Mahabharata · 6.6.1-2
॥
Devanāgarī
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
नदीनां पर्वतानां च नामधेयानि संजय ॥
तथा जनपदानां च ये चान्ये भूमिम् आश्रिताः ॥
प्रमाणं च प्रमाणज्ञ पृथिव्या अपि सर्वशः ॥
निखिलेन समाचक्ष्व काननानि च संजय ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
nadīnāṃ parvatānāṃ ca nāmadheyāni saṃjaya ||
tathā janapadānāṃ ca ye cānye bhūmim āśritāḥ ||
pramāṇaṃ ca pramāṇajña pṛthivyā api sarvaśaḥ ||
nikhilena samācakṣva kānanāni ca saṃjaya ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
धृतराष्ट्रdhṛtarāṣṭraDhritarashtra; King Dhritarashtra
उवाचuvācasaid; asked
नदीनांnadīnāṃof rivers; of streams
पर्वतानांparvatānāṃof mountains; of mountain ranges
चcaand; also
नामधेयानिnāmadheyāninames; designations
संजयsaṃjayaO Sanjaya; Sanjaya
तथाtathāalso; and
जनपदानांjanapadānāṃof countries; of inhabited regions
चcaand; also
येyewhich; those that
चान्येcānyeand others; and the rest as well
भूमिम्bhūmimthe earth as a dwelling place; the earth's surface
आश्रिताःāśritāḥdwell upon; inhabit
प्रमाणंpramāṇaṃmeasure; extent
चcaand; also
प्रमाणज्ञpramāṇajñaO knower of measure; O one who knows dimensions
पृथिव्याpṛthivyāof the earthly realm; of the earth as the world of men
अपिapialso; even
सर्वशःsarvaśaḥfully; on every side
निखिलेनnikhilenaentirely; without remainder
समाचक्ष्वsamācakṣvadescribe in detail; explain
काननानिkānanāniforests; forest regions
चcaand; also
संजयsaṃjayaO Sanjaya; Sanjaya
Translation
Dhritarashtra said: ‘O Sanjaya, tell me the names of the rivers and mountains, as well as of the countries and all others who dwell upon the earth. O knower of measure, describe to me in full detail the extent of the earthly world on every side, and also its forest regions, Sanjaya.’
Version
9b8828ae5075 · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:37:17 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Having reflected on the earth as the cause of the war, Dhritarashtra asks that its structure be described. His question is geographical in appearance, but in the context of the war it is a question about the object of royal greed: exactly what it is that the lords of the earth strive to hold.