Shloka 1736

काकोपमोपदेशः

The Crow-and-Swan Exemplum as Counsel to Karṇa

Devanagari script

विरेजतुर्महाराज किंशुकाविव पुष्पितौ । वे दोनों महारथी एक-दूसरेका अन्तर (प्रहार करनेका अवसर) ढूँढ़ते हुए रणभूमिमें विचर रहे थे। महाराज! धनुषको पूर्णतः खींचकर छोड़े गये बाणोंद्वारा वे दोनों वीर क्षत- विक्षत होकर फूले हुए दो पलाश-वृक्षोंके समान शोभा पा रहे थे

Transliteration

virejatur mahārāja kiṃśukāv iva puṣpitau |

Translation

Wika ni Sañjaya: O Hari, ang dalawang dakilang mandirigmang karwahe ay nagningning na parang mga punong kiṃśuka na namumulaklak. Naglilibot sila sa larangan ng digmaan, kapwa naghahanap ng siwang upang tamaan ang isa’t isa; at bagama’t punit at sugatan ng mga palasong pinakawalan mula sa busog na hinila nang buong lakas, nagmistula pa rin silang dalawang punong palāśa na namumukadkad—isang maringal na anyo sa gitna ng pagwasak.

Word by Word

• विरेजतुः: they shone
• विरेजतुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम, द्विवचन

• महा-राज: O great king
• महा-राज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• किंशुकौ: two palāśa/kimsuka trees
• किंशुकौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• इव: like/as
• इव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पुष्पितौ: in bloom, flowered
• पुष्पितौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्पित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Mahārāja (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied addressee)
• kiṃśuka (tree)
• battlefield (raṇabhūmi, implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurring ethical tension: martial excellence can appear beautiful in poetic description, yet it is inseparable from suffering. The simile of blossoming trees suggests how war can aesthetically ‘flower’ while morally remaining a scene of injury and loss.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two great chariot-warriors moving about the battlefield, each searching for an opening to strike. Though wounded by volleys of arrows shot from fully drawn bows, they still appear radiant—compared to kiṃśuka/palāśa trees in bloom.