Shloka 18

Devanagari script

मयूरा: पुण्यशकुना हंससारसचातका: । जीवंजीवकसडसघाश्षाप्यनुगच्छन्ति पाण्डवान्‌,“मोर, शुभ शकुन सूचित करनेवाले मुर्गे, हंस, सारस, चातक तथा चकोरोंके समुदाय पाण्डवोंका अनुसरण करते हैं

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | mayūrāḥ puṇyaśakunā haṃsasārasacātakāḥ | jīvaṃjīvakasāḍasaghāś cāpy anugacchanti pāṇḍavān |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: “Những con công—chim báo điềm lành—cùng với thiên nga, sếu, hạc, chim cātaka, và cả những đàn chim khác mang điềm báo, đều được thấy đang theo sau nhà Pāṇḍava.”

Word by Word

मयूराःpeacocks

पुण्य-शकुनाःauspicious omens/birds of good omen

हंस-सारस-चातकाःswans, cranes, and chataka birds

जीवंजीवक-सडसघाःjīvamjīvaka birds and groups of sadasgha (birds)

अपिalso/even

अनुगच्छन्तिfollow

पाण्डवान्the Pandavas

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāṇḍavas

peacocks (mayūra)

auspicious omen-birds (puṇyaśakuna)

swans (haṃsa)

cranes (sārasa)

cātaka birds (cātaka)

jīvaṃjīvaka birds

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 uses traditional omen-language to imply that moral merit (puṇya) and auspicious destiny align with the Pāṇḍavas. In the epic’s ethical frame, favorable signs are read as nature’s and providence’s endorsement of a dharmic cause.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to the Kuru court that auspicious birds are observed accompanying the Pāṇḍavas. This functions as a narrative signal—amid preparations for war—that the Pāṇḍavas are being ‘followed’ by good omens, foreshadowing their eventual success.