Shloka 16

Inauspicious Omens and Arjuna’s Return from Dvārakā

Devanagari script

वायुर्वाति खरस्पर्शो रजसा विसृजंस्तम: । असृग् वर्षन्ति जलदा बीभत्समिव सर्वत: ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

vāyur vāti khara-sparśo rajasā visṛjaṁs tamaḥ asṛg varṣanti jaladā bībhatsam iva sarvataḥ

Translation

A harsh, violent wind is blowing, hurling dust and spreading darkness. Clouds everywhere seem to rain down dreadful calamity, as though it were a shower of blood.

Synonyms

• वायुः: wind
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वाति: blows
• वाति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• खरस्पर्शः: having harsh touch
• खरस्पर्शः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खर-स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक; खर + स्पर्श)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (खरः स्पर्शः यस्य) विशेषणम् (वायुः)

• रजसा: with dust
• रजसा: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विसृजन्: scattering
• विसृजन्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + वि- (उपसर्ग) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘विसृजन्’ = ‘विसृजति’ (scattering)

• तमः: darkness
• तमः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• असृक्: blood
• असृक्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असृज्/असृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वर्षन्ति: rain down
• वर्षन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• जलदाः: clouds
• जलदाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• बीभत्सम्: horrible, disgusting
• बीभत्सम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बीभत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपमान-प्रयोगे (इव)

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• सर्वतः: on all sides, everywhere
• सर्वतः: Deśādhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण/Locative sense—everywhere)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय; सर्व + तस्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about omens after Lord Krishna’s departure?

This verse describes terrifying inauspicious signs—harsh winds, dust-darkness, and clouds raining blood—indicating a great change in the world’s spiritual fortune following Krishna’s disappearance.

Why did Arjuna describe these fearful signs in Canto 1 Chapter 14?

Arjuna perceives unnatural omens and, in anxiety, understands that something grave has occurred—foreshadowing the departure of Lord Krishna and the onset of darker times.

How can devotees apply this verse in modern life?

It reminds one to recognize spiritual decline and take shelter of bhakti—strengthening remembrance of Krishna and living by dharma even when the environment feels disturbing or degraded.