Shloka 14
Inauspicious Omens and Arjuna’s Return from Dvārakā
मृत्युदूत: कपोतोऽयमुलूक: कम्पयन् मन: । प्रत्युलूकश्च कुह्वानैर्विश्वं वै शून्यमिच्छत: ॥ १४ ॥
mṛtyu-dūtaḥ kapoto ’yam ulūkaḥ kampayan manaḥ pratyulūkaś ca kuhvānair viśvaṁ vai śūnyam icchataḥ
Vois donc : ce pigeon ressemble à un messager de la mort. Les cris des hiboux et leurs appels rivaux font trembler mon cœur ; on dirait qu’ils veulent rendre l’univers entier désert.
FAQs
This verse shows Draupadī reading fearful signs—birds like owls and pigeons—as portents of loss, reflecting the atmosphere of separation as Kṛṣṇa’s departure nears.
In the narrative, Draupadī senses ominous changes and interprets these sounds and sightings as nimittas (portents), expressing her anxiety and the looming emptiness felt when Kṛṣṇa is away.
Rather than superstition, the takeaway is sensitivity: when the heart feels spiritually empty, turn that anxiety into remembrance, prayer, and renewed dependence on Kṛṣṇa.