Shloka 56
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
शल्य उवाच स पक्षाभ्यां स्पृशन्नार्तस्तुण्डेन च जलं तदा । दृष्टो हंसेन दुष्टात्मन्निदं हंसं ततो5ब्रवीत्
śalya uvāca | sa pakṣābhyāṁ spṛśann ārtaḥ tuṇḍena ca jalaṁ tadā | dṛṣṭo haṁsena duṣṭātmann idaṁ haṁsaṁ tato 'bravīt |
ਸ਼ਲ੍ਯ ਬੋਲੇ—“ਤਦ ਉਹ ਕਾਂ ਘੋਰ ਪੀੜ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਪਣੇ ਦੋਵੇਂ ਪਰਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਚੋਚ ਨਾਲ ਪਾਣੀ ਨੂੰ ਛੂਹਦਾ ਰਿਹਾ। ਹੰਸ ਨੇ ਉਸ ਦੁਸ਼ਟ-ਚਿੱਤ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖਿਆ; ਫਿਰ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਹੰਸ ਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ।”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up an ethical contrast: the swan (a figure for discernment and higher conduct) observes the crow’s distress and addresses it as “wicked-souled,” preparing a moral lesson about flawed character and the consequences of arrogance or unworthy behavior—an indirect admonition relevant to Karna in Shalya’s counsel.
In Shalya’s narration, a crow—exhausted and suffering—keeps touching the water with wings and beak. A swan notices the crow’s plight and begins to speak to it, introducing a didactic exchange (an allegorical episode embedded within the war-time dialogue).