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 thou 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 thou of Bharata’s race, of the tract of land known by Bharata’s name.  This land is the beloved one of Indra, and, O thou 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 thee that country as I have heard of it.  Listen to me, O king, as I speak of what thou 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