Shloka 43

उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents

Devanagari script

शिखराणां समृद्धानामुपरिष्टात्‌ समन्तत: । वायसाश्व रुवन्त्युग्रं वामं मण्डलमाश्रिता:,फल-फूलसे सम्पन्न वृक्षोंकी शिखाओंपर बायीं ओरसे घूम-घूमकर सब ओर कौए बैठते हैं और भयंकर काँव-काँवका कोलाहल करते हैं

Transliteration

śikharāṇāṃ samṛddhānām upariṣṭāt samantataḥ | vāyasāś ca ruvanty ugraṃ vāmaṃ maṇḍalam āśritāḥ ||

Translation

ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—ଫଳ-ଫୁଲରେ ସମୃଦ୍ଧ ଉଚ୍ଚ ବୃକ୍ଷଶିଖରମାନଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ସମସ୍ତଦିଗରୁ କାଉମାନେ ଏକତ୍ର ହୋଇଛନ୍ତି। ସେମାନେ ବାମମଣ୍ଡଳ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରି ବାମଦିଗକୁ ଘୁରିଘୁରି କ୍ରୂର ରବ କରି ଭୟଙ୍କର କୋଲାହଳ କରୁଛନ୍ତି। ଯୁଦ୍ଧସନ୍ନିକଟେ ଏହା ମଧ୍ୟ ବିନାଶର ପୂର୍ବଲକ୍ଷଣ।

Word by Word

शिखराणाम्of the tops/peaks

समृद्धानाम्of the flourishing/abundant (ones)

उपरिष्टात्above, on the upper side

समन्ततःon all sides, all around

वायसाःcrows

अश्वquickly / at once

रुवन्तिcry, caw

उग्रम्terrible, fierce

वामम्left (inauspicious)

मण्डलम्circle, circuit (orbiting movement)

आश्रिताःhaving resorted to / occupying

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

crows (vāyasāḥ)

treetops/peaks (śikharāṇi)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores that adharma and mass violence are not merely human affairs; they reverberate through the world as ominous portents. It invites ethical reflection: when a conflict is morally catastrophic, even ordinary signs in nature are read as warnings to restrain destructive impulses and reconsider one’s course.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa reports a battlefield-omen: crows gather on the tops of flourishing trees and circle to the left while cawing harshly. Such behavior is traditionally interpreted as inauspicious, foreshadowing calamity and death as the great war approaches.