Shloka 536
काकोपमोपदेशः
The Crow-and-Swan Exemplum as Counsel to Karṇa
क्रोधेन महता युक्त: सविषो भुजगो यथा । संजयने कहा--प्रजानाथ! जब सारी सेनाएँ विभिन्न भागोंमें बँठकर जूझने और मरने लगीं, तब आपका पुत्र दुर्योधन दूसरे रथपर बैठकर विषधर सर्पके समान अत्यन्त कुपित हो उठा
krodhena mahatā yuktaḥ saviṣo bhujago yathā |
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai pelindung rakyat, ketika seluruh bala tentara tercerai ke berbagai front dan saling bertempur hingga banyak yang gugur, putramu Duryodhana menaiki kereta lain dan, diliputi amarah besar, bangkit bagaikan ular berbisa—ganas dan siap menyambar.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Unrestrained anger is portrayed as inherently poisonous: it clouds judgment, escalates violence, and endangers both self and others. The simile of a venomous serpent frames wrath as a moral and strategic hazard, opposed to the steadiness and discernment expected in dharmic leadership.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield situation where formations have fragmented and soldiers are dying across different fronts. At this moment, Duryodhana mounts another chariot and, overcome by intense rage, prepares to act with heightened aggression—his mood likened to a venomous snake ready to strike.