Shloka 656
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
न कंचिदवमन्ये5हमापदो मां समुद्धर । हंस! अब मैं अपने प्राणोंके साथ तुम्हारी शरणमें आया हूँ। तुम मुझे द्वीपके पास पहुँचा दो। शक्तिशाली हंस! यदि मैं कुशलपूर्वक अपने देशमें पहुँच जाऊँ तो अब कभी किसीका अपमान नहीं करूँगा। तुम इस विपत्तिसे मेरा उद्धार करो
na kañcid avamanye ’ham āpado māṃ samuddhara | haṃsa! adhunāhaṃ svaprāṇaiḥ saha tava śaraṇaṃ gataḥ | tvaṃ māṃ dvīpasya pāśvaṃ prāpayā | śaktimān haṃsa! yadi kuśalapūrvakaṃ svadeśaṃ prāpnuyāṃ tadāham adya prabhṛti kadācit kasyāpi nāvamānaṃ kariṣyāmi | tvaṃ mām asmād vipad-avasthān nistārayā ||
Wika ng uwak: “Hindi ko na muling hahamakin ang sinuman—iligtas mo ako sa kapahamakan na ito. O Sisne, lumapit ako sa iyo upang magkanlong, kasama ang aking mismong buhay. Ihatid mo ako sa pampang na malapit sa pulo. Makapangyarihang Sisne, kung makararating ako nang ligtas sa aking lupain, mula ngayon ay hindi na ako muling mang-iinsulto kaninuman. Iligtas mo ako sa panganib na ito.”
काक उवाच
Educational Q&A
In distress, one should abandon pride and contempt; seeking refuge with sincerity includes a vow to reform one’s conduct—here, the crow promises never again to insult others, linking survival with ethical transformation.
A crow, caught in danger, appeals to a swan for rescue. The crow asks to be taken near an island and, as a pledge, promises that if it reaches home safely it will never again demean anyone.