Shloka 40
Chapter 19: Prativyūha of the Pāṇḍavas — Vajra (Acala) Formation and Dawn Omens
अथ संनहामानेषु सैन्येषु भरतर्षभ । निष्प्रभो5 भ्युद्ययौ सूर्य: सघोष॑ भूश्चचाल च,भरतभूषण! जब उभय-पक्षकी सेनाएँ युद्धके लिये पूर्णतः तैयार हो गयीं, उस समय सूर्यकी प्रभा फीकी पड़ गयी और भारी आवाजके साथ धरती काँपने लगी
atha saṃnahāmāneṣu sainyeṣu bharatarṣabha | niṣprabho 'bhyudyayau sūryaḥ saghoṣaṃ bhūś cacāla ca ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai banteng di antara kaum Bharata, ketika kedua bala tentara telah sepenuhnya bersenjata dan berdiri siap bertempur, matahari terbit dengan sinar yang meredup, dan bumi bergetar disertai gemuruh besar yang membawa firasat buruk.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the outbreak of war as a dharmic crisis reflected in nature itself: when collective violence becomes imminent, cosmic signs—dimmed sunlight and a trembling earth—signal moral and existential gravity, urging reflection on the consequences of adharma and unchecked ambition.
As both sides complete their battle preparations, Sañjaya reports ominous portents to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: the sun appears lusterless and the earth shakes with a loud roar, heightening the sense that a catastrophic confrontation is about to begin.