Shloka 24
काकोपमोपदेशः
The Crow-and-Swan Exemplum as Counsel to Karṇa
निपपात ततः सा<थ स्वर्णदण्डा महास्वना
nipapāta tataḥ sātha svarṇadaṇḍā mahāsvanā
সঞ্জয় বললেন—তারপর সে স্বর্ণদণ্ডধারিণী, মহাশব্দ করতে করতে, পতিত হল; যুদ্ধের তুমুলতায় শুভ লক্ষণও ভাগ্য ও অধর্মের ভারে ভেঙে পড়ে।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how, in the Mahābhārata’s war narrative, collapse and loud disturbance function as moral-symbolic signals: when adharma gains ground, even seemingly auspicious or powerful emblems can fall, reminding the listener of impermanence and the pressure of fate upon human pride.
Sañjaya reports that a feminine-referred entity—described as having a golden staff and a great sound—suddenly falls. In context, such descriptions typically mark a striking battlefield incident or an ominous portent observed during the Kurukṣetra war.