Shloka 14

Inauspicious Omens and Arjuna’s Return from Dvārakā

Devanagari script

मृत्युदूत: कपोतोऽयमुलूक: कम्पयन् मन: । प्रत्युलूकश्च कुह्वानैर्विश्वं वै शून्यमिच्छत: ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

mṛtyu-dūtaḥ kapoto ’yam ulūkaḥ kampayan manaḥ pratyulūkaś ca kuhvānair viśvaṁ vai śūnyam icchataḥ

Translation

ดูเถิด นกพิราบนี้ประหนึ่งทูตแห่งความตาย เสียงกรีดร้องของนกฮูกและเสียงโต้ตอบกันทำให้ใจข้าสั่นไหว ราวกับพวกมันปรารถนาจะทำให้ทั้งจักรวาลว่างเปล่า

Synonyms

• मृत्युदूतः: messenger of death
• मृत्युदूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु-दूत (प्रातिपदिक; मृत्यु + दूत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मृत्योः दूतः)

• कपोतः: pigeon
• कपोतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपोत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Deictic qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उलूकः: owl
• उलूकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कम्पयन्: shaking
• कम्पयन्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम्प् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; ‘कम्पयन्’ = ‘कम्पयति’ इत्यर्थे

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रत्युलूकः: counter-owl / owl in opposition
• प्रत्युलूकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-उलूक (प्रातिपदिक; प्रति + उलूक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (प्रति + उलूकः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कुह्वानैः: by hooting/cries
• कुह्वानैः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कुह् (धातु) + शानच्/कानच् (कृदन्त; ‘कुह्वान’ इति)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शानच्/Present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘कुह्वान’ = ‘कुह्वते/कुह्वति’ (to hoot/howl)

• विश्वम्: the world
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• शून्यम्: empty, void
• शून्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विश्वम् इति विशेष्यस्य)

• इच्छतः: of (one) desiring
• इच्छतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive—of one who desires)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘इच्छतः’ = ‘इच्छतः (स्य)’

Characters & Entities

• Draupadī

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about inauspicious omens when Krishna departs?

This verse shows Draupadī reading fearful signs—birds like owls and pigeons—as portents of loss, reflecting the atmosphere of separation as Kṛṣṇa’s departure nears.

Why did Draupadi speak about an owl and a pigeon as messengers of death?

In the narrative, Draupadī senses ominous changes and interprets these sounds and sightings as nimittas (portents), expressing her anxiety and the looming emptiness felt when Kṛṣṇa is away.

Practical application of noticing 'omens' in modern life according to this shloka?

Rather than superstition, the takeaway is sensitivity: when the heart feels spiritually empty, turn that anxiety into remembrance, prayer, and renewed dependence on Kṛṣṇa.