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Shloka 50

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०

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

अतिक्रम्य च चक्राड़: काक॑ तं समुदैक्षत

atikramya ca cakrāḍaḥ kākaṃ taṃ samudaikṣata

Tendo ultrapassado a borda da roda, o corvo então o fitou de perto, como se quisesse julgar o que havia além do limite que acabara de transpor—uma curiosidade temerária que insinua o risco moral de transgredir fronteiras.

अतिक्रम्यhaving overstepped / having crossed
अतिक्रम्य:
TypeVerb
Rootअति-क्रम्
Formल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे), कर्तरि, पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (absolutive/gerund)
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
चक्रात्from the wheel / from the discus
चक्रात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootचक्र
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
काकःthe crow
काकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकाक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तम्him
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
समुदैक्षतlooked up at / looked upon
समुदैक्षत:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-उद्-ईक्ष्
Formलङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, 3rd, Singular

हंस उवाच

हंस (Haṃsa, the swan—speaker)
काक (Kāka, the crow)
चक्र (Cakra, wheel/its rim as an object or boundary)

Educational Q&A

The verse suggests an ethical warning: crossing a boundary (atikrama) out of impulsive curiosity can lead to moral or practical danger; careful discernment should precede stepping beyond established limits.

In a didactic exchange attributed to the swan (haṃsa), the crow is described as having crossed the wheel’s edge/boundary and then staring intently—portraying a moment of transgressive action followed by scrutiny, as if assessing consequences or seeking advantage.