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Shloka 37

Adhyātma–Adhibhūta–Adhidaivata Correspondences and the Triguṇa Lakṣaṇas (Śānti-parva 301)

ताराणां पतन दृष्ट्वा नक्षत्राणां च पर्ययम्‌ । द्न्द्धानां विप्रयोगं च विज्ञाय कृपणं नूप,नरेश्वर! घोर उत्पात, चन्द्रग्रहण, सूर्यग्रहण, ताराओंका टूटकर गिरना, नक्षत्रोंकी गतिमें उलट-फेर होना तथा पति-पत्नियोंका दुःखदायक वियोग होना आदि बातें, जो इस जगतमें घटित होती हैं, उनको भी जानकर अपने कल्याणका उपाय करना चाहिये

tārāṇāṁ patanaṁ dṛṣṭvā nakṣatrāṇāṁ ca paryayam | dvandvānāṁ viprayogaṁ ca vijñāya kṛpaṇaṁ nṛpa naraśvara || ghora-utpāta-candra-grahaṇa-sūrya-grahaṇa-tārāṇāṁ tūṭakara-giranaṁ nakṣatrāṇāṁ gatiṣu ulṭa-pheraḥ pati-patnyoḥ duḥkhadāyaka-viyogaś ca—etāni jagati ghaṭamānāni jñātvā sva-kalyāṇasya upāyaṁ kartavyaḥ ||

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ നൃപാ! നക്ഷത്രങ്ങളുടെ പതനം കണ്ടും, നക്ഷത്രഗതിയിലെ അക്രമം നിരീക്ഷിച്ചും, ദ്വന്ദ്വബന്ധങ്ങളുടെ ദുഃഖകരമായ വേർപാട് തിരിച്ചറിഞ്ഞും—ഹേ നരേശ്വരാ! ലോകത്തിൽ ഘോര അപശകുനങ്ങൾ സംഭവിക്കുന്നുവെന്ന് മനസ്സിലാക്കുക: ചന്ദ്രഗ്രഹണവും സൂര്യഗ്രഹണവും, നക്ഷത്രങ്ങൾ തകർന്നു വീഴുക, നക്ഷത്രചലനത്തിലെ വിപരീതം, ഭർത്താവും ഭാര്യയും തമ്മിലുള്ള ശോകമയ വേർപാട്. ഈ ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ അറിഞ്ഞ് സ്വകൽയാണത്തിനുള്ള മാർഗം സ്വീകരിക്കണം.

[{'term''tārā', 'meaning': 'star'}, {'term': 'patana', 'meaning': 'falling, descent'}, {'term': 'dṛṣṭvā', 'meaning': 'having seen'}, {'term': 'nakṣatra', 'meaning': 'lunar mansion/constellation
[{'term':
asterism'}, {'term''paryaya', 'meaning': 'change, reversal, irregular alternation'}, {'term': 'dvandva', 'meaning': 'a pair
asterism'}, {'term':
a coupled relation (alsoduality/opposites)'}, {'term': 'viprayoga', 'meaning': 'separation, disunion'}, {'term': 'vijñāya', 'meaning': 'having understood/recognized'}, {'term': 'kṛpaṇa', 'meaning': 'wretched, pitiable
a coupled relation (also:
in distress'}, {'term''nṛpa / naraśvara', 'meaning': 'king
in distress'}, {'term':
lord of men'}, {'term''ghora', 'meaning': 'terrible, dreadful'}, {'term': 'utpāta', 'meaning': 'portent, ominous phenomenon'}, {'term': 'grahaṇa', 'meaning': 'eclipse (lit. ‘seizing’)'}, {'term': 'candra / sūrya', 'meaning': 'moon / sun'}, {'term': 'jagat', 'meaning': 'the world'}, {'term': 'kalyāṇa', 'meaning': 'welfare, auspicious good'}, {'term': 'upāya', 'meaning': 'means, remedy, practical course'}, {'term': 'kartavya', 'meaning': 'what ought to be done
lord of men'}, {'term':

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
N
nṛpa (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)
T
tārā (stars)
N
nakṣatra (constellations/lunar mansions)
C
candra (moon)
S
sūrya (sun)
G
grahaṇa (eclipse)
U
utpāta (portents)
P
pati-patnī (husband and wife)

Educational Q&A

Bhīṣma urges the king to read the world’s disturbances—cosmic irregularities and social ruptures—as warnings that life is unstable, and therefore to actively pursue one’s true welfare (kalyāṇa) through right conduct and prudent action rather than complacency.

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīṣma lists ominous phenomena—eclipses, falling stars, altered stellar motions, and painful separations within human relationships—to impress upon the ruler the urgency of taking corrective, dharmic measures for personal and public well-being.