Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 13
राहोर्विमोचनानन्तरं जलन्धरस्य सैन्योद्योगः — Rahu’s Aftermath and Jalandhara’s Mobilization
व्यराजत नभः पूर्णं प्रावृषीव यथा घनैः । जाता अशकुना भूरि महानिद्रावि सूचकाः
vyarājata nabhaḥ pūrṇaṃ prāvṛṣīva yathā ghanaiḥ | jātā aśakunā bhūri mahānidrāvi sūcakāḥ
Le ciel parut totalement rempli, comme à la saison des pluies lorsqu'il est chargé de nuages. De nombreux oiseaux de mauvais augure apparurent, présages annonçant une grande stupeur et l'obscurité de l'illusion avant le conflit imminent.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Rudra
Cosmic Event: Ominous portents (aśakuna) before battle; sky clouded like prāvṛṣ.
FAQs
The cloud-filled sky and ominous birds symbolize the rise of tamas—confusion, fear, and deluding darkness—often seen before major karmic turning points. In Shaiva understanding, such portents remind the seeker to take refuge in Pati (Shiva) rather than be swept away by the mind’s “great sleep” of ignorance.
When the world-signs become unsettling, the Purana’s implied remedy is steadiness in Saguna Shiva worship—holding to Shiva as the protective Lord through mantra and devotion. The Linga stands for Shiva’s unwavering presence amid changing ‘weather’ of the cosmos and mind.
A practical takeaway is to intensify japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and maintain Tripuṇḍra/bhasma with a calm, vigilant mind—countering the ‘mahā-nidrā’ (spiritual lethargy) indicated by the omens.