Shloka 323

Devanagari script

उवाच काकं राधेय वचन तन्निबोध मे । राधापुत्र! कौएके ऐसा कहनेपर एक आकाशचारी हंसने हँसकर उससे जो कुछ कहा, वह मुझसे सुनो

Transliteration

uvāca kākaṃ rādhēya vacanaṃ tan nibodha me | rādhāputra! kaueke evaṃ kahanepara eka ākāśacārī haṃsane haṃsakar usase yo kiñcit kathitaṃ tat me śṛṇu ||

Translation

Ворон сказал: «О Радхея, внимай моим словам. О сын Радхи! Когда ворон произнёс это, один лебедь, странствующий по небу, громко расхохотался и ответил ему. Слушай же от меня, что сказал тот лебедь».

Word by Word

उवाचsaid/spoke

काकम्to the crow / the crow (as object)

राधेयO Rādheya (Karna)

वचनम्speech, words

तत्that

निबोधunderstand, heed

मेof me / my

राधापुत्रO son of Rādhā

Speaker

काक उवाच

Characters & Entities

क

काक (Crow)

र

राधेय (Karna)

र

राधापुत्र (Karna)

ह

हंस (Swan)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The framing suggests a moral dialogue: the crow’s words prompt a response from the swan, a traditional emblem of discrimination (viveka). The ethical thrust is to weigh speech and conduct carefully, learning discernment from wiser counsel rather than clinging to pride or impulsive talk.

What is happening in the narrative?

A crow addresses Karna (Radheya) and asks him to listen. The crow then recounts an earlier exchange: after the crow spoke, a swan flying in the sky laughed and replied. This verse functions as a transition into the swan’s forthcoming speech.