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जम्बूखण्डविनिर्माणपर्वन् (jambUkhaNDavinirmANaparvan)

 
Monier Williams Cologne
English
जम्बू—खण्ड—विनिर्माण-पर्वन्
n.
 ‘section on the extension of the Jambu-dvīpa’,
N.
 of
MBh.
 vi, chs. 1-6.
Mahabharata
English
[Jambūkhaṇḍavinirmāṇaparvan (ºva)]
(“the section relating to the measurement of Jambūkhaṇḍa, ” the 67th of the minor parvans of Mhbhr.
cf. ºvinirmāṇa). § 574: Janamejaya inquired how the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas and Somakas fought on Kurukshetra. Vaiśampāyana began the description of the battle. The Pāṇḍavas occupied the western part, turned towards the east, beyond Samantapañcaka. The force was collected from the whole of Jambudvīpa. Yudhishṭhira and Duryodhana fixed watchwords. Seeing Duryodhana (description), the Pāñcālas were filled with joy, and blew their conches, etc.
Arjuna and Kṛshṇa also blew their conches Devadatta and Pāñcajanya, at which the Kurus were alarmed. Various ill omens were beheld. Both parties settled rules and made covenants regarding the different kinds of combat (VI,
1). Vyāsa visited Dhṛtarāshṭra, and offered to grant him spiritual vision that he might witness the battle. Dhṛtarāshṭra did not like to see the slaughter of his kinsmen. Vyāsa then granted it to Sañjaya, that he might narrate everything to Dhṛtarāshṭra
weapons would not hurt him
he would come out of the battle with life. Vyāsa informed Dhṛtarāshṭra of the omens (), and appealed to him for peace
but Dhṛtarāshṭra urged the disobedience of his sons. Vyāsa enumerated to Dhṛtarāshṭra the omens that indicate victory, and recommended negotiation, as victory was uncertain (VI, 2, 3). Then Vyāsa departed. Seeing the many hundreds of millions of men that had come together at Kurujāṅgala to lay down their very lives for the sake of the earth, Dhṛtarāshṭra inquired of Sañjaya after the attributes of Earth, and the details about the countries and cities from which they had come. Sañjaya discoursed on the merits of the earth, and the various classes of creatures inhabiting it. Their twenty-four constituents are described as Gāyatrī (VI, 4). Dhṛtarāshṭra inquired about the rivers, mountains, and provinces of the earth, and their dimensions. Sañjaya spoke of the five elements and their attributes, earth being the foremost. Then he began the description of the dvīpa of Sudarśana (VI, 5). Sañjaya discoursed on the six mountains (varshaparvatāḥ, B.) that extend from the eastern to the western ocean, and are the resort of Si. and Cā.: Himavat
etc. (), and the varshas between them--Bhārata-varsha, etc. ()
Mālyavat, Gandhamādana
Meru (description)
the four islands beside Meru--Bhadrāśva, etc. ()
the bird Sumukha (b)
on Meru sport D., G., As., Rā., and Aps., and Brahmán, Rudra, and Śakra perform sacrifices
Tumburu, etc. (), adore the gods with hymns
the seven Ṛshis and Kaśyapa repair thither on every parvan-day (i.e. the day of full moon and that of new moon)
upon the summit is Uśanas with the Daityas
the jewels, etc., come from Meru, one-fourth part being enjoyed by Kubera, who gives only one-sixteenth to men. On the northern side of Meru is a forest of karṇikāras
there Paśupati (the creator of all things), together with his celestial attendants and Umā, sports, bearing a chain of karṇikāra flowers reaching down to his feet, and his three eyes resembling three suns
the Siddhas can behold him, but not persons of wicked conduct
from the summit of that mountain Gaṅgā (c) falls down. On the western side of Meru is Ketumāla (d), and also Jambūkhaṇḍa, Gandhamādana (e). The last varsha in the north and Bharata's varsha in the south are both of the form of a bow. Amongst these seven varshas that which is further north excels the one to its immediate south in respect of longevity, stature, health, righteousness, pleasure, and profit. The huge mountains of Hemakūṭa are also called Kailāsa, where Vaiśravaṇa (i.e. Kubera) lives in joy with Gh. To the north of Kailāsa and near the mountains of Maināka there is the huge and beautiful mountain Hiraṇyaśṛṅga. Beside this the delightful lake Bindusaras (f), with golden sands. Rā. reside on Himavat, etc. (). The two dvīpas Nāgadvīpa and Kaśyapadvīpa are the two ears of this hare-shaped region
the beautiful mountains of Malaya, having rocks like copper plates, form another part of Jambūdvīpa, making it resemble a hare (VI, 6). Dhṛtarāshṭra asked Sañjaya about the regions to the north and the east side of Meru, and about the mountains of Mālyavat. Sañjaya told about the Uttarakurus (Uttarāḥ Kuravaḥ) (g). East of Meru the foremost region is Bhadrāśva (h). The jambū tree (i). Mālyavat (j) (VI, 7). Dhṛtarāshṭra inquired about the names of all the varshas and mountains. Sañjaya related of Ramaṇaka, etc. (). Dhṛtarāshṭra became absorbed in meditation about his sons
then he said: “Time destroys and creates everything
Nara and Nārāyaṇa, omniscient, destroying all creatures (sarvabhūtahṛt), the gods call him Vaikuṇṭha, men call him Vishṇu” (VI, 8). Dhṛtarāshṭra asked about Bhārata-varsha (k), about which Duryodhana and the Pāṇḍavas are so covetous. Sañjaya said that the Pāṇḍavas were not covetous about it, but Duryodhana, Śakuni, etc.
then he mentioned in Bhārata-varsha, the beloved land of Indra, etc. (), inhabited by Aryans and Mlecchas, the mountains--Mahendra, etc. ()
rivers (“all mothers of the universe and productive of great merit”)-Gaṅgā, etc. ()
countries--Kuru-Pāñcālāḥ, etc. ()
and countries in the south--Draviḍāḥ, etc. ()
the tribes of the north--Mlecchāḥ, etc. ()
and in the east and the north-Śūdrābhīrāḥ, etc. () (VI, 9). Dhṛtarāshṭra inquired about life, strength, etc., in Bhārata-varsha, and of Haimavata-varsha and Harivarsha. Sañjaya related of the four yugas--Kṛta, etc. (). The portion that remains of the Dvāpara age is small. Haimavata-varsha is superior to Bhārata-varsha, and Harivarsha superior to Haimavata-varsha, in every respect (VI, 10).