Shloka 18

उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations

Devanagari script

उलूकाश्चाप्यदृश्यन्त शंसन्तो विपुलं भयम्‌

Transliteration

ulūkāś cāpy adṛśyanta śaṃsanto vipulaṃ bhayam

Translation

Sañjaya said: “And owls too were seen, foretelling an immense terror.” In the war-chronicle, such ominous signs underscore the moral darkness and the approaching surge of violence, as nature itself seems to warn of the fearful consequences of adharma and unchecked wrath.

Word by Word

• उलूकाः: owls
• उलूकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अदृश्यन्त: were seen / appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada (passive sense)

• शंसन्तः: proclaiming / foretelling
• शंसन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस्
• Form: Present active participle (Parasmaipada), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विपुलम्: great, immense
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भयम्: fear, terror
• भयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• owls (ulūka)