Shloka 23

काकोपमोपदेशः

The Crow-and-Swan Exemplum as Counsel to Karṇa

Devanagari script

तामापतन्तीं सहसा धर्मराज: शितै: शरै:

Transliteration

tām āpatantīṁ sahasā dharmarājaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: As she rushed in suddenly, Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira) met her with keen, razor-sharp arrows—an image of how, in the chaos of war, even swift and urgent advances are answered by decisive force rather than restraint.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आपतन्तीम्: falling/charging upon (him)
• आपतन्तीम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपत् (धातु) → आपतन्ती (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सहसा: suddenly, at once
• सहसा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)

• धर्मराजः: Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira)
• धर्मराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शितैः: with sharp
• शितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• शरैः: arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights kṣatriya-duty in battle: when confronted by an onrushing opponent, the warrior responds with decisive, skillful force. It also underscores the ethical tension of war—swift violence can become the default response even for a figure identified with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that an unnamed feminine-referenced figure (“her”) charges suddenly, and Dharmarāja counters immediately by shooting sharp arrows at her. The verse is a brief combat snapshot within the larger Karṇa Parva battle narration.