Shloka 71
उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents
इष्टा वाच: प्रविष्टस्य दक्षिणा: प्रविविक्षत: । पश्चात् संधारयन्त्यर्थमग्रे च प्रतिषेधिका:
iṣṭā vācaḥ praviṣṭasya dakṣiṇāḥ pravivikṣataḥ | paścāt saṃdhārayanty artham agre ca pratiṣedhikāḥ ||
Vyāsa berkata: Ketika para kesatria hendak menerobos pasukan musuh—atau telah berada di dalamnya—bila mereka mengucapkan kata-kata keberanian yang mantap dan menggugah semangat serta menampakkan kepiawaian perang, maka seakan-akan mereka telah lebih dahulu memastikan kemenangan yang akan datang. Namun bila saat memasuki barisan musuh mereka justru disambut di garis depan oleh ucapan yang melarang dan melemahkan hati, itulah pertanda kekalahan mereka.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Speech and signs at the outset of action matter: confident, auspicious words and demonstrated competence strengthen resolve and foreshadow success, while prohibitive, discouraging words encountered at the front are treated as inauspicious indicators of failure.
Vyāsa offers a general observation about battlefield psychology and omens: as fighters press into the enemy formation, the kind of words heard and spoken—encouraging or restraining—functions as a sign predicting victory or defeat.