Bharata, the sun during his rising and setting to be
covered by headless trunks. Tri-coloured clouds with their extremities
white and red and necks black, charged with lightning, and resembling
maces (in figure) envelope the sun in both twilights. I have seen the
sun, the moon, and the stars to be all blazing. No difference in their
aspect is to be noted in the evening. I have seen this all day and all
night. All this forbodes fear. On even the fifteenth night of the
lighted-fortnight in (the month of) Kartika, the moon, divested of
splendour, became invisible, or of the hue of fire, the firmament being
of the hue of the lotus. Many heroic lords of earth, kings and princes,
endued with great bravery and possessed of arms resembling maces, will be
slain and sleep lying down on the earth. Daily I notice in the sky during
night time the fierce cries of battling boars and cats.[11] The images of
gods and goddesses sometimes laugh, sometimes tremble, and sometimes
again these vomit blood through their mouths and sometimes they sweat and
sometimes fall down. O monarch! drums, without being beaten, give sounds,
and the great cars of Kshatriyas move without (being drawn by) animals
yoked to them. Kokilas, wood-peckers, jaws, water-cocks, parrots, crows,
and peacocks, utter terrible cries. Here and there, cavalry soldiers,
cased in mail, armed with weapons, send forth fierce shouts. At sun-rise
flights of insects by hundreds are seen. In both twilights, the cardinal
quarters seem to be ablaze, and the clouds, O Bharata, shower dust and
flesh. She, O king, who is celebrated over the three worlds and is
applauded by the righteous, even that (constellation) Arundhati keepeth
(her lord) Vasistha on her back. The planet Sani also, O king, appeareth
afflicting (the constellation) Rohini. The sign of the deer in the Moon
hath deviated from its usual position. A great terror is indicated. Even
though the sky is cloudless, a terrible roar is heard there. The animals
are all weeping and their tears are falling fast.'"

SECTION III

"Vyasa said,--'Asses are taking births in kine. Some are having sexual
pleasure with mothers. The trees in the forests are exhibiting
unseasonable flowers and fruits. Women quick with child, and even those
that are not so, are giving birth to monsters. Carnivorous beasts,
mingling with (carnivorous) birds, are feeding together. Ill-omened
beasts, some having three horns, some with four eyes, some with five