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Shloka 63

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०

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

प्रत्युवाच तत: काक: सीदमान इदं वच: । उपरिष्ट तदा हंसमभिवीक्ष्य प्रसादयन्‌,तब जलमें अत्यन्त कष्ट पाते हुए कौएने जलके ऊपर ठहरे हुए हंसकी ओर देखकर उसे प्रसन्न करनेके लिये कहा

pratyuvāca tataḥ kākaḥ sīdamāna idaṃ vacaḥ | upariṣṭāt tadā haṃsam abhivīkṣya prasādayan |

Da sprach die Krähe, die im Wasser versank und sich mühsam abmühte, diese Worte. Sie blickte hinauf zu dem Schwan, der über der Wasserfläche blieb, und suchte ihn mit demütiger Rede zu besänftigen, um Hilfe zu erlangen.

प्रत्युवाचreplied/answered
प्रत्युवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति-√वच्
FormLuṅ (Aorist), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
ततःthen/from thereupon
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
काकःthe crow
काकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकाक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सीदमानःsinking/being distressed
सीदमानः:
TypeAdjective
Root√सद् (सीद्) → सीदमान
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, शानच् (present active participle)
इदम्this
इदम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
वचःspeech/words
वचः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवचस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उपरिष्टात्above/on top
उपरिष्टात्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउपरिष्टात्
तदाthen/at that time
तदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
हंसम्the swan
हंसम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहंस
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अभिवीक्ष्यhaving looked at
अभिवीक्ष्य:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअभि-√वीक्ष्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)
प्रसादयन्seeking to please/conciliating
प्रसादयन्:
TypeAdjective
Rootप्र-√सद् (causative √सादय्) → प्रसादयत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

शल्य उवाच

काक (crow)
हंस (swan)
जल (water)

Educational Q&A

When one is overwhelmed by hardship, arrogance gives way to dependence; the verse highlights the ethical value of humility and the practical use of conciliation (prasādana) to seek help or forgiveness.

A crow, exhausted and sinking in water, looks up at a swan positioned above the water and speaks to him in an attempt to placate and gain assistance or favor.