Shloka 14

उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents

Devanagari script

मघास्वड्रारको वक्र: श्रवणे च बृहस्पति: । भगं नक्षत्रमाक्रम्य सूर्यपुत्रेण पीड्यते

Transliteration

maghāsv aḍrārako vakraḥ śravaṇe ca bṛhaspatiḥ | bhagaṃ nakṣatram ākramya sūryaputreṇa pīḍyate ||

Translation

ਮਘਾ ਨਕਸ਼ਤਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੰਗਲ ਵਕ੍ਰ ਹੈ, ਸ਼੍ਰਵਣ ਵਿੱਚ ਬ੍ਰਿਹਸਪਤੀ ਟਿਕਿਆ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ਸੂਰਜ-ਪੁੱਤਰ ਸ਼ਨੀ ਭਗ (ਪੂਰਵਾ ਫਾਲਗੁਨੀ) ਨਕਸ਼ਤਰ ਉੱਤੇ ਚੜ੍ਹ ਕੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਪੀੜ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• मघासु: in (the) Maghā (asterisms)
• मघासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मघा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• अड्रारकः: Aḍrāraka (a planet/astral entity; likely Mars in context)
• अड्रारकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अड्रारक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वक्रः: retrograde, crooked
• वक्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रवणे: in (the) Śravaṇa (asterism)
• श्रवणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• बृहस्पतिः: Bṛhaspati (Jupiter)
• बृहस्पतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगम्: Bhaga (name of a nakṣatra/deity; here: the Bhaga nakṣatra)
• भगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नक्षत्रम्: asterism, lunar mansion
• नक्षत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आक्रम्य: having approached/overrun
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-क्रम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• सूर्यपुत्रेण: by the son of the Sun (i.e., Śani/Saturn)
• सूर्यपुत्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य-पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पीड्यते: is afflicted/tormented
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Passive, Third, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Aṅgāraka (Mars)
• Bṛhaspati (Jupiter)
• Śani (Saturn, Sūryaputra)
• Maghā (nakṣatra)
• Śravaṇa (nakṣatra)
• Bhaga / Pūrvaphālgunī (nakṣatra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames celestial disturbances as moral and social warnings: when adharma rises and conflict becomes inevitable, even the heavens are described as ‘out of joint,’ urging reflection, restraint, and a return to righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa reports specific planetary positions—Mars retrograde in Maghā, Jupiter in Śravaṇa, and Saturn afflicting the Bhaga/Pūrvaphālgunī asterism—as ominous signs foretelling the coming devastation of the Kurukṣetra war.