Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 35, Shloka 34
माल्यवानुपदेशः
Malyavan’s Counsel, Portents in Laṅkā, and the Proposal of Alliance
पक्षिणश्चमृगास्सर्वेप्रत्यादित्यंरुदन्तिच ।कराळोविकटोमुण्डःपुरुषःकष्णपिङ्गळः ।।।।कालोगृहाणिसर्वेषांकालेकालेऽन्ववेक्षते ।एतान्यन्यानिदुष्टानिनिमित्तान्युत्पतन्तिच ।।।।
pakṣiṇaś ca mṛgāḥ sarve pratyādityaṃ rudanti ca | karāḷo vikaṭo muṇḍaḥ puruṣaḥ kṛṣṇapiṅgaḷaḥ || kālo gṛhāṇi sarveṣāṃ kāle kāle 'nvavekṣate | etāny anyāni duṣṭāni nimittāny utpatanti ca ||
Alle Vögel und Tiere klagen zur Sonne hin, als wären sie ihr feindlich gesinnt. Und die Zeit (Kāla) selbst erscheint als schreckliche, groteske Gestalt, kahlgeschoren, dunkel und fahlgelb, die immer wieder in jedes Haus hineinschaut. Diese und andere unheilvollen Vorzeichen treten fortwährend auf.
All birds and animals are making hostile noise. Time is always coming in a dreadful and monstrous blackish form with a shaved head, morning, and evening. Considering all these sinister portents are making an appearance at all households.
FAQs
Dharma recognizes moral causality: when adharma matures, kāla ‘arrives’ for all—hence rulers must return to truth and righteousness before destruction becomes inevitable.
A climactic summary of widespread portents is given, including Kāla personified, indicating Laṅkā’s danger is no longer private but universal.
Sobriety and foresight: accepting uncomfortable truth and choosing corrective action.