16-1-001
वैशंपायन उवाच
षट्त्रिंशे त्वथ संप्राप्ते वर्षे कौरवनन्दनः
ददर्श विपरीतानि निमित्तानि युधिष्ठिरः
Vaishampayana said When the thirty-sixth year arrived, the son of the Kurus, Yudhisthira, saw inauspicious omens.
16-1-002
ववुर्वाताः सनिर्घाता रूक्षाः शर्करवर्षिणः
अपसव्यानि शकुना मण्डलानि प्रचक्रिरे
Winds blew with loud noises, rough, raining sand, Birds turned to the left, and circles were formed.
16-1-003
प्रत्यगूहुर्महानद्यो दिशो नीहारसंवृताः
उल्काश्चाङ्गारवर्षिण्यः प्रपेतुर्गगनाद्भुवि
The great rivers were covered with mist, and the directions were hidden. Meteors, raining coals, fell from the sky to the earth.
16-1-004
आदित्यो रजसा राजन्समवच्छन्नमण्डलः
विरश्मिरुदये नित्यं कबन्धैः समदृश्यत
The sun, O king, with its disc covered by dust, was always seen at sunrise without rays, like a lump of flesh.
16-1-005
परिवेषाश्च दृश्यन्ते दारुणाः चन्द्रसूर्ययोः
त्रिवर्णाः श्यामरूक्षान्तास्तथा भस्मारुणप्रभाः
And the signs of the end of the world are seen in the sun and moon, Three-colored, dark, rough, and ending in red, and having the glow of ashes.
16-1-006
एते चान्ये च बहव उत्पाता भयशंसिनः
दृश्यन्तेऽहरहो राजन्हृदयोद्वेगकारकाः
These and many other portents foreboding fear are seen, O king, day by day, causing anguish to the heart.
16-1-007
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः
शुश्राव वृष्णिचक्रस्य मौसले कदनं कृतम्
Then, after some time, King Yudhishthira of the Kurus heard of the massacre of the Vrishni circle in the battle.
16-1-008
विमुक्तं वासुदेवं च श्रुत्वा रामं च पाण्डवः
समानीयाब्रवीद्भ्रातॄन्किं करिष्याम इत्युत
Hearing of the liberation of Vasudeva and Rama, the Pandava said to his brothers, "What shall we do?"
16-1-009
परस्परं समासाद्य ब्रह्मदण्डबलात्कृतान्
वृष्णीन्विनष्टांस्ते श्रुत्वा व्यथिताः पाण्डवाभवन्
Having met each other, they were killed by the force of Brahma's rod. Hearing of the destruction of the Vrishnis, the Pandavas were distressed.
16-1-010
निधनं वासुदेवस्य समुद्रस्येव शोषणम्
वीरा न श्रद्दधुस्तस्य विनाशं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः
The destruction of Vāsudeva is like the drying up of the ocean. The heroes did not believe in the destruction of the one with the Śārṅga bow.
16-1-011
मौसलं ते परिश्रुत्य दुःखशोकसमन्विताः
विषण्णा हतसंकल्पाः पाण्डवाः समुपाविशन्
Having heard about the massacre, the Pandavas were filled with grief and sorrow. Dispirited and with their resolve shattered, they sat down.