Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 413
चचालाथ सनिर्लहादा दिशश्वैवाविलाभवन् । उस समय समुद्र, वन और चराचर प्राणियोंसहित यह पृथ्वी भयानक रूपसे हिलने लगी। सब ओर वज्रकी-सी गर्जना होने लगी और सारी दिशाएँ मलिन हो गयीं
cacālātha sa-nirlahādā diśaś caivāvilābhavan
Saat itu bumi mulai berguncang dengan dahsyat—bersama samudra, rimba, serta segala makhluk yang bergerak maupun yang tak bergerak. Dari segala penjuru terdengar gemuruh laksana vajra, dan seluruh arah menjadi suram serta ternoda.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames war as a moral rupture whose effects are not merely human but cosmic: when adharma and mass violence peak, nature is portrayed as reacting with ominous signs. It cautions that actions against dharma disturb the wider order (ṛta/dharma), and consequences reverberate beyond the immediate actors.
Sañjaya reports a terrifying omen: the earth shakes, thunder roars like Indra’s vajra, and the directions turn dim. Such portents typically mark a climactic, catastrophic moment in the battle—signaling impending destruction and the gravity of what is occurring.