Shloka 11

कपोती-विलापः स्वर्गसंयोगश्च

The Dove’s Lament and Celestial Reunion

Devanagari script

काकोल इव कृष्णाड़रो रक्ताक्ष: कालसम्मित: । दीर्घजड्घो हस्वपादो महावक्‍त्रो महाहनुः,उसका सारा शरीर “काकोल' जातिके कौओंके समान काला था। आँखें लाल-लाल थीं। वह देखनेपर काल-सा प्रतीत होता था। बड़ी-बड़ी पिंडलियाँ, छोटे-छोटे पैर, विशाल मुख और लंबी-सी ठोढ़ी--यही उसकी हुलिया थी

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | kākola iva kṛṣṇāṅgāro raktākṣaḥ kālasammitāḥ | dīrghajaṅgho hrasvapādo mahāvaktrō mahāhanuḥ |

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—అతడు కాకోల కాగిలెవలె నల్లగా ఉండెను; కన్నులు రక్తవర్ణముగా; రూపములో కాలుడివలె కనిపించెను. అతనికి దీర్ఘ జంఘలు, చిన్న పాదాలు, విశాల ముఖము, బలమైన దవడ ఉండెను.

Word by Word

काकोलःa crow of the kākola kind

इवlike, as

कृष्णःblack, dark

अण्डरःbody/trunk (rare word; context: body)

रक्ताक्षःred-eyed

कालसम्मितःcomparable to Death/Time

दीर्घजङ्घःlong-shanked, long-legged

ह्रस्वपादःshort-footed

महावक्त्रःlarge-mouthed, with a huge face

महाहनुःlarge-jawed, with a huge jaw

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Kākola (crow, as a simile)

Kāla (Death/Time, as a comparison)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses stark physical imagery—blackness, red eyes, and a Death-like appearance—to signal moral danger and the presence of adharma. In Śānti Parva’s ethical discourse, such descriptions commonly function as warnings: inner corruption and harmful intent are mirrored by frightening, inauspicious traits, urging discernment and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing a terrifying figure’s appearance in vivid detail—coal-black body like a crow, red eyes, and disproportionate limbs and jaw—so that the listener can recognize the being and grasp the ominous tone of the episode.