Shloka 37
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
प्रपेततु: स्पर्थया च ततस्तौ हंसवायसौ,तदनन्तर हंस और कौआ दोनों होड़ लगाकर उड़े। चक्रांग हंस एक ही गतिसे उड़नेवाला था और कौओआ सौ उड़ानोंसे। इधरसे चक्रांग उड़ा और उधरसे कौआ
prapetatuḥ spardhayā ca tatastau haṃsavāyasau | tadanantaraṃ haṃsaḥ kākaś ca dvāv api hoḍāṃ kṛtvā vyomni utpetatuḥ | cakrāṅga-haṃsaḥ ekayā gatyā uḍḍīyate, vāyasaḥ tu śataśaḥ uḍḍayanaiḥ | itarataḥ cakrāṅgaḥ, itarataḥ kākaḥ |
Entonces el cisne y el cuervo alzaron el vuelo en rivalidad. El cisne cakrāṅga voló con un solo impulso, sereno y continuo; en cambio el cuervo avanzó a fuerza de cien aleteos separados. Así, el cakrāṅga tomó un rumbo y el cuervo otro—mostrando que la verdadera fuerza reside en la capacidad calmada y sostenida, no en el esfuerzo ruidoso.
हंस उवाच
Educational Q&A
Steady, disciplined capability (a single, continuous ‘gati’) surpasses showy, restless exertion. The verse contrasts calm endurance with noisy competitiveness, warning against pride and valuing inner strength.
The swan and the crow begin a competitive flight. The swan flies smoothly in one sustained motion, while the crow progresses through many rapid flaps, setting up a moral contrast between true competence and ostentatious effort.