कर्णेन युधिष्ठिरानीकविदारणम् / Karṇa’s Breach of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Battle-Line
त्रस्तानि सर्वभूतानि त्रैलोक्यं भू: प्रकम्पते । निमित्तानि च घोराणि तत्र संदधत: शरम्
trastāni sarvabhūtāni trailokyaṁ bhūḥ prakampate | nimittāni ca ghorāṇi tatra saṁdadhataḥ śaram |
Bhīṣma berkata: Segala makhluk dilanda ketakutan; tiga alam dan bumi sendiri pun bergegar. Dan ketika baginda memasang anak panah pada busur, terzahir tanda-tanda ngeri—akibat kegelisahan Soma (Bulan), Agni, Viṣṇu, Brahmā dan Rudra—hingga kereta itu sendiri, digoncang oleh ketegangan busur yang ganas, tampak terhuyung dan mengendur.
पितामह उवाच
The verse underscores that adharma-driven violence and climactic moments of war are mirrored by ‘nimitta’—cosmic and psychological disturbances—reminding the listener that actions have consequences felt beyond the battlefield, and that righteous discernment (dharma-buddhi) is crucial when power is being readied for harm.
Bhīṣma describes a moment when a warrior prepares to shoot—placing the arrow on the bowstring—at which point fear spreads among beings, the earth and three worlds tremble, and terrifying omens appear, linked to disturbances associated with major deities; even the chariot seems to falter under the violent tension of the bow.