Shloka 64
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
काक उवाच उच्छिष्टदर्पितो हंस मन्ये55त्मानं सुपर्णवत् । अवमन्य बहुंश्वाहं काकानन्यांश्व पक्षिण:,कौआ बोला-भाई हंस! मैं जूठन खा-खाकर घमंडमें भर गया था और बहुत-से कौओं तथा दूसरे पक्षियोंका तिरस्कार करके अपने-आपको गरुड़के समान शक्तिशाली समझने लगा था
kāka uvāca ucciṣṭa-darpito haṃsa manye ’tmānaṃ suparṇavat | avamanya bahūn śvāhaṃ kākān anyāṃś ca pakṣiṇaḥ ||
Dijo el cuervo: «Oh cisne, embriagado de orgullo por alimentarme de sobras, me imaginé como Suparṇa (Garuḍa). En mi arrogancia desprecié a muchos cuervos y también a otras aves.»
काक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Pride born of low or unworthy gains (here, ‘leftovers’) leads to delusion and contempt for others; ethical conduct requires humility and accurate self-assessment rather than self-inflation.
The crow addresses the swan and confesses his earlier arrogance: he became conceited, imagined himself as powerful as Garuḍa, and insulted many crows and other birds—setting up a moral reflection on misplaced pride.