Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

शाकद्दीपं च वक्ष्यामि यथावदिह पार्थिव । शृणु मे त्वं यथान्यायं ब्रुवतः कुरुनन्दन,राजन! अब मैं शाकद्वीपका यथावत्‌ वर्णन आरम्भ करता हूँ। कुरुनन्दन! मेरे इस न्यायोचित कथनको आप ध्यान देकर सुनें

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

śākadvīpaṃ ca vakṣyāmi yathāvad iha pārthiva |

śṛṇu me tvaṃ yathānyāyaṃ bruvataḥ kurunandana ||

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: “Tâu Đại vương, nay thần sẽ tuần tự thuật rõ về Śākadvīpa. Hỡi niềm vui của dòng Kuru, xin hãy chăm chú lắng nghe khi thần nói theo đúng phép tắc và chính đạo.”

Word by Word

• शाकद्वीपम्: Śākadvīpa (the island/continent named Śāka)
• शाकद्वीपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाकद्वीप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall describe / I will tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यथावत्: properly, in due manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्

• इह: here (in this context)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

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

• शृणु: hear, listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• न्यायम्: properly, according to rule/justice (as an adverbial accusative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रुवतः: of (me) speaking / while (I am) speaking
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Present active participle (Śatṛ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• कुरुनन्दन: O joy of the Kurus (descendant of Kuru)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'pārthiva')
• Kuru lineage (addressed as 'kurunandana')
• Śākadvīpa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes disciplined, rule-governed speech: a narrator should present knowledge ‘yathāvat’ (accurately) and ‘yathānyāyam’ (in proper order and propriety), and the listener—especially a ruler—should attend carefully. It models ethical communication and responsible transmission of tradition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya signals a transition into cosmographical description, announcing that he will now explain Śākadvīpa in proper detail, and he urges the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) to listen attentively.