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 dit : Lorsqu’elle fondit soudain, Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira) l’accueillit de flèches acérées, tranchantes comme des rasoirs—image montrant que, dans le tumulte de la guerre, même l’élan le plus prompt et pressant est répondu par une force décisive plutôt que par la retenue.

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.