Shloka 16
Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)
नावश्यायो5पि तत्रा भूत् कुत एवाभ्रजातय: । नद्य: संक्षिप्ततोयौघा: किंचिदन्तर्गतास्तत:,उन दिनों कुहासा भी नहीं होता था, फिर बादल कहाँसे उत्पन्न होते। नदियोंका जलप्रवाह अत्यन्त क्षीण हो गया और कितनी ही नदियाँ अदृश्य हो गयीं
nāvasyāyo 'pi tatrābhūt kuta evābhrajātayaḥ | nadyaḥ saṃkṣiptatoyaughāḥ kiṃcid antargatās tataḥ ||
Pada masa itu, bahkan embun pun tidak tampak di sana—bagaimana mungkin awan terbentuk? Arus sungai menyusut menjadi kecil, dan sejak saat itu banyak sungai seakan lenyap dari pandangan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links moral and cosmic order with the stability of nature: when conditions become disordered, even basic cycles like mist, cloud-formation, and river-flow fail. It supports the Shanti Parva’s broader ethic that dharma sustains prosperity, while adharma leads to scarcity and collapse.
Bhīṣma describes a severe drying of the world: no mist arises, hence no clouds form, rainfall fails, and rivers shrink or vanish. The imagery functions as a warning-sign of a larger breakdown in the natural and social order being discussed in his instruction.