Shloka 10
Inauspicious Omens and Arjuna’s Return from Dvārakā
पश्योत्पातान्नरव्याघ्र दिव्यान् भौमान् सदैहिकान् । दारुणान् शंसतोऽदूराद्भयं नो बुद्धिमोहनम् ॥ १० ॥
paśyotpātān nara-vyāghra divyān bhaumān sadaihikān dāruṇān śaṁsato ’dūrād bhayaṁ no buddhi-mohanam
O tiger among men, behold these dreadful portents—celestial, earthly, and bodily—so perilous in themselves; they bewilder our minds and foretell danger close at hand.
Material advancement of civilization means advancement of the reactions of the threefold miseries due to celestial influence, earthly reactions and bodily or mental pains. By the celestial influence of the stars there are many calamities like excessive heat, cold, rains or no rains, and the aftereffects are famine, disease and epidemic. The aggregate result is agony of the body and the mind. Man-made material science cannot do anything to counteract these threefold miseries. They are all punishments from the superior energy of māyā under the direction of the Supreme Lord. Therefore our constant touch with the Lord by devotional service can give us relief without our being disturbed in the discharge of our human duties. The asuras, however, who do not believe in the existence of God, make their own plans to counteract all these threefold miseries, and so they meet with failures every time. The Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) clearly states that the reaction of material energy is never to be conquered, because of the binding effects of the three modes. They can simply be overcome by one who surrenders fully in devotion under the lotus feet of the Lord.
FAQs
This verse describes three kinds of portents—celestial, earthly, and bodily—as warnings that an imminent, dreadful change is approaching and that it can unsettle the mind and judgment.
In the narrative surrounding Lord Krishna’s impending disappearance, Dhṛtarāṣṭra points out widespread omens to alert Yudhiṣṭhira that a grave turning point is near and that the kingdom should be vigilant.
When unsettling “signals” arise—social, environmental, or personal—respond with sobriety and dharmic clarity: seek wise counsel, strengthen sādhana, and avoid panic that clouds discernment.