Shloka 236
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
कथं त्वं पतिता काक सहास्माभिन्रवीहि तत् । ओ खोटी बुद्धिवाले काग! तू कौआ होकर लंबी उड़ान भरनेवाले और अपने अंगोंमें चक्रका चिह्न धारण करनेवाले एक बलवान् हंसको अपने साथ उड़नेके लिये कैसे ललकार रहा है? काग! बता तो सही
kathaṁ tvaṁ patitā kāka sahāsmābhir bravīhi tat | o khoṭī buddhivāle kāga! tvaṁ kāko bhūtvā lambī uḍāna bharanevāle aura apane aṅgoṁ meṁ cakra-kā cihna dhāraṇa karanevāle eka balavān haṁsako apane sātha uḍane ke liye kaise lalkāra rahā hai? kāga! batā to sahī, tvaṁ hamāre sātha kis prakāra uḍegā? |
Sañjaya nói: “Hãy nói đi—một con quạ sa đọa như ngươi sẽ bay cùng chúng ta bằng cách nào? Hỡi quạ ngu muội! Ngươi là quạ, sao dám thách thức một thiên nga hùng mạnh—kẻ bay xa và mang dấu bánh xe (cakra) trên thân thể—đòi bay cùng ngươi? Nói cho rõ: ngươi sẽ theo kịp chúng ta bằng cách nào?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses the crow–swan contrast to criticize arrogance and overreaching: one should know one’s true capacity and not challenge the truly capable out of vanity. It warns against pretension and empty bravado, especially in a martial context where such pride leads to ruin.
Sanjaya reports a cutting taunt framed as a metaphor: a ‘fallen crow’ is mocked for daring to challenge a powerful ‘swan’ that can soar far and bears a distinguished ‘cakra’ mark. The speaker demands that the crow explain how it could possibly fly in company with such superior beings—i.e., how it could match their prowess.