Shloka 38
उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents
महाभूता भूमिकम्पे चत्वार: सागरा: पृथक् । वेलामुद्वर्तयन्तीव क्षोभयन्तो वसुंधराम्,भूकम्प होनेके कारण पृथक्-पृथक् चारों सतर वृद्धिको प्राप्त होकर वसुधामें क्षोभ उत्पन्न करते हुए अपनी सीमाको लाँघते हुए-से जान पड़ते हैं
mahābhūtā bhūmikampe catvāraḥ sāgarāḥ pṛthak | velām udvartayantīva kṣobhayanto vasuṃdharām ||
Vyāsa describes an ominous upheaval: as the earth quakes, the four oceans, each in its own quarter, seem to surge beyond their proper shores, churning the world itself. The image signals a breakdown of natural boundaries—an ethical and cosmic disturbance that mirrors the approaching violence of war.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
When dharma is strained and great violence nears, the epic portrays nature itself as losing balance—boundaries (velā) that should restrain destructive forces appear to fail. The verse teaches that moral disorder is not merely personal or political; it is depicted as a cosmic disturbance with consequences that engulf the whole world.
Vyāsa reports a portent: an earthquake occurs, and the four oceans seem to surge in their respective quarters, as though crossing their shorelines and agitating the earth. This functions as an ominous sign foreshadowing the catastrophic conflict about to unfold.