Shloka 68
उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents
कल्याणवाच: शकुना राजहंसा: शुका: क्रौज्चा: शतपत्राश्न यत्र । प्रदक्षिणाश्रैव भवन्ति संख्ये ध्रुवं जयस्तत्र वदन्ति विप्रा:
kalyāṇavācaḥ śakunā rājahaṃsāḥ śukāḥ krauñcāḥ śatapatrāś ca yatra | pradakṣiṇāś caiva bhavanti saṃkhye dhruvaṃ jayas tatra vadanti viprāḥ ||
Vyāsa berkata: “Di tempat burung-burung yang bersuara mujur dan membawa kesejahteraan—angsa kerajaan, burung nuri, bangau krauñca, dan merak—berputar mengitari pasukan ke arah kanan di medan laga, para Brahmana terpelajar menyatakan bahwa kemenangan bagi pihak itu adalah pasti.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that traditional dharma-based culture reads the battlefield through auspicious signs: rightward circumambulation (pradakṣiṇā) by certain birds is taken as an indication that victory aligns with favorable cosmic and ritual order, as affirmed by learned Brahmins.
Vyāsa reports an omen-interpretation: if specific auspicious birds circle an army to the right during battle, Brahmin authorities consider that side destined to win. It functions as a prognostic sign within the war narrative.