raced with five
ears, and every paddy-stalk with a hundred. They that are the best of
creatures in the worlds and upon whom depends the universe, viz., kine,
when milked after the calves have their suck, yield only blood. Radiant
rays of light emanate from bows, and swords blaze forth brilliantly. It
is evident that the weapons behold (before them) the battle, as if it
were already arrived. The hue of weapons and the water, as also of coats
of mail and standards, is like that of fire. A great slaughter will take
place. In this battle,[15] O Bharata, of the Kurus with the Pandavas, the
earth, O monarch, will be a river of blood with the standards (of
warriors) as its rafts. Animals and birds on all sides, with mouths
blazing like fire, uttering fierce cries, and displaying these evil
omens, are foreboding terrible consequences. A (fierce) bird with but one
wing, one eye, and one leg, hovering over the sky in the night, screameth
frightfully in wrath, as if for making the hearers vomit blood. It
seemeth, O great king, that all weapons are now blazing with radiance.
The effulgence of the constellation known by the name of the seven
high-souled Rishis, hath been dimmed. Those two blazing planets, viz.,
Vrihaspati and Sani, having approached the constellation called Visakha,
have become stationary there for a whole year. Three lunations twice
meeting together in course of the same lunar fortnight, the duration of
the latter is shortened by two days.[16] On the thirteenth day therefore,
from the first lunation, according as it is the day of the full moon or
the new moon, the moon and the sun are afflicted by Rahu. Such strange
eclipses, both lunar and solar, forebode a great slaughter.[17] All the
quarters of the earth, being overwhelmed by showers of dust, look
inauspicious. Fierce clouds, portentous of danger, drop bloody showers
during the night. Rahu of fierce deeds is also, O monarch, afflicting the
constellation Kirtika. Rough winds, portending fierce danger, are
constantly blowing. All these beget a war characterised by many sad
incidents.[18] The constellations are divided into three classes. Upon
one or another of each class, a planet of evil omen has shed its
influence, foreboding terrible dangers.[19] A lunar fortnight had
hitherto consisted of fourteen days, or fifteen days (as usual), or
sixteen days. This, however, I never knew that the day of new-moon would
be on the thirteenth day from the first lunation, or the