Shloka 5
उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents
तथैवान्याश्न दृश्यने स्त्रियो वै ब्रह्मवादिनाम् । वैनतेयान् मयूरांश्व जनयन्ति पुरे तव
tathaivānyāś ca dṛśyante striyo vai brahmavādinām | vainateyān mayūrāṁś ca janayanti pure tava ||
Demikian pula tampak keanehan lain: istri-istri para brahmavādin yang tekun pada wacana Weda, di kotamu melahirkan makhluk seperti Vainateya (serupa Garuḍa) dan juga seperti merak. Ini pun menegaskan suasana pembalikan tatanan, sebagai pertanda malapetaka besar.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse conveys a sense of ominous marvel: when the natural order appears inverted—such as human women producing bird-like beings—it functions as a portent. In Mahābhārata’s ethical world, such signs warn rulers to reflect on dharma and the moral condition of the realm.
Vyāsa reports extraordinary phenomena occurring in the listener’s city, describing that even the wives of Vedic expounders are said to produce Garuḍa-like beings and peacocks—part of a broader catalogue of strange sights meant to signal an unsettled time.