Shloka 68
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
पदभ्यामुत्क्षिप्य वेगेन पृष्ठमारोपयच्छनै: । कर्ण! इस प्रकार कहकर कौआ अचेत-सा होकर दीनभावसे विलाप करने और काँव- काँव करते हुए महासागरके जलमें डूबने लगा। उस समय उसकी ओर देखना कठिन हो रहा था। वह पानीसे भीग गया था। हंसने कृपापूर्वक उसे पंजोंसे उठाकर बड़े वेगसे ऊपरको उछाला और धीरेसे अपनी पीठपर चढ़ा लिया || ६६-६७ $ || आरोप्य पृष्ठ हंसस्तं काक॑ तूर्ण विचेतनम्
padabhyām utkṣipya vegena pṛṣṭham āropayac chanaiḥ | karṇa! iti prakāraṁ kathayitvā kāko acetasa iva bhūtvā dīna-bhāvena vilapya kāṁ-kāṁ-śabdaṁ kurvan mahāsāgarasya jale nimagnas tasyāvalokanaṁ duṣkaram abhavat | sa jalena siktas | haṁsaḥ kṛpā-pūrvakaṁ taṁ pañjabhyām uddhṛtya mahā-vegena ūrdhvaṁ kṣiptvā śanaiḥ sva-pṛṣṭhe samāropayat || āropya pṛṣṭhe haṁsas taṁ kākaṁ tūrṇaṁ vicetanam ||
Inangat siya ng sisne sa pamamagitan ng mga paa nito at, sa matuling paglipad, marahang inilagay sa sariling likod. At—O Karṇa—ang uwak, matapos magsalita nang gayon, ay tila nawalan ng ulirat; nanaghoy sa abang kalagayan at sumisigaw ng “kāṁ-kāṁ,” at nagsimulang lumubog sa tubig ng dakilang karagatan. Masakit pagmasdan siya—basang-basa at unti-unting nilalamon ng alon. Noon, ang sisne na naantig sa habag ay iniahon ang uwak sa pamamagitan ng mga kuko, inihagis paitaas nang may matinding bilis, at maingat na inilagay sa sariling likod. Ipinahihiwatig ng pangyayaring ito na kahit ang pagbagsak sa kawalang-pag-asa dahil sa sariling kamangmangan, ang habag at napapanahong saklolo ay makapagbabalik ng buhay at dangal.
काक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights compassion (kṛpā) as a dharmic response: even when someone collapses into despair through weakness or error, timely mercy and support can save them. It also implies an ethical contrast between helpless lamentation and effective, compassionate action.
After speaking to Karṇa, the crow becomes overwhelmed, laments, and begins to sink into the ocean. Seeing this, the swan compassionately lifts the crow with its claws, tosses him upward to safety, and then gently places him on its back.