Shloka 11

कपोती-विलापः स्वर्गसंयोगश्च

The Dove’s Lament and Celestial Reunion

Devanagari script

काकोल इव कृष्णाड़रो रक्ताक्ष: कालसम्मित: । दीर्घजड्घो हस्वपादो महावक्‍त्रो महाहनुः,उसका सारा शरीर “काकोल' जातिके कौओंके समान काला था। आँखें लाल-लाल थीं। वह देखनेपर काल-सा प्रतीत होता था। बड़ी-बड़ी पिंडलियाँ, छोटे-छोटे पैर, विशाल मुख और लंबी-सी ठोढ़ी--यही उसकी हुलिया थी

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | kākola iva kṛṣṇāṅgāro raktākṣaḥ kālasammitāḥ | dīrghajaṅgho hrasvapādo mahāvaktrō mahāhanuḥ |

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—وہ کاکول کوا کی طرح سراسر سیاہ تھا، اس کی آنکھیں خون کی مانند سرخ تھیں، اور صورت میں وہ کال کے ہم پلہ دکھائی دیتا تھا۔ اس کی پنڈلیاں لمبی، پاؤں چھوٹے، منہ بڑا اور جبڑا بھاری تھا۔

Word by Word

काकोलःa crow of the kākola kind

इवlike, as

कृष्णःblack, dark

अण्डरःbody/trunk (rare word; context: body)

रक्ताक्षःred-eyed

कालसम्मितःcomparable to Death/Time

दीर्घजङ्घःlong-shanked, long-legged

ह्रस्वपादःshort-footed

महावक्त्रःlarge-mouthed, with a huge face

महाहनुःlarge-jawed, with a huge jaw

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Kākola (crow, as a simile)

Kāla (Death/Time, as a comparison)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses stark physical imagery—blackness, red eyes, and a Death-like appearance—to signal moral danger and the presence of adharma. In Śānti Parva’s ethical discourse, such descriptions commonly function as warnings: inner corruption and harmful intent are mirrored by frightening, inauspicious traits, urging discernment and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing a terrifying figure’s appearance in vivid detail—coal-black body like a crow, red eyes, and disproportionate limbs and jaw—so that the listener can recognize the being and grasp the ominous tone of the episode.