Shloka 15
महोत्पात-लक्षणानि
Omens before Khara’s Assault
उल्काश्चापि सनिर्घाता निपेतुर्घोरदर्शनाः।।।।प्रचचाल मही सर्वा सशैलवनकानना।
ulkāś cāpi sanirghātā nipetur ghoradarśanāḥ |
pracacāla mahī sarvā saśailavanakānanā || 3.23.15 ||
ഇടിമുഴക്കത്തോടുകൂടിയ ഉല്കകൾ ഭയങ്കരദർശനങ്ങളായി നിലത്തേക്ക് പതിച്ചു; പർവ്വതങ്ങളും ഉപവനങ്ങളും വനങ്ങളും ഉൾപ്പെടെ സർവ്വ ഭൂമിയും നടുങ്ങി.
Dreadful to watch were the thunderstorms and the meteors that dropped down from the sky. The earth trembled all over with mountains, groves and forests.
FAQs
The verse frames adharma as destabilizing: when violence is pursued unjustly, stability—symbolized by the earth—shudders, urging a return to righteous restraint.
Heavenly and earthly disturbances erupt as the army advances—meteors fall and the ground quakes—foreshadowing defeat.
Steadfast righteousness (dhṛti) is implied: true steadiness comes from dharma, not from aggressive force.