Shloka 14

काकोपमोपदेशः

The Crow-and-Swan Exemplum as Counsel to Karṇa

Devanagari script

अन्यत्‌ कार्मुकमादाय धर्मपुत्रश्नमूमुखे । दुर्योधनस्य चिच्छेद ध्वजं कार्मुकमेव च

Transliteration

anyat kārmukam ādāya dharmaputraḥ samamukhe | duryodhanasya ciccheda dhvajaṁ kārmukam eva ca ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Cầm lấy một cây cung khác, Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira), ngay nơi tuyến đầu, đã chém đổ cờ hiệu của Duryodhana và cũng chém đứt cây cung của hắn.

Word by Word

• अन्यत्: another
• अन्यत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कार्मुकम्: bow
• कार्मुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• धर्मपुत्रः: Dharma's son (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृमूखे: at the front/forepart of the army (lit. at the 'men's mouth'/front)
• नृमूखे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृमूख
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• दुर्योधनस्य: of Duryodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• चिच्छेद: cut off
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), Past (narrative perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ध्वजम्: banner/standard
• ध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कार्मुकम्: bow
• कार्मुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed/also/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmaputra)
• Duryodhana
• bow (kārmuka)
• banner/standard (dhvaja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in anger, a dhārmic warrior’s force is ideally restrained and purposeful—aimed at neutralizing the opponent’s capacity to harm (cutting bow and banner) rather than descending into vindictive excess.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the thick of battle, Yudhiṣṭhira takes up a fresh bow and strikes decisively, severing Duryodhana’s chariot-banner and his bow, publicly diminishing the enemy’s martial and symbolic strength.