Shloka 44
उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents
पकक््वापक्वेति सुभृशं वावाश्यन्ते वयांसि च । निलीयमन्ते ध्वजाग्रेषु क्षयाय पृथिवीक्षिताम्
pakvāpakveti subhṛśaṁ vāvāśyante vayāṁsi ca | nilīyamante dhvajāgreṣu kṣayāya pṛthivīkṣitām ||
Burung-burung berteriak keras berulang-ulang, “matang, belum matang,” lalu bersembunyi di ujung-ujung panji. Ini adalah pertanda kehancuran para raja penguasa bumi—seakan konflik yang digerakkan adharma sedang “mematangkan” kebinasaan mereka.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the Mahabharata’s moral logic that when conflict is driven by adharma, nature itself appears to warn of the coming collapse of unrighteous power; ominous signs foreshadow the karmic consequences awaiting kings who persist in destructive war.
Vyasa reports a battlefield portent: birds cry out loudly with the repeated sound “pakvāpakvā” and then perch and hide on the tops of banners. This is presented as an inauspicious sign indicating imminent destruction for the assembled rulers.