Shloka 52

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०

Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance

Devanagari script

तं तथा हीयमानं तु हंसो दृष्टवाब्रवीदिदम्‌ । उज्जिहीर्षुर्निमज्जन्तं स्मरन्‌ सत्पुरुषव्रतम्‌,तदनन्तर उस समय अत्यन्त थका-मादा कौआ हंसके समीप आया। हंसने देखा, कौएकी दशा बड़ी शोचनीय हो गयी है। अब यह पानीमें डूबनेहीवाला है। तब उसने सत्पुरुषोंके व्रतका स्मरण करके उसके उद्धारकी इच्छा मनमें लेकर इस प्रकार कहा

Transliteration

taṃ tathā hīyamānaṃ tu haṃso dṛṣṭvābravīd idam | ujjihīrṣur nimajjantaṃ smaran satpuruṣa-vratam ||

Translation

Voyant le corbeau ainsi défaillir et s’enfoncer, le cygne prit la parole. Désireux de le relever alors qu’il allait se noyer, et se souvenant du vœu noble des hommes de bien—secourir ceux qui sont dans la détresse—il prononça ces mots, animé par l’intention de le sauver.

Word by Word

• {'tam (taṃ)': 'him (the crow)', 'tathā': 'thus, in that condition', 'hīyamānam (hīyamānaṃ)': 'declining, weakening, losing strength', 'tu': 'but/indeed (emphasis)', 'haṃsaḥ (haṃso)': 'the swan', 'dṛṣṭvā': 'having seen', 'abravīt (abravīd)': 'said, spoke', 'idam': 'this (speech/these words)', 'ujjihīrṣuḥ': 'desiring to lift up, intending to rescue', 'nimajjantam (nimajjantaṃ)': 'sinking, about to drown', 'smaran': 'remembering', 'satpuruṣa-vratam': 'the vow/practice of the virtuous

Speaker

हंस उवाच

Characters & Entities

• हंस (Haṃsa, swan)
• काक (implied by context: crow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights satpuruṣa-vrata—virtuous conduct that moves one to help a being in danger. Compassion and timely aid are presented as marks of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

A swan notices a weakened crow sinking in water. Remembering the ethical duty of good people, the swan intends to save him and begins to speak.