Shloka 34

काकोपमोपदेशः

The Crow-and-Swan Exemplum as Counsel to Karṇa

Devanagari script

ततस्त्वरितमागम्य कृतवर्मा तवात्मजम्‌ | प्रत्यपद्यत राजानं निमग्नं व्यसनार्णवे,तब कृतवर्मा विपत्तिके समुद्रमें डूबे हुए आपके पुत्र राजा दुर्योधनके पास तुरंत आकर उसकी रक्षाके लिये उद्यत हो गया

Transliteration

tatas tvaritam āgamya kṛtavarmā tavātmajam | pratyapadyata rājānaṃ nimagnaṃ vyasanārṇave ||

Translation

แล้วกฤตวรมาก็รีบมาถึง เข้าไปยังโอรสของท่านผู้เป็นพระราชา ผู้กำลังจมอยู่ในมหรรณพแห่งเคราะห์ร้าย และยืนประจำเพื่อคุ้มครอง

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• त्वरितम्: quickly
• त्वरितम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्वरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √त्वर्)
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial use of neut. acc. sg.)

• आगम्य: having come
• आगम्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (आ-)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), active

• कृतवर्मा: Kṛtavarmā
• कृतवर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतवर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• तव: your
• तव: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, singular

• आत्मजम्: son
• आत्मजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• प्रत्यपद्यत: approached, went to
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पद् (प्रति-आ-)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• निमग्नम्: sunk, immersed
• निमग्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निमग्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मज्ज्/√मग्, नि-)
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular (agreeing with राजानम्)

• व्यसन: calamity, distress
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, stem form used as first member of compound

• अर्णवे: in the ocean
• अर्णवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, locative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛtavarmā
• Duryodhana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how, in moments of overwhelming downfall, allies may act from steadfast loyalty and duty to their chosen king. It also implicitly contrasts personal allegiance with the broader ethical tragedy of war, where even protective acts occur within a larger ‘ocean of calamity’ created by adharma and conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Duryodhana is portrayed as overwhelmed by disaster, Kṛtavarmā quickly arrives at his side and positions himself to defend him. Sañjaya reports this to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, emphasizing the urgency and the dire state of the Kaurava cause.