Shloka 50
अतिक्रम्य च चक्राड़: काक॑ तं समुदैक्षत
atikramya ca cakrāḍaḥ kākaṃ taṃ samudaikṣata
Having overstepped the wheel’s rim, the crow then looked closely at him, as if to judge what lay beyond the boundary it had just crossed—an act that hints at rash curiosity and the moral risk of transgressing limits.
हंस उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse suggests an ethical warning: crossing a boundary (atikrama) out of impulsive curiosity can lead to moral or practical danger; careful discernment should precede stepping beyond established limits.
In a didactic exchange attributed to the swan (haṃsa), the crow is described as having crossed the wheel’s edge/boundary and then staring intently—portraying a moment of transgressive action followed by scrutiny, as if assessing consequences or seeking advantage.