetravatī, Kauśikī, Tamasā, Narmadā, Godāvarī, Veṇā, Upaveṇā, Bhīmā, Vaḍavā, Bhāratī, Suprayogā, Kāverī, Murmūrā, Tuṅgaveṇā, Kṛṣṇaveṇā, Kapilā, at pati Śoṇabhadra. Sa pagbanggit sa kanila, iniuugnay ng teksto ang heograpiya sa dharma: ang kadalisayan at pagpapatuloy ng mga ritwal na Veda ay nakasalalay sa paggalang sa mga tubig na nagbibigay-buhay, na siyang nagpapangyari sa paghahandog.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage sacralizes rivers as ‘mothers’ of ritual fire-altars, implying that dharma and Vedic practice are sustained by honoring natural sources of purity and continuity—waterways that enable sacrifice, cleansing, and right conduct.
Mārkaṇḍeya is enumerating a traditional list of rivers, presenting them as revered sources connected with the establishment and maintenance of sacred fires (dhiṣṇyas), thereby mapping spiritual authority onto the landscape.