Mahabharata Quiz - 94

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Question – 94

Change of tithi and change of  marks on the moon were cited in support of a cosmic hit. Were there references in the Mahabharata for the fall of fragments of a broken comet or meteors on the earth apart from those quoted earlier?

Answer:

Yes, there are. Both Karna and Vyasa narrated the meteor hits and allied disturbances to the earth and atmosphere.

Karṇa said: Meteors (Ulkā) were falling from the sky with loud noise. There were whirlwinds accompanied by earthquakes (MB: 5.141.10)

Vyāsa said: dhūmaketur mahāghoraḥ puṣyam ākramya tiṣṭhati (MB: 6.3.12) This means a horrible comet occupied on the day of Pushya. Many researchers treated this as sighting a comet near Pushya, but it turned out to be an attack on the earth on Pushya day!

Vyāsa said: Even though the sky is cloudless, a terrible roar is heard there.  (MB: 6.2.33)

Vyāsa said: Meteors, effulgent like Indra's thunderbolt, fall with loud hisses (MB: 6.3.33b)

Karṇa said: The wells amid Duryodhana's encampment sent forth loud roars like those of huge bulls (MB: 5.141.20). This can happen in the event of earthquakes or tectonic movement – caused by a collision of an extra-terrestrial object with the earth.

Vyāsa said: The earth is frequently trembling (MB: 6.3.11). In the event of a heavy fall of an extra-terrestrial object, it will cause shattering impact on all things around and on the earth. The vibration of the earth can be felt at those times.

Vyāsa said: The wells, foaming up, are bellowing like bull (MB: 6.3.32). The shattering impact on the ground causes the well water to splash out with sound.

Vyāsa said: In consequence of the Earth's trembling, each of the four oceans having swelled greatly, seems ready to transgress its continents for afflicting the Earth (MB: 6.2.32). The swelling in oceans can happen if fragments have fallen on the sea. This causes tsunami effect with water rushing towards the shores, but Vyasa said that the sea water did not transgress the shores. The only possible region for this effect is the fall of a fragment in the Arabian sea. That must have caused the water to rise and move towards the Gujarat coast, but luckily water did not enter the land.

Vyasa said: From the mountains of Kailasa and Mandara and Himavat thousands of explosions are heard, and thousands of summits are tumbling down. (MB: 6.2.31) This shows that some fragments had fallen on the Himalayan range and caused loud noise.

The last two events described by Vyasa have been identified for their location and impact. This writer has analyzed the fall of fragments in the ocean and the regions affected by the sudden rise of water. It gave rise to what is now known as the Biblical Flood.

The second event of fall of the fragments in Nepal have been identified. It was already analyzed by experts but Mahabharata offers the date and concurrence for that event.