Shloka 77
उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents
दुर्निवर्त्या तदा चैव प्रभग्ना महती चमू: । अपामिव महावेगास्त्रस्ता मृगगणा इव
durnivartyā tadā caiva prabhagnā mahatī camūḥ | apām iva mahāvegāstrastā mṛgagaṇā iva ||
Ketika bala tentara yang besar sekali telah pecah dan mulai lari, membalikkan mereka kembali menjadi amat sukar—laksana menahan air yang mengalir deras menuruni lereng, atau memanggil kembali kawanan rusa yang tercerai-berai karena ketakutan.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that once collective fear breaks an army’s cohesion, restoring discipline is extremely difficult. It highlights the ethical and practical importance of steadiness, leadership, and morale—because panic, once unleashed, spreads like a flood and resists control.
Vyāsa describes a battlefield reality: a large force has been routed and is fleeing. He uses two similes—rushing water and frightened deer—to convey how hard it is to stop a retreat and re-form the troops once they have lost courage.