06.006
Library: Description of the five elements and their manifestation. Then the Sudarshana island, visible in the moon's sphere.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
नदीनां पर्वतानां च नामधेयानि सञ्जय। तथा जनपदानां च ये चान्ये भूमिमाश्रिताः ॥६-६-१॥
O Sanjaya, here are the names of the rivers, mountains, and regions, along with those who inhabit the land.
प्रमाणं च प्रमाणज्ञ पृथिव्या अपि सर्वशः। निखिलेन समाचक्ष्व काननानि च सञ्जय ॥६-६-२॥
O Sañjaya, describe completely the measures and the knower of measures of the earth, and also the forests entirely.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
पञ्चेमानि महाराज महाभूतानि सङ्ग्रहात्। जगत्स्थितानि सर्वाणि समान्याहुर्मनीषिणः ॥६-६-३॥
O great king, the wise declare that these five great elements are the common constituents of all the worlds.
भूमिरापस्तथा वायुरग्निराकाशमेव च। गुणोत्तराणि सर्वाणि तेषां भूमिः प्रधानतः ॥६-६-४॥
The earth, water, air, fire, and ether are all qualities, with earth being the primary one.
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गन्धश्च पञ्चमः। भूमेरेते गुणाः प्रोक्ता ऋषिभिस्तत्त्ववेदिभिः ॥६-६-५॥
The sages who understand the essence of reality have described sound, touch, form, taste, and smell as the five inherent qualities of the earth.
चत्वारोऽप्सु गुणा राजन्गन्धस्तत्र न विद्यते। शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च तेजसोऽथ गुणास्त्रयः ॥ शब्दः स्पर्शश्च वायोस्तु आकाशे शब्द एव च ॥६-६-६॥
O king, there are four qualities in water, but smell is absent. Fire possesses sound, touch, and form as its qualities, while air has sound and touch. In space, only sound exists.
एते पञ्च गुणा राजन्महाभूतेषु पञ्चसु। वर्तन्ते सर्वलोकेषु येषु लोकाः प्रतिष्ठिताः ॥६-६-७॥
O King, these five qualities are present in the five great elements and exist in all the worlds where the worlds are established.
अन्योन्यं नाभिवर्तन्ते साम्यं भवति वै यदा। यदा तु विषमीभावमाविशन्ति परस्परम् ॥ तदा देहैर्देहवन्तो व्यतिरोहन्ति नान्यथा ॥६-६-८॥
When there is no overcoming of each other, equality is indeed established. However, when they mutually enter into a state of inequality, then the embodied beings transcend through their bodies, and not otherwise.
आनुपूर्व्याद्विनश्यन्ति जायन्ते चानुपूर्वशः। सर्वाण्यपरिमेयानि तदेषां रूपमैश्वरम् ॥६-६-९॥
In the divine order, all things perish and are born sequentially; these forms are immeasurable and divine.
तत्र तत्र हि दृश्यन्ते धातवः पाञ्चभौतिकाः। तेषां मनुष्यास्तर्केण प्रमाणानि प्रचक्षते ॥६-६-१०॥
In various places, indeed, elements composed of the five great elements are observed. Humans declare their evidences through reasoning.
अचिन्त्याः खलु ये भावा न तांस्तर्केण साधयेत्। प्रकृतिभ्यः परं यत्तु तदचिन्त्यस्य लक्षणम् ॥६-६-११॥
The inconceivable states cannot be comprehended through logic. What lies beyond nature is the hallmark of the inconceivable.
सुदर्शनं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्वीपं ते कुरुनन्दन। परिमण्डलो महाराज द्वीपोऽसौ चक्रसंस्थितः ॥६-६-१२॥
I will describe to you the beautiful Sudarshana island, O descendant of Kuru. This island, O great king, is perfectly circular and situated like a wheel.
नदीजलप्रतिच्छन्नः पर्वतैश्चाभ्रसंनिभैः। पुरैश्च विविधाकारै रम्यैर्जनपदैस्तथा ॥६-६-१३॥
The landscape was covered by river water and mountains that looked like clouds, and it was adorned with cities of various beautiful forms and regions.
वृक्षैः पुष्पफलोपेतैः सम्पन्नधनधान्यवान्। लावणेन समुद्रेण समन्तात्परिवारितः ॥६-६-१४॥
The land is lush with trees bearing flowers and fruits, abundant in wealth and grains, and is entirely surrounded by the salty ocean.
यथा च पुरुषः पश्येदादर्शे मुखमात्मनः। एवं सुदर्शनद्वीपो दृश्यते चन्द्रमण्डले ॥६-६-१५॥
Just as a man sees his reflection in a mirror, the Sudarshana island is visible in the moon's sphere.
द्विरंशे पिप्पलस्तत्र द्विरंशे च शशो महान्। सर्वौषधिसमावापैः सर्वतः परिबृंहितः ॥ आपस्ततोऽन्या विज्ञेया एष सङ्क्षेप उच्यते ॥६-६-१६॥
The Pippala tree and the great hare are each divided into two parts, surrounded by all kinds of medicinal plants. Then, other waters are to be understood. This is the summary.
