Shloka 64
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
काक उवाच उच्छिष्टदर्पितो हंस मन्ये55त्मानं सुपर्णवत् । अवमन्य बहुंश्वाहं काकानन्यांश्व पक्षिण:
kāka uvāca ucciṣṭa-darpito haṃsa manye ’tmānaṃ suparṇavat | avamanya bahūn śvāhaṃ kākān anyāṃś ca pakṣiṇaḥ ||
قال الغراب: «يا أيها البجعة، لقد انتفختُ كِبرًا إذ كنتُ آكل الفضلات، فتوهمتُ نفسي كسوپرṇa (غارودا). وبغروري ازدرَيتُ كثيرًا من الغربان وسائر الطيور أيضًا.»
काक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Pride born of low or unworthy gains (here, ‘leftovers’) leads to delusion and contempt for others; ethical conduct requires humility and accurate self-assessment rather than self-inflation.
The crow addresses the swan and confesses his earlier arrogance: he became conceited, imagined himself as powerful as Garuḍa, and insulted many crows and other birds—setting up a moral reflection on misplaced pride.