Shloka 68
पदभ्यामुत्क्षिप्य वेगेन पृष्ठमारोपयच्छनै: । कर्ण! इस प्रकार कहकर कौआ अचेत-सा होकर दीनभावसे विलाप करने और काँव- काँव करते हुए महासागरके जलमें डूबने लगा। उस समय उसकी ओर देखना कठिन हो रहा था। वह पानीसे भीग गया था। हंसने कृपापूर्वक उसे पंजोंसे उठाकर बड़े वेगसे ऊपरको उछाला और धीरेसे अपनी पीठपर चढ़ा लिया || ६६-६७ $ || आरोप्य पृष्ठ हंसस्तं काक॑ तूर्ण विचेतनम्
padabhyām utkṣipya vegena pṛṣṭham āropayac chanaiḥ | karṇa! iti prakāraṁ kathayitvā kāko acetasa iva bhūtvā dīna-bhāvena vilapya kāṁ-kāṁ-śabdaṁ kurvan mahāsāgarasya jale nimagnas tasyāvalokanaṁ duṣkaram abhavat | sa jalena siktas | haṁsaḥ kṛpā-pūrvakaṁ taṁ pañjabhyām uddhṛtya mahā-vegena ūrdhvaṁ kṣiptvā śanaiḥ sva-pṛṣṭhe samāropayat || āropya pṛṣṭhe haṁsas taṁ kākaṁ tūrṇaṁ vicetanam ||
Lifting him with his feet and moving swiftly, the swan gently set him upon his back. Addressing Karṇa, the crow—having spoken thus—became as if senseless; wailing in misery and crying “kāṁ-kāṁ,” he began to sink into the waters of the great ocean. It became painful to look at him as he was drenched and going under. Then the swan, moved by compassion, raised the crow with his claws, flung him upward with great speed, and carefully placed him upon his own back. The episode underscores that even when one falls into despair through one’s own folly, compassion and timely aid can restore life and dignity.
काक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights compassion (kṛpā) as a dharmic response: even when someone collapses into despair through weakness or error, timely mercy and support can save them. It also implies an ethical contrast between helpless lamentation and effective, compassionate action.
After speaking to Karṇa, the crow becomes overwhelmed, laments, and begins to sink into the ocean. Seeing this, the swan compassionately lifts the crow with its claws, tosses him upward to safety, and then gently places him on its back.