Shloka 15

उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents

Devanagari script

शुक्र: प्रोष्ठपदे पूर्वे समारुह्मु विरोचते । उत्तरे तु परिक्रम्य सहित: समुदीक्षते

Transliteration

śukraḥ proṣṭhapade pūrve samāruhya virocate | uttare tu parikramya sahitaḥ samudīkṣate |

Translation

毗耶娑描绘一则不祥天象：金星（Venus）在前普罗什塔帕达宿（Pūrvā Proṣṭhapadā）升起，光辉格外显著。继而它循回旋之轨运行，与名为“帕利-伽”（Pari-gha）的彗星状天体相合，并将其视向定于后普罗什塔帕达宿（Uttarā Proṣṭhapadā）——在史诗的战争语境中，这预示着将至的动荡与沉重的后果。

Word by Word

• शुक्रः: Venus (planet)
• शुक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रोष्ठपदे: in (the nakshatra) Proṣṭhapadā
• प्रोष्ठपदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रोष्ठपद
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पूर्वे: in the former/earlier (i.e., Pūrvā)
• पूर्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• समारुह्य: having ascended/reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-रुह्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• विरोचते: shines/is resplendent
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-रुच्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• उत्तरे: in the latter/northern (i.e., Uttarā)
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तु: but/and (contrastive particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• परिक्रम्य: having gone around/circumambulated
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-क्रम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• सहितः: accompanied (together) with
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समुदीक्षते: looks at/gazes upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-ईक्ष्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Śukra (Venus)
• Pūrvā Proṣṭhapadā (nakṣatra)
• Uttarā Proṣṭhapadā (nakṣatra)
• Parigha (upagraha/comet-like portent)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contributes to the Mahābhārata’s ethical-narrative framing of war: cosmic irregularities and ominous conjunctions are presented as signs that adharma and collective violence disturb the natural order, warning of suffering and urging reflection on righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa reports a specific astronomical portent: Venus rises in Pūrvā Proṣṭhapadā, then appears to move in a circling manner and is seen together with the portent called Parigha, with its appearance directed toward Uttarā Proṣṭhapadā—part of the catalogue of signs preceding the great battle.