Shloka 68

कल्याणवाच: शकुना राजहंसा: शुका: क्रौज्चा: शतपत्राश्न यत्र । प्रदक्षिणाश्रैव भवन्ति संख्ये ध्रुवं जयस्तत्र वदन्ति विप्रा:,जहाँ शुभ एवं कल्याणमयी बोली बोलनेवाले राजहंस, शुक, क्रौंच तथा शतपत्र (मोर) आदि पक्षी सैनिकोंकी प्रदक्षिणा करते हैं (दाहिने जाते हैं), उस पक्षकी युद्धमें निश्चितरूपसे विजय होती है, यह ब्राह्मणोंका कथन है

kalyāṇavācaḥ śakunā rājahaṃsāḥ śukāḥ krauñcāḥ śatapatrāś ca yatra | pradakṣiṇāś caiva bhavanti saṃkhye dhruvaṃ jayas tatra vadanti viprāḥ ||

วยาสะกล่าวว่า “ที่ใดนกซึ่งเปล่งเสียงเป็นมงคลและนำความเกษม—หงส์หลวง นกแก้ว นกกระเรียนเคราญจะ และนกยูง—โผวนเวียนเวียนขวารอบกองทัพในสนามรบ ณ ที่นั้นพราหมณ์ผู้รู้ประกาศว่า ชัยชนะของฝ่ายนั้นย่อมแน่นอน”

कल्याणवाचःhaving auspicious speech
कल्याणवाचः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकल्याणवाच्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शकुनाःbirds/omens (birds)
शकुनाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशकुन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
राजहंसाःroyal swans
राजहंसाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootराजहंस
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शुकाःparrots
शुकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशुक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
क्रौञ्चाःcranes/curlews (krauñca-birds)
क्रौञ्चाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootक्रौञ्च
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शतपत्राःśatapatra-birds (trad. peacocks/variegated birds)
शतपत्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशतपत्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
यत्रwhere
यत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयत्र
प्रदक्षिणाःmoving to the right / rightward
प्रदक्षिणाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रदक्षिण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
भवन्तिbecome/are
भवन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
संख्येin battle
संख्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसंख्या
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
ध्रुवम्certainly
ध्रुवम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootध्रुव
जयःvictory
जयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
वदन्तिsay
वदन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootवद्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
विप्राःbrahmins/learned men
विप्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

व्यास उवाच

V
Vyāsa
V
viprāḥ (Brahmins)
R
rājahaṃsa (royal swan)
Ś
śuka (parrot)
K
krauñca (crane)
Ś
śatapatra (peacock)
S
saṃkhya (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that traditional dharma-based culture reads the battlefield through auspicious signs: rightward circumambulation (pradakṣiṇā) by certain birds is taken as an indication that victory aligns with favorable cosmic and ritual order, as affirmed by learned Brahmins.

Vyāsa reports an omen-interpretation: if specific auspicious birds circle an army to the right during battle, Brahmin authorities consider that side destined to win. It functions as a prognostic sign within the war narrative.