Shloka 32
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
Devanagari script
एवमुक्ते तु काकेन प्रहस्यैको विहंगम:
Transliteration
evam ukte tu kākena prahasyāiko vihaṅgamaḥ
Translation
ครั้นอีกาเอ่ยดังนั้น นกตัวหนึ่งก็หัวเราะก้อง—เย้ยหยันถ้อยคำของอีกา ประหนึ่งจะเปิดโปงความเขลา และทดสอบน้ำหนักแห่งธรรมของคำที่เพิ่งกล่าวไป
Word by Word
एवम्thus, in this manner
एवम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम्
उक्तेwhen (it was) said
उक्ते:
Adhikarana
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
Formक्त (past passive participle), neuter, locative, singular
तुbut, indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
काकेनby the crow
काकेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootकाक
Formmasculine, instrumental, singular
प्रहस्यhaving laughed
प्रहस्य:
TypeVerb
Rootहस्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage), having laughed (forth)
एकःone, a certain
एकः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootएक
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
विहङ्गमःbird
विहङ्गमः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविहङ्गम
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
Speaker
काक उवाच
Characters & Entities
क
काक (crow)व
विहंगम (a bird)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a common ethical dynamic in didactic tales: speech is tested by response. Laughter here signals skepticism and invites scrutiny—urging the listener to distinguish between mere assertion and sound judgment.
After the crow finishes speaking, another bird reacts by laughing. This sets up a rebuttal or counterpoint, indicating that the crow’s statement will be challenged or evaluated.