06.005
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
एवमुक्त्वा ययौ व्यासो धृतराष्ट्राय धीमते। धृतराष्ट्रोऽपि तच्छ्रुत्वा ध्यानमेवान्वपद्यत ॥६-५-१॥
After saying this, Vyasa went to the wise Dhritarashtra. Upon hearing this, Dhritarashtra too engaged in meditation.
स मुहूर्तमिव ध्यात्वा विनिःश्वस्य मुहुर्मुहुः। सञ्जयं संशितात्मानमपृच्छद्भरतर्षभ ॥६-५-२॥
He paused as if in meditation for a moment, sighed repeatedly, and then asked Sanjaya with determination, 'O best of the Bharatas.'
सञ्जयेमे महीपालाः शूरा युद्धाभिनन्दिनः। अन्योन्यमभिनिघ्नन्ति शस्त्रैरुच्चावचैरपि ॥६-५-३॥
O Sanjaya, these valiant kings, who delight in battle, are attacking each other with various weapons.
पार्थिवाः पृथिवीहेतोः समभित्यक्तजीविताः। न च शाम्यन्ति निघ्नन्तो वर्धयन्तो यमक्षयम् ॥६-५-४॥
The kings, in their quest for dominion over the earth, willingly sacrifice their lives, never ceasing in their efforts, as they continue to kill and expand the realm of death.
भौममैश्वर्यमिच्छन्तो न मृष्यन्ते परस्परम्। मन्ये बहुगुणा भूमिस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय ॥६-५-५॥
Desiring earthly prosperity, they cannot tolerate each other. I believe the earth possesses many qualities. Please tell me about it, Sanjaya.
बहूनि च सहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च। कोट्यश्च लोकवीराणां समेताः कुरुजाङ्गले ॥६-५-६॥
Many thousands, millions, and crores of heroes from around the world gathered in the Kuru field.
देशानां च परीमाणं नगराणां च सञ्जय। श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वेन यत एते समागताः ॥६-५-७॥
O Sanjaya, I wish to truly understand the extent of the countries and cities because these have gathered.
दिव्यबुद्धिप्रदीपेन युक्तस्त्वं ज्ञानचक्षुषा। प्रसादात्तस्य विप्रर्षेर्व्यासस्यामिततेजसः ॥६-५-८॥
You are endowed with divine intellect and the eye of knowledge by the grace of the sage Vyasa, who possesses immeasurable splendor.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
यथाप्रज्ञं महाप्राज्ञ भौमान्वक्ष्यामि ते गुणान्। शास्त्रचक्षुरवेक्षस्व नमस्ते भरतर्षभ ॥६-५-९॥
O great wise one, I will describe your earthly qualities as per wisdom. Please observe them with the insight of the scriptures. Salutations to you, O best of the Bharatas.
द्विविधानीह भूतानि त्रसानि स्थावराणि च। त्रसानां त्रिविधा योनिरण्डस्वेदजरायुजाः ॥६-५-१०॥
In this world, there are two types of beings: those that move and those that do not. Among the moving beings, there are three kinds of origins: those born from eggs, those born from sweat, and those born from the womb.
त्रसानां खलु सर्वेषां श्रेष्ठा राजञ्जरायुजाः। जरायुजानां प्रवरा मानवाः पशवश्च ये ॥६-५-११॥
O king, among all living beings, those born from a womb are considered the best, and among them, humans and animals are the foremost.
नानारूपाणि बिभ्राणास्तेषां भेदाश्चतुर्दश। अरण्यवासिनः सप्त सप्तैषां ग्रामवासिनः ॥६-५-१२॥
They bear various forms and are divided into fourteen types: seven are forest dwellers and seven are village dwellers.
सिंहव्याघ्रवराहाश्च महिषा वारणास्तथा। ऋक्षाश्च वानराश्चैव सप्तारण्याः स्मृता नृप ॥६-५-१३॥
O king, lions, tigers, boars, buffaloes, elephants, bears, and monkeys are considered the seven types of forests.
गौरजो मनुजो मेषो वाज्यश्वतरगर्दभाः। एते ग्राम्याः समाख्याताः पशवः सप्त साधुभिः ॥६-५-१४॥
The wise have identified seven types of domestic animals: cow-born, humans, sheep, horses, mules, and donkeys.
एते वै पशवो राजन्ग्राम्यारण्याश्चतुर्दश। वेदोक्ताः पृथिवीपाल येषु यज्ञाः प्रतिष्ठिताः ॥६-५-१५॥
O King, these are the fourteen animals, both domestic and wild, as mentioned in the Vedas, in which the sacrifices are established, O protector of the earth.
ग्राम्याणां पुरुषः श्रेष्ठः सिंहश्चारण्यवासिनाम्। सर्वेषामेव भूतानामन्योन्येनाभिजीवनम् ॥६-५-१६॥
Among the villagers, the man is considered the best, while among the forest dwellers, it is the lion. All beings, indeed, sustain themselves through mutual coexistence.
उद्भिज्जाः स्थावराः प्रोक्तास्तेषां पञ्चैव जातयः। वृक्षगुल्मलतावल्ल्यस्त्वक्सारास्तृणजातयः ॥६-५-१७॥
The immovable beings that sprout are said to have five kinds: trees, shrubs, creepers, vines, and grass species.
एषां विंशतिरेकोना महाभूतेषु पञ्चसु। चतुर्विंशतिरुद्दिष्टा गायत्री लोकसंमता ॥६-५-१८॥
Among these, in the five great elements, twenty-four is mentioned as the Gāyatrī, which is accepted by the world.
य एतां वेद गायत्रीं पुण्यां सर्वगुणान्विताम्। तत्त्वेन भरतश्रेष्ठ स लोकान्न प्रणश्यति ॥६-५-१९॥
O best of the Bharatas, one who truly understands this sacred Gāyatrī, which is endowed with all virtues, will never perish in any world.
भूमौ हि जायते सर्वं भूमौ सर्वं प्रणश्यति। भूमिः प्रतिष्ठा भूतानां भूमिरेव परायणम् ॥६-५-२०॥
Indeed, everything is born on the earth and everything perishes on it. The earth is the foundation of all beings and is their ultimate refuge.
यस्य भूमिस्तस्य सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्। तत्राभिगृद्धा राजानो विनिघ्नन्तीतरेतरम् ॥६-५-२१॥
The entire world, both movable and immovable, belongs to the one who owns the land. There, greedy kings fight and kill each other.
