Shloka 306

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०

Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance

Devanagari script

प्रदिशध्व॑ यथान्यायं केन हंसा: पताम्यहम्‌ | आज मैं तुमलोगोंके देखते-देखते जब इतनी उड़ानें भरूँगा

Transliteration

pradiśadhvaṁ yathānyāyaṁ kena haṁsāḥ patāmy aham |

Translation

قال الغراب: «احكموا بما يوافق الصواب: بأي طيرانٍ ينبغي لي أن أعلو. اليوم، أمام أعينكم، سأصعد إلى السماء مرارًا وتكرارًا؛ وحينئذ سترون قوتي. يا معشر الإوزّ، بعد نظرٍ وتروٍّ، قولوا لي: “بأيٍّ من هذه الطيرانات أصعد إلى الفضاء؟”»

Word by Word

• प्रदिशध्वम्: tell, point out
• प्रदिशध्वम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√दिश्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, plural, परस्मैपद

• यथा: as, according to
• यथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• अन्यायम्: injustice, improper way
• अन्यायम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्याय
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• केन: by which? with what?
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, singular

• हंसाः: swans
• हंसाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• पतामि: I fly
• पतामि: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत्
• Form: लट् (present), 1, singular, परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: —, nominative, singular

Speaker

काक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• काक (crow)
• हंस (swans)
• आकाश (sky)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the tension between proper judgment (nyāya) and boastful self-assertion: one should act according to what is fitting and seek discerning counsel, rather than relying on prideful display of strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

The crow addresses the swans and challenges them to decide which manner of flight he should demonstrate, claiming he will repeatedly soar before them so they may witness his power.