Shloka 32
काकोपमोपदेशः
The Crow-and-Swan Exemplum as Counsel to Karṇa
रथस्थ: स तया विद्धो वर्म भित्त्वा स्तनान्तरे | भृशं संविग्नहददय: पपात च मुमोह च
rathasthaḥ sa tayā viddho varma bhittvā stanāntare | bhṛśaṃ saṃvignahṛdayaḥ papāta ca mumoh ca ||
Sañjaya sprach: Während er auf seinem Wagen stand, wurde der Krieger von jener Waffe getroffen; sie durchbrach den Panzer und drang zwischen die Brüste. Sein Herz erbebte in heftigster Qual—er stürzte und sank in Ohnmacht.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the vulnerability of embodied life in war: external protections like armor and status cannot guarantee safety. It implicitly points to the ethical gravity of battle—actions have immediate, irreversible consequences, and even the mighty can be overcome when skill, circumstance, and destiny align.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior, standing on his chariot, is struck by a blow associated with a female agent (“tayā”). The weapon pierces through his armor and hits his chest; overwhelmed and shaken, he falls and loses consciousness.