Tag Archive for: omens

Even a few hours before the war, Vyasa tried to convince Dhritarashtra to do the right thing (return Indraprastha to the Pandavas as per the terms of the agreement) and prevent the war from destroying many lives. However, Dhritarashtra said he couldn’t do it. Vyasa then offered to give him a temporary sight to witness the war. Dhritarashtra declined but wanted to hear everything about it. So, Vyasa gave special sight to Sanjaya, who narrated the events to the blind king. He also gave Sanjaya a boon that no weapon would harm or kill him during the war. After that, Vyasa didn’t give up. He mentioned the various omens he had been noticing and warned the old king that there would be massive destruction (as well as the end of the Kauravas). 

The omens listed by Vyasa were as follows: 

• Crows, hawks, herons, and vultures gathered in large numbers at the edges of the forest and sounded agitated. These are carnivorous (and omnivorous) birds that feed on animal and human flesh when available. 
• There had been sounds of crashes (like meteors hitting the earth), indicating a calamity. The cranes and herons had been flying southward (south is the direction of death, ruled by Yama).
• The rising sun had been covered by a headless torso (could be a cloud in that shape or Rahu). These clouds were white with red on the edges, black on the neck, and lined with lightning. 
• Irrespective of the time, the sun, moon, and stars were blazing bright (implying the natural cycle had been disrupted), indicating destruction. 
• Even on the full moon night of Kritika, the moon was devoid of its usual radiance. Instead, it glowed like Agni. The sky also had the same color (reddish orange). Brave heroes with arms like clubs would be killed, and their bodies would litter the earth. 
• At night, strange sounds echoed from the sky like a boar and a cat fighting. 
• The murtis (of gods) trembled and laughed. Sweat beaded their bodies. Some murtis vomited blood, and some fell to the ground. 
• Kettledrums sounded without anyone beating them. 
• The chariots moved of their own accord without being yoked to horses or driven by charioteers.
• Birds like peacocks, bluejays, cuckoos, parrots, etc., cried in strange and terrifying voices. 
• Hundreds of locusts swarmed the sun as it rose in the sky every morning.
• The directions looked as if they were set on fire at dawn and dusk (could be the sun turning the land red, or could be wildfires).
• The showers were of blood and bones instead of rainwater.
• Arundhati star moved Vashishta to the back (two stars in the Ursa Major were named after the rishi couple; while Arundhati was a fainter star, Vashishta was the brighter one; here their roles seemed to have reversed).
• Saturn (Shani) was based in Rohini (a star) and was oppressing it. 
• The marks on the moon have disappeared (possibly the moon shone too bright and was without its usual blemishes).
• The mountains wept and shed drops of tears (possibly glaciers breaking apart).
• Continuous and terrible sounds reverberated from the sky even when it was clear and free of clouds. 
• Cows gave birth to donkeys.
• Sons were sleeping with their mothers.
• Trees produced flowers and fruit in the wrong season.
• Princes were pregnant and giving birth to monsters (this happened before the destruction of Dwarka when Sambha gave birth to a club after being cursed by Narada and Rishi Kanva).
• Predatory birds and jackals were feeding on other animals. 
• Deformed animals were born with crooked teeth, extra horns, three eyes, three feet, two heads, two tails, etc., and made inauspicious (terrifying) sounds.
• Horses had three feet and four eyes with horns over the head. 
• The wives of learned Brahmins gave birth to peacocks and birds.
• Mares gave birth to calves and dogs to jackals. 
• Women gave birth to four or five daughters at once, and these children were immediately standing up, dancing, and laughing. 
• All types of lotus flowers were growing on trees (these are water blooms).
• Strong winds blew persistently as dust filled the air. There was no respite. 
• The sun looked like it was swallowed by Rahu (solar eclipse).
• The white planet (Shukra/ Ketu) passed Chitra (a star). 
• A terrible comet was present in Pushya (a star) and was oppressing it.
• Angaraka (Mars) was in retrograde in Magha (star), and Brihaspati (Jupiter) was in Sharavana (star) (Mars Retrograde affects action, planning, and emotion, which wouldn’t bode well for armies intending to go to war).
• The son of the sun (Shani/ Saturn) was in Bhaga (Pubba, a star) and oppressing it.
• Shukra (Venus) was rising toward Purva Bhadra (a star) and was looking at Uttara (a star) after crossing Purva Bhadra. 
• The dark planet (Saturn) was based in Indra’s star, Jyestha, and attacking it (since planets have multiple visions, Saturn was likely influencing other stars).
• Dhruva (the pole star) was flaming with energy and veering left.
• The harsh planet was stationed between Chitra and Swathi (Bibek Debory felt this could be Rahu).
• The one with the radiance of fire was in retrograde and completed its regular course (possibly Jupiter, according to Bibek Debroy). It was blazing red and full of energy and located in Shravana (a star).
• The stalks of barley had five ears, and the stalks of paddy had a hundred ears (barley has three ears and paddy has around twelve, says Google).
• The cattle were giving blood instead of milk when milked after they had fed their calves.
• A bird with one wing, one eye, and one leg was seen flying at night, screaming and vomiting blood. 
• The saptarishis (the Great Bear, Ursa Major) constellation with seven stars had dimmed. 
• Brihaspati (Jupiter) and Shani (Saturn) have been stationed for a year near Vishaka. 
• The terrible planet had robbed Krithika (a star) of its brilliance (possibly Ketu).
• The stars were earlier classified into three groups (this could be based on different parameters), and Budha (Mercury) was looking down on them, signifying danger.
• The moon cycle had changed. The new moon night occurred on the thirteenth day itself, with the sun and the moon having eclipses in the same month (a very rare occurrence).
• There were showers of blood at night and a rain of flesh on the fourteenth night of the lunar cycle. 
• The rivers flowed in opposite directions, and the water in them turned to blood.
• The rakshasas howled in the middle of the night, unsatisfied with the food they got.
• Thunders crashed without rain. 
• The wells foamed with unknown substances.
• Meteor showers had taken over the sky and were blocking the sun. The maharishis said the earth would drink the blood of many kings when this happened.
• The summits everywhere (mountain ranges from the Himalaya, Mandara, Kailasa, etc.) were making sounds of rocks falling and crashing (as it happens during an earthquake or landslide). 
• The trees were falling down at random in villages, towns, and cities. 
• The fire turned yellow, red, or blue when the Brahmins poured oblations into it. The flames emitted a foul smell and turned left. There was more smoke, as the fires made hissing sounds. 
• The touch, smell, and taste became contrary (implying that what smelled and tasted good turned foul and vice versa).
• War drums and kettledrums released showers of coal dust.
• Vultures ventured into the cities and circled over the palaces or perched on the gates. 
• The horses and elephants were running here and there, releasing urine and poop anywhere and everywhere (these animals were trained for war and were usually composed).

Even after listening to these terrible omens, Dhritarashtra didn’t try to stop the war. He said that the destruction had been decided by destiny and would hence come true. He added that the heroes who were killed in the war would attain heaven for following their Kshatriya dharma.