Shloka 16
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय २: संजयस्य दिव्यदृष्टिप्रदानम् तथा निमित्तवर्णनम्
Granting Sañjaya Divine Sight and the Description of Omens
इह युद्धे महाराज भविष्यति महान् क्षय: । तथेह च निमित्तानि भयदान्युपलक्षये,“महाराज! इस युद्धमें महान् नर-संहार होगा; क्योंकि मुझे इस समय ऐसे ही भयदायक अपशकुन दिखायी देते हैं
iha yuddhe mahārāja bhaviṣyati mahān kṣayaḥ | tatheha ca nimittāni bhayadāny upalakṣaye ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O großer König, in diesem Krieg wird es ein gewaltiges Sterben der Menschen geben; denn schon jetzt erblicke ich hier furchterregende Unheilszeichen, die Schrecken und Verderben verkünden.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores moral foreboding: when a society moves toward adharma-driven conflict, nature and circumstance are portrayed as giving warning signs (nimittāni). It frames war not as glory but as inevitable, grievous loss (kṣayaḥ), urging sober ethical awareness.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating to King Janamejaya, predicts massive slaughter in the impending battle and states that he is already perceiving fearful omens indicating the coming catastrophe.