SECTION IX
"Dhritarashtra said,--'Tell me truly (O Sanjaya) of this Varsha that is
called after Bharata, where this senseless force hath been collected, in
respect of which this my son Duryodhana hath been so very covetous, which
the sons of Pandu also are desirous of obtaining, and in which my mind
too sinketh. O, tell me this, for you art, in my judgment endued with
intelligence.
"Sanjaya said,--'Listen to me, O king The sons of Pandu are not covetous
about this country. On the other hand, it is Duryodhana that is covetous,
and Sakuni the son of Suvala, as also many other Kshatriyas who are
rulers of the provinces, who being covetous of this country are not able
to bear one another. I will now will thee, O you of Bharata's race, of
the tract of land known by Bharata's name. This land is the beloved one
of Indra, and, O you of Bharata's race, this land, O monarch, that is
called after Bharata, is also the beloved land of Manu, the son of
Vivaswat, of Prithu, of Vainya, of the high-souled Ikshwaku, of Yayati,
of Amvarisha, of Mandhatri, of Nahusha, of Muchukunda, of Sivi the son of
Usinara, of Rishava, of Ila, of king Nriga, of Kusika, O invincible one,
of the high-souled Gadhi, of Somaka, O irrepressible one, and of Dilipa,
and also, O monarch, of many other mighty Kshatriyas. I will now, O
chastiser of foes, describe to you that country as I have heard of it.
Listen to me, O king, as I speak of what you hast asked me. Mahendra,
Malaya, Sahya, Suktimat, Rakshavat, Vindhya, and Paripatra,--these seven
are the Kala-mountains[58] (of Bharatvarsha). Besides these, O king,
there are thousands of mountains that are unknown, of hard make, huge,
and having excellent valleys. Besides these there are many other smaller
mountains inhabited by barbarous tribes. Aryans and Mlecchas, O Kauravya,
and many races, O lord, mixed of the two elements, drink the waters of
the following rivers, viz., magnificent Ganga, Sindhu, and Saraswati; of
Godavari, and Narmada, and the large river called Yamuna; of
Dhrishadwati, and Vipapa, and Vipasa and Sthulavaluka; of the river
Vetravati, and that other one called Krishna-vena; of Iravati, and
Vitasta, and Payosyini, and Devika; of Vedasmrita and Vedavati, and
Tridiva, and Ikshumalavi;[59] of Karishini, and Chitravaha, and the river
called Chitrasena; of Gomati, and Dhutapada and the large river called
Gandaki[60], of Kausiki, and Nischitra, and Kirtya, and Nichita, and
Lohatarini;[61] of Rashasi and Satakumbha, and also Sarayu; of
Charmanwati, and Vetravati,[62] and Hastisoma, and Disa; of the river
called Saravati, and Venna, and Bhimarathi; of Kaveri, and Chuluka, and
Vina, and Satavala; of Nivara, and Mahila, and Suprayoga, O king; of
Pavitra, and Kundala, and Rajani, and Puramalini; of Purvabhirama, and
Vira, and Bhima, and Oghavati; of Palasini, and Papahara, and Mahendra,
and Patalavati, of Karishini, and Asikni, and the large river Kusachira:
of Makari, and Pravara, and Mena, and Hema, and Dhritavati; of Puravati,
and Anushna, and Saivya, and Kapi, O Bharata; of Sadanira, and Adhrishya,
and the mighty stream Kusadhara; of Sadakanta, and Siva, and Viravati; of
Vatsu, and Suvastu, and Kampana with Hiranwati; of Vara, and the mighty
river Panchami, of Rathachitra, and Jyotiratha, and Viswamitra, and
Kapinjala; of Upendra, and Vahula, and Kuchira, and Madhuvahini: of
Vinadi, and Pinjala, and Vena, and the great river Pungavena; of Vidisa
and Krishna-vena, and Tamra, and Kapila, of Salu, and Suvama, the
Vedaswa, and the mighty river Harisrava; of Sighra, and Pischala, and the
river Bharadwaji, of the river Kausiki, and Sona, and Chandrama; of
Durgamantrasila, and Brahma-vodhya, and Vrihadvati; of Yaksha, and Rohi,
and Yamvunadi; of Sunasa and Tamasa, and Dasi, and Vasa, and Varuna, and
Asi; of Nila, and Dhrimati, and the mighty river Parnasa; of Pomasi, and
Vrishabha, and Brahma-meddhya, and Vrihaddhani. These and many other
large rivers, O king, such as Sadonirmaya and Krishna, and Mandaga, and
Mandavahini; and Mahagouri, and Durga, O Bharata; and Chitropala.
Chitraratha, and Manjula, and Vahini; and Mandakini, and Vaitarani, and
Kosa, and Mahanadi; and Suktimati, and Ananga, and Pushpaveni, and
Utpalavati; and Lohitya, Karatoya, and Vrishasabhya; and Kumari, and
Rishikullya and Marisha, and Saraswati; and Mandakini, and Supunya,
Sarvasanga, O Bharata, are all mothers of the universe and productive of
great merit. Besides these, there are rivers, by hundreds and thousands,
that are not known (by names), I have now recounted to thee, O king, all
the rivers as far as I remember.
"After this, listen to the names of the provinces as I mention them. They
are the Kuru-Panchalas, the Salwas, the Madreyas, the Jangalas, the
Surasena, the Kalingas, the Vodhas, the Malas, the Matsyas, the
Sauvalyas, the Kuntalas, the Kasi-kosalas, the Chedis, the Karushas, the
Bhojas, the Sindhus, the Pulindakas, the Uttamas, the Dasarnas, the
Mekalas, the Utkalas; the Panchalas, the Kausijas, the Nikarprishthas,
Dhurandharas; the Sodhas, the Madrabhujingas, the Kasis, and the
further-Kasis; the Jatharas, the Kukuras, O Bharata; the Kuntis, the
Avantis, and the further-Kuntis; the Gomantas, the Mandakas, the Shandas,
the Vidarbhas, the Rupavahikas; the Aswakas, the Pansurashtras, the
Goparashtras, and the Karityas; the Adhirjayas, the Kuladyas, the
Mallarashtras, the Keralas, the Varatrasyas, the Apavahas, the Chakras,
the Vakratapas, the Sakas; the Videhas, the Magadhas, the Swakshas, the
Malayas, the Vijayas, the Angas, the Vangas, the Kalingas, the
Yakrillomans; the Mallas, the Suddellas, the Pranradas, the Mahikas, the
Sasikas; the Valhikas, the Vatadhanas, the Abhiras, the Kalajoshakas; the
Aparantas, the Parantas, the Pahnabhas, the Charmamandalas; the
Atavisikharas, the Mahabhutas, O sire; the Upavrittas, the Anupavrittas,
the Surashatras, Kekayas; the Kutas, the Maheyas, the Kakshas, the
Samudranishkutas; the Andhras, and, O king, many hilly tribes, and many
tribes residing on lands laying at the foot of the hills, and the
Angamalajas, and the Manavanjakas; the Pravisheyas, and the Bhargavas, O
king; the Pundras, the Bhargas, the Kiratas, the Sudeshnas, and the
Yamunas, the Sakas, the Nishadhas, the Anartas, the Nairitas, the
Durgalas, the Pratimasyas, the Kuntalas, and the Kusalas; the Tiragrahas,
the Ijakas, the Kanyakagunas, the Tilabharas, the Samiras, the
Madhumattas, the Sukandakas; the Kasmiras, the Sindhusauviras, the
Gandharvas, and the Darsakas; the Abhisaras, the Utulas, the Saivalas,
and the Valhikas; the Darvis, the Vanavadarvas, the Vatagas, the
Amarathas, and the Uragas; the Vahuvadhas, the Kauravyas, the Sudamanas,
the Sumalikas; the Vadhras, the Karishakas, the Kalindas, and the
Upatyakas; the Vatayanas, the Romanas, and the Kusavindas; the Kacchas,
the Gopalkacchas, the Kuruvarnakas; the Kiratas, the Varvasas, the
Siddhas, the Vaidehas, and the Tamraliptas; the Aundras, the Paundras,
the Saisikatas, and the Parvatiyas, O sire.
"'There are other kingdoms, O bull of Bharata's race, in the south. They
are the Dravidas, the Keralas, the Prachyas, the Mushikas, and the
Vanavashikas; the Karanatakas, the Mahishakas, the Vikalpas, and also the
Mushakas; the Jhillikas, the Kuntalas, the Saunridas, and the
Nalakananas; the Kankutakas, the Cholas, and the Malavayakas; the
Samangas, the Kanakas, the Kukkuras, and the Angara-marishas; the
Samangas, the Karakas, the Kukuras, the Angaras, the Marishas: the
Dhwajinis, the Utsavas, the Sanketas, the Trigartas, and the Salwasena;
the Vakas, the Kokarakas, the Pashtris, and the Lamavegavasas; the
Vindhyachulakas, the Pulindas, and the Valkalas; the Malavas, the
Vallavas, the further-Vallavas, the Kulindas, the Kalavas, the Kuntaukas,
and the Karatas; the Mrishakas, the Tanavalas, the Saniyas; the Alidas,
the Pasivatas, the Tanayas, and the Sulanyas; the Rishikas, the
Vidarbhas, the Kakas, the Tanganas, and the further-Tanganas. Among the
tribes of the north are the Mlecchas, and the Kruras, O best of the
Bharatas; the Yavanas, the Chinas, the Kamvojas, the Darunas, and many
Mleccha tribes; the Sukritvahas, the Kulatthas, the Hunas, and the
Parasikas; the Ramanas, and the Dasamalikas. These countries are,
besides, the abodes of many Kshatriya, Vaisya, and Sudra tribes. Then
again there are the Sudra-abhiras, the Dardas, the Kasmiras, and the
Pattis; the Khasiras; the Atreyas, the Bharadwajas, the Stanaposhikas,
the Poshakas, the Kalingas, and diverse tribes of Kiratas; the Tomaras,
the Hansamargas, and the Karamanjakas. These and other kingdoms are on
the east and on the north. O lord, alluding to them briefly I have told
thee all. Earth, if its resources are properly developed according to its
qualities and prowess, is like an ever-yielding[63] cow, from which the
three-fold fruits of virtue, profit and pleasure, may be milked. Brave
kings conversant with virtue and profit have become covetous of Earth.
Endued with activity, they would even cast away their lives in battle,
from hunger of wealth. Earth is certainly the refuge of creatures endued
with celestial bodies as also of creatures endued with human bodies.[64]
Desirous of enjoying Earth, the kings, O chief of the Bharatas, have
become like dogs that snatch meat from one another. Their ambition is
unbounded, knowing no gratification.[65] It is for this that the Kurus
and the Pandavas are striving for possession of Earth, by negotiation,
disunion, gift, and battle, O Bharata. If Earth be well looked after, it
becometh the father, mother, children, firmament and heaven, of all
creatures, O bull among men.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 9 ---------------------
